This coffee is from the Kainamui Cooperative in Kirinyaga, Kenya, part of the New Ngariama Farmers Cooperative Society. The lot blends SL-28 and SL-34 varieties with Batian and Ruiru-11 cultivars. Approximately 1,800 smallholder farmers contribute to this cooperative, including around 600 women. Most producers farm about 200 trees on less than half a hectare. Coffee grows alongside bananas, corn, tea, macadamia, and eucalyptus trees. Kirinyaga sits on the slopes of Mt. Kenya, where volcanic soils, abundant rivers, and roughly 50 inches of annual rainfall create ideal conditions. The coffee offers a clean, balanced, fruit-forward Kenyan profile.
Founder Tim Coonan, a former chef with experience in prestigious kitchens around the world, started Big Shoulders Coffee in his garage about a decade ago. His culinary background brings a chef's attention to detail to every roast, sourcing beans from farmers he has built relationships with. Together with his wife Patricia, they have built a brand that prioritizes hospitality and creating a welcoming "third place" for the community, a sanctuary separate from home and work.
