The Nano Challa Cooperative is overseen by the Kata Muduga Farmers’ Union, founded in 2012 as part of an initiative by the NGO Technoserve. The focus was to elevate the standard of coffee processing, thereby enhancing the lives and livelihoods of the farmers who work there. The cooperative has flourished, growing in number to over 400 members. The superlative training and infrastructure available, matched with the rich silt loam soils and dense natural forest surrounding the 950 hectare farm associated with the coop, result in the stunning coffees we see being produced there.
Post-harvest, the cherries are sorted for density in cement flotation tanks and then again by hand. Pulping is done mechanically, and utlises water recycling facilities. The coffee is soaked for 8-12 hours, skin dried for 8-14 hours then transferred to raised African drying beds made from local materials such as bamboo for 7-11 days.
Seasonal buying is about seeing coffee as a crop not a commodity, buying in harmony with the growing seasons to enjoy coffee at its best. This kind of buying has always been the backbone of our business and it’s something we’ve improved and refined every year.
