Of the three factories operated by the Kiambaa Farmers Co-operative society, Ruaka is the oldest. It was built in 1954 ,only two years after coffee was planted in the surrounding area. In the same year, on the 7th ofNovember, Kiambaa FCS was established. They now operate a total of three factories; Giichi (1960) and Kanunga (1976), collecting and processing 70,000 kilos of cherry from250 active members. The governing body comprises seven members: two from each factory, with the leadership rotating between the three mils every three years.
Situated on the southern slopes of the Aberdare Range Kiambaa, FCS benefits from more-stable rain patterns created by the altitude range, receiving 1300 to 1800 mm rainfall in two seasons (long and short rains). Though rain is a blessing in most cases, here the rains can interrupt and damage harvest, as the rains for fly crop often begin in October as farmers are collecting their main crop.
In 2007, Ruaka was FLO certified to ensure its farmers and factory workers receive adequate pay for their work andcrops. As part of the certification, the factory is required to implement sustainable practices, such as water efficiency and treatment, and waste management. The water from processing is now reticulated twice, then drained into seepage pits to ensure local tributaries aren't contaminated. Discarded cherry is broken down and distributed to be used as compost.
