Blackberry Disco

Nestled in the Kiria-ini sublocation of Gatanga, Murang’a County, Kenya, the estate is overseen by Mercy Wambui Gatuhi. Founded in 1978 by William Gatuhi Murathe, the farm prospers at an altitude of 1,750 to 1,800 meters, nurtured by fertile, deep red volcanic soils rich in organic content. The estate is dedicated to cultivating the Ruiru 11 coffee variety. During harvest, the estate engages up to 400 local workers to meticulously hand-pick cherries at their peak maturity. These cherries are transported to the wet mill, where they are carefully sorted on a patio. Following sorting, they pass through a pulping machine that uses fresh water to remove the outer fruit layer. The beans then undergo overnight fermentation, are thoroughly washed, and are graded by density. To complete the process, the beans are sun-dried on raised beds under close monitoring until they reach the ideal moisture content.