Grown near the town of Mukurweini, where we have purchased several lots in the past.
Nyeri
Alex Mwangi
Alex Mwangi produces coffee on a small estate in the region of Nyeri, not far from the town of Mukurweini. Alex previously worked in a solar panel manufacturing facility, but left 15 years ago to pursue a career in coffee production. He initially joined a local association, but was always looking to process his own coffee. After only 2 years, he took the plunge and built his own small wet mill on the estate, and has continued to look for new ways to differentiate himself, and gradually improve the coffee production industry in Kenya. It was this drive that led Alex to work with Belco’s ‘Hands On Coffee’ project, to create coffee in a less impactful way.


A citrus forward profile, with underlying berry notes and a rich caramel sweetness.
Kenya
The Hands On approach
Due to the dominance of the washed process in Kenya, and the many floating, sorting and soaking steps they often use, the water usage here is incredibly high, much higher per kilo of coffee produced than any other country we buy coffee from. Kenyan cooperatives also often have affiliations with large fertiliser companies, giving members subsidised and direct access to chemical fertilisers and pesticides, meaning these are often used to a very high degree in the Kenyan coffee lands. The system of grading, where large bean size ‘AA’ lots fetch the highest prices, also lead many producers to fertilise very aggressively in order to grow larger fruit, and therefore increase their income. All of this leads to a great deal of contaminated waste water from processing, and runoff of fertiliser from farmlands. If not dealt with carefully, this can be catastrophic for vital Kenyan groundwater supplies. This is part of what the Hands On Coffee project aims to change. They often work with individual producers rather than on a cooperative level, meaning less influence from large fertiliser companies, and more traceability. Furthermore, they are championing the natural process as a method of increasing quality, creating a point of difference in a washed coffee dominated market, which in theory leads to higher prices.
They have implemented much more careful drying processes both for washed and natural lots, with the project financing expanded drying beds, plastic protection from rains and high sun, and moisture meters for consistency. The importance of ventilation and temperature control during drying was emphasised using this new equipment, leading to more consistently and carefully dried coffees. This is a huge factor in processing natural coffees, alongside a constant need for sorting and harvesting consistently ripe fruit.
Technical Data
-
Producer
Alex Mwangi -
Region
Nyeri -
Altitude
1800 masl -
Varietal
SL28 -
Process
Washed -
Harvest
December 2020
Washed Process
The washed process involves completely removing both the cherry and the mucilage from the outside of the parchment with the use of friction, fermentation and water. After being harvested, the coffee cherry is then sliced open by either a metal or a sharp plastic blade.
The two seeds (also known as beans) are pushed out of the cherry, which leaves the seed with mucilage as their outermost layer. It is essential in the washed process that all mucilage is removed from the seed which leaves only the flavour that developed in the cell structure of the seed prior to processing.
Opening Hours
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Møntergade 3A
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Denmark
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Thailand
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10400 Bangkok
Thailand
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Mon - Fri: 08:00 - 17:00
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Muscat - Oman
Al Qurum Complex
113 Muscat
Oman
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Mon - Sat: 07:00 - 21:00
Sun: Closed
152 2nd Ave
10003 New York
United States
Opening Hours:
Mon - Fri: 7:00 - 18:00
Sat - Sun: 8:00 - 18:00
284 Lafayette St
10012 New York
United States
Opening Hours:
Mon - Fri: 7:00 - 18:00
Sat - Sun: 8:00 - 18:00
Graven 20
8000 Aarhus C
Denmark
Opening Hours:
Mon - Sat: 8:00 - 18:00
Sun: 9:00 - 17:00
Borggade 4F
8000 Aarhus C
Denmark
Opening Hours:
Mon - Sun: 7:00 - 17:00
Møntergade 3A
1116 Copenhagen K
Denmark
Opening Hours:
Mon - Fri: 8:00 - 18:00
Sat - Sun: 9:00 - 17:00
Marguerite Vibys Plads 8
2000 Frederiksberg
Denmark
Opening Hours:
Mon - Fri: 8:00 - 17:00
Sat - Sun: Closed
813 Charoen Krung Rd, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong
10100 Bangkok
Thailand
Opening Hours:
Mon - Fri: 8:00 - 17:00
Sat - Sun: 8:00 - 17:00
304 Phahonyothin Road, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai
10400 Bangkok
Thailand
Opening Hours:
Mon - Fri: 08:00 - 17:00
Sat - Sun: 08:00 - 17:00
Al Qurum Complex
113 Muscat
Oman
Opening Hours:
Mon - Sat: 07:00 - 21:00
Sun: Closed
Contact
Webshop
Marguerite Vibys Pl. 1
2000 Frederiksberg
Denmark
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Wholesale
Marguerite Vibys Pl. 1
2000 Frederiksberg
Denmark
Have a question?
Marguerite Vibys Pl. 1
2000 Frederiksberg
Denmark
Have a question?
Please write us in the chat.
Marguerite Vibys Pl. 1
2000 Frederiksberg
Denmark
Have a question?