Kenya Kevote

The Kevote washing station, established in 1957, is located in Embu County on the slopes of Mount Kenya and serves nearly 2,600 smallholder coffee producers in the region. In recent years, the station has expanded and now operates three facilities in different towns. The organization is governed by a democratically elected five-member board that ensures efficient processing and support for smallholder farmers.

On the farms using this station, ripe cherries are hand-picked and then delivered to the mill, where they are sorted and purified in fresh water from a local tributary. The coffee is processed here using the traditional Kenyan method of double washing and drying on raised beds. This washing process may vary slightly from region to region, but usually involves a soaking step that is unique to Kenya. After harvesting, the coffee is depopulated (desalted) the same day, fermented in open concrete or cement tanks for 24-48 hours, thoroughly washed using water channels and then soaked under water for 12-72 hours. The coffee is then spread out on raised beds for drying.