Wanrich Batian AA - Kenya

Origin: Kenya
Producer: Jane Kamau
Region: Kitale, Rift Valley
Altitude: 1800 masl
Variety: Batian
Process: Washed

Wanrich Coffee is a family-owned farming company established in 2015. Coffee is grown in one of the wonders of the world, the Great Rift Valley and the altitude is about 1,800 meters above sea level.
The farm is located in Trans Nzoia County within the Western Kenya slopes of Mt Elgon. The natural volcanic topography allows for appropriate draining and cooling of the crop.

In 2017 when Jane quit her job, she wanted to take a chance on herself and become a farmer. Her husband’s family farm at that time was growing maize and rearing cattle with a few coffee trees. 2015 was the first time, the Wanrich farms flirted with possibility of growing speciality coffee in that soil. Although in those two years even when they provided canopy, weeded, pruned the coffees, the trees refused to be productive. As soon as Jane moved back to Kitale, she also attended an agricultural show where she met someone from the coffee research institute. That was one of the first turning points in her story because she got a lot of support regarding how the trees have to be managed throughout the year. Jane then took it upon herself to continue on her quest and this time she also wanted to become well versed as an exporter.
Together with Gloria’s help, she started attending workshops on coffee exporting to get a better grip regarding the needs of the coffee world.
During this time, the coffees planted in 2015 were close to fruition and they harvest 2 bags from 8 acres of land dedicated to coffee. Jane knew then that both her and her coffee were hardly close to their potential. She started getting help from the coffee research institute regarding the best varieties to be planted for their soil condition, following calendars that offered guidelines about maintenance and learning more about the market.
2 bags became 9 then it became 50 and in 2021 close to 100 (that included lower grades) and the list keeps growing!

The ecological conditions here are favorable for growing the best coffee due to the young volcanic soils that are very fertile.
The climate in the region is favorable with mild temperatures that do not go above 28 degrees Celsius (82 F) which are accompanied by adequate rainfall throughout the years.

Jane’s proactiveness doesn’t stop with just being able to expand her coffee and community, it lies in giving back. It lies in being an ally to empower the women around her. She and Susan are on the board for NORT women’s group which is working towards creating a central processing unit that can be accessed by the farmers native to Kitale. As they are building the future now, Jane continues to be an essential building block for it!

The processing
Fully washed
The red cherries are picked and pulped on the same day without water. They are soaked for 13-15 hours on the first day, washed and again are overnight for 12-13 hours. They are washed again, sent to the drying beds where they are laid out thin. They are dried over a period of 10-11 days under direct sun until 11 am after which they are turned, covered whilst drying.

The variety
Batian
“A variety resistant to coffee leaf rust and coffee berry disease created at the Coffee Research Station (CRS; now the Coffee Research Institute, CRI) in Ruiru, Kenya. Batian was released in Kenya in 2010. Batian was created via single-tree selections from fifth filial (F5) generations from the male parent of some Ruiru 11 progenies. Batian is a composite variety, mixing three different pure line varieties. The varieties involved in the original crosses are: SL28, SL34, Rume Sudan, N39, K7), SL4 and the Timor Hybrid.”.
From World Coffee Research

Cup profile
Lime, honey, blood orange.