Meru & Charles

Meet Charles and Mukarimu Coffee Estate

At the invitation of Charles Mutwiri Rintaugu, uncle of Lucy and Mercy and founder of Mukarimu Coffee Estate, Robert visited his coffee plantation. The plantation lies in Meru County, on the eastern slopes of Mount Kenya, where volcanic soil and the climate provide good conditions for growing coffee.

Charles started with 150 coffee trees from a family inheritance. His history as a coffee farmer includes difficult periods, such as low coffee prices and rising production costs. Even so, he remained committed to coffee growing.

To be able to work more independently, he set up his own coffee processing facility next to his house. This is where the coffee cherries are processed: the skin and pulp are removed, after which the beans are fermented, washed and dried on raised drying beds.

Mukarimu is also a place where knowledge is passed on. The company offers training to coffee farmers and supplies young coffee plants. It also involves young people in coffee growing.

Charles seated in a blue suit with a red tie

Charles — founder of Mukarimu Coffee Estate.

Solidaridad sign on Charles’ plantation: Coffee Resilience Programme, demo plot PFC/004

The Solidaridad sign on the plantation.

Charles’ craftsmanship reaches beyond his plantation

Mukarimu is also a destination for farmers who want to improve their coffee growing. In 2023, 32 coffee farmers from Makueni visited Charles’ plantation during a two-day study trip in Meru.

The Government of Makueni describes how they gained knowledge there about planting, caring for coffee bushes and high-quality coffee varieties.

The sign on Charles’ plantation marks demonstration plot PFC/004 of Solidaridad’s Coffee Resilience Programme (2018–2020): a tangible reminder of knowledge sharing and the development of coffee growing.

In this way, Mukarimu tells not only the story of Charles and his family, but also of passing on knowledge to the next generation.

Source: Makueni Government, 23 Nov 2023.