KENYA CHEPSANGOR HILLS ESTATE SACCHAROMYCES FERMENTATION

light roast. notes of rum raisin, tangerine, and black tea.

region: nandi hills

producers: 100+ growers of the chepsangor hills estate

elevation: 1,700-2,000 masl

varietals: sl28, batian, ruiru 11

process: saccharomyces yeast fermentation

importer: crop to cup

from crop to cup:

Founded in 2018 by Dr. Rosebella Langat and her husband, Chepsangor is a vertically integrated estate that grows and processes its own and some outgrower coffee, maintains a nursery and apiary, and hosts educational events and workshops. The farm produces SL28, Batian, and Ruiru 11, processed on-site using washed, natural, honey, and experimental fermentation methods. In addition to its own production, the estate helped establish Chepsangor Women in Coffee—a women-led producer group with over 100 members—providing seedlings, training, and processing support.

Chepsangor prides itself on processing innovation, including a 2025 workshop with microbiologist Lucia Solis that produced two experimental lots using controlled yeast and bacterial fermentations to improve consistency and reduce labor. The estate’s total annual output averages 300 bags, primarily marketed through direct export partnerships in Europe. Educational initiatives such as fermentation camps, organic farming workshops, and leadership training reflect the company’s focus on rural womens’ empowerment and earnest farmer profitability.