Runge’eto Kii: Kirinyaga, Kenya
Introducing Runge’eto Kii
We’re thrilled to share our newest single-origin release: Runge’eto Kii, a vibrant and beautifully classic Kenyan coffee from Kirinyaga. Coffees like this one remind us exactly why Kenya remains one of the most celebrated coffee origins in the world. After a few challenging years for producers, it’s exciting to see Kenya’s coffee legacy shining bright once again — and this cup captures everything we’ve been missing.
Expect a cup full of warm amber honey, zesty tangerine juice, and juicy melon — a combination that perfectly balances sweetness, brightness, and structure. This coffee is a dream for anyone who loves that quintessential Kenya flavor profile: lively, complex, and unmistakably special.
We’ve been so excited about the fresh crop coming out of Kenya this year, and when we had the chance to sample this lot from Kirinyaga, we knew it was something worth celebrating. It promised the kind of flavor and depth we remembered from Kenyan coffees at their peak, and it delivered on every front.
This coffee is everything we hoped for: beautiful, rich, savory, and sweet, with that iconic Kenyan brightness and a honeyed finish that lingers long after the cup is gone. We loved it so much that we bought up as much as we could. It’s a true crowd-pleaser and one of those coffees that reminds us why we fell in love with Kenya in the first place.
About This Coffee
The Kii Factory, located within sight of Mt. Kenya, was originally part of the Ngiriama Cooperative Society before joining the Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society in 1997. Today, it works with about 80 smallholder farmers who grow SL28, SL34, Batian, and Ruiru 11 varieties, some of the most storied cultivars in the coffee world.
After harvesting, ripe cherries are carefully sorted, pulped, fermented overnight, washed, and graded, then dried on raised tables for 8–14 days to develop their full character. Kii’s farmers are also committed to sustainability: they compost discarded coffee fruit to fertilize their trees and recycle the water used for pulping, creating a more balanced and regenerative growing cycle.
A Brief History of Coffee in Kenya
While coffee may have grown wild in Kenya for centuries, its commercial cultivation didn’t begin until 1895, when both Protestant and Catholic missionaries began planting seeds brought from Reunion Island. These 100 seeds, carried by priests known as the Holy Ghost Fathers, became the foundation of Kenya’s coffee industry.
By the early 1900s, coffee had taken root across the central highlands, and in 1923, the Scott Agricultural Laboratories were established in honor of missionary Dr. Henry Scott. It was here that researchers developed the now-famous SL28 and SL34 varieties — the same ones that form the backbone of many of Kenya’s most popular coffees today, including Runge’eto Kii.
Why We Love This Lot
Runge’eto Kii is everything we adore about Kenyan coffee — bold yet refined, bright yet deeply sweet, and unmistakably complex. It’s a taste of history, craftsmanship, and resilience all in one cup. If you’ve been waiting for that classic Kenyan coffee to return to our shelves, this is the one.