Description
Location: Nyangeni, Ngariama
Sub-location, Kirinyaga County, Kenya
Farm Name Muthonjo Estate
Farm Size 5 Acres
Coffee trees 4,000
Coffee Varietals SL34,Ruiru 11,Batian
Process: Washed Altitude 1640 MASL
Coffee Profile:
Blueberry, Milk Chocolate, Mulberry
About Muthonjo Estate
Established in 1989 and owned by Grace Muthoni, Muthonjo Estate is a family-run farm in Kenya’s Central Province. The estate grows and processes its own coffee with a focus on quality and sustainability. SL34 and Ruiru varieties dominate the plantation, with a smaller portion of Batian. About 25% of the trees are Ruiru, sourced from Coffee Research Foundation seedlings or grafted onsite.
Location & Environment
Situated 5 kilometres from Kiamutugu town, Muthonjo benefits from fertile volcanic soils on the slopes of Mount Kenya. The estate cultivates maize and bananas for sustenance, while Grevillea and macadamia trees serve as shade for the coffee plants. About 95% of coffee production occurs during the second semester harvest, with 5% harvested early in the “fly crop” season.
Sustainability Commitment
Partnering with Coffee Management Services (CMS), Muthonjo emphasizes sustainable farming practices. The estate supports farmer training programs, good agricultural practices (GAP), and access to modern farming inputs. Muthonjo prioritizes transparency and trust with smallholder farmers while aiming to produce some of Kenya’s highest quality coffee with fair returns to producers.
Coffee Processing
- Only ripe red cherries are handpicked and pulped the same day using a Mackinnon Pulper under wet processing guidelines.
- Clean water ensures quality fermentation and preservation of the prized bluish-grey-green raw bean color.
- To avoid defects, drying is performed in two stages: a rapid wet-to-black phase and a slow, carefully monitored black-to-white phase.
- The estate avoids rewetting and over-fermentation for optimal bean quality.
