Managed by the Kithungururu Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Embu County, Kenya, the Kithungururu Factory sits at 1,600 meters on red volcanic soil, processing SL 28, SL 34, and Ruiru 11 cherries delivered by local smallholders. The facility supports producers through Ministry of Agriculture training, strict field committee oversight, and direct management handling everything from density sorting to final payments. During the biannual harvest, hand-picked cherries are pulped, dry-fermented for 16–24 hours, washed, soaked for an additional 16–24 hours, and sun-dried on raised beds for 12–21 days. Beyond delivering quality bonuses through transparent auction Sourcing, the cooperative promotes sustainable farming using wastewater soak pits and active tree-planting initiatives.
