Gatina
- First time cooperation: 2025
- Cooperation model: Indirect Trade
OVERVIEW
The Gatina Coffee Factory is nestled between the western slopes and the eastern slopes of the Aberdares range, just a few kilometers from Karatina town. Established in 1968, this processing station now receives coffee cherries from 790 smallholder farmers, with 280 women-owned farms. Situated at altitudes between 1,800 and 2,050 meters above sea level, this terroir provides ideal growing conditions for premium coffee varieties including Batian, Ruiru 11, SL28, and SL34.
UNIQUE FARMING MODEL
What sets Gatina apart is its micro-farming approach – each family typically maintains just 0.1 hectares with a few hundred coffee trees. This “coffee garden” model enables families to focus intensively on each tree, implementing specialized cultivation techniques. Farmers also practice sustainable agriculture by intercropping coffee with tea, maize, and legumes, creating a diverse and sustainable agricultural ecosystem.
QUALITY CONTROL PROCESS
Quality control at Gatina is rigorous from the moment coffee cherries arrive. Quality control officers play a crucial role, ensuring only the ripest cherries enter processing. Under-ripe cherries are returned to farmers for separate drying and later sold as lower-grade ‘mbuni’ at season’s end – a system that incentivizes selective picking of only perfectly ripe cherries.
The coffee is pulped using a triple-disc pulper and undergoes overnight fermentation. After fermentation, the beans are washed in clean water, soaked, and spread on raised drying beds. During the drying process, staff regularly turn the coffee to ensure even drying and protect it from intense sunlight to maintain stable temperatures. They meticulously inspect and remove any damaged or discolored beans.
Once dried, the coffee is transported to Kahawa Bora Millers, our partner mill in South America, which has the capability to process small lots separately, ensuring quality control and traceability.
MUGAGA FARMERS' COOPERATIVE SOCIETY'S ROLE
Beyond managing five processing stations, Mugaga Farmers’ Cooperative Society drives community sustainability. Many members face yield challenges due to limited resources, aging rootstock, and pest issues. Mugaga provides resources to improve productivity while implementing programs to increase youth and women’s participation in coffee farming.
Their success in gender equality is evidenced by women comprising one-third of their membership.
WHY WE CHOSE GATINA
Gatina Coffee Factory represents modern South American coffee excellence. Their comprehensive quality management system, combined with small-scale farming that allows meticulous attention to each coffee tree, demonstrates their commitment to exceptional quality, supported by Mugaga Farmers’ Cooperative Society’s technical expertise.
Moreover, Gatina’s commitment to community development, shown through their 30% female membership and farmer support programs, aligns perfectly with our vision for a sustainable and responsible coffee supply chain.
