LOCATION
The Kahuhia cooperative is located in Murang’a County, on the East slope of the Aberdare mountains, north of Nairobi. The factory has been built in 1959 and is the first factory of Kahuhia FCS. Kahuhia FCS is composed of 6 factories: (Kahuhia Factory, Karichiungu Factory, Ngwethe Factory, Wanjengi Factory, Gathinja Factory and Gathamba Factory). The cherries are fully washed with fresh river water and sundried on raised beds. The total active members of the FCS is slightly below 3000. The annual production is around 45000 kg of cherries.

SOILS AND CLIMATE
The farm that composes the cooperative are dressed with red-volcanic soil that infuses it with all the mineral and organic goodness necessary for optimum production. It experiences an annual rainfall of 1,100mm at 1,700m above sea level. In addition, it enjoys cool temperatures of 13-26°C.

PROCESSING
Fermentation
After pulping, the coffee is fermented overnight to break down the sugars, before traveling through channels to the soaking tank where the coffee is carefully cleaned, soaked and spread out on the raised drying tables.

Drying process
Time on the drying tables depends on climate, ambient temperature and total production volume
undergoing processing. Drying can take from 7 to 15 days in total. Continuous sorting and hand
turning of the parchment takes place throughout the drying process.

Pre-financing Farmers
From funds set aside from the previous year’s harvest, members of the cooperative can access pre-financing for school fees, access to farm inputs and funds for emergency needs.
The factory is receiving assistance from a field partner- Coffee Management Services (CMS).
The long term goal is to increase coffee production through farmer training, ready access to inputs, Good Agricultural Practice seminars, and providing the most current printed materials on sustainable farming. By paying the producers some of the highest returns for their coffee this objective becomes more possible. C. Dorman strongly believes in establishing a transparent, trust based relationship with smallholder farmers, helping to support sustained industry growth throughout the country, and continuing to elevate the standards of quality coffee produced in Kenya.

SUSTAINABLE FARMING
In line with the rising awareness on the need to conserve the environment, the factory has dug the waste water soak pits away from the water source where the waste water is allowed to soak in back to the soil. Currently the factory does not engage in waste water treatment. Additionally the society encourages its members to plant trees on their farms.

ECOLOGY
In addition to coffee, common crops grown are banana and maize. Grevillea or macadamia trees are also planted to provide shade to the growing coffee trees.

WELFARE
Currently the factory offers farm inputs on credit and cash advances to farmers as incentives.