Historical Background:

Farmers in Kikai planted their first coffee trees in 1959.  The Coop has 2 wet mills namely Kikai and Kutere. The Coop is located within Namwela division, on the Southern slopes of Mount Elgon and lying at the Kenya- Uganda border.

Management & Membership:

The Coop is managed by an elected board of 9 members. Currently the Coop has 12 permanent  members of staff who are headed by a Secretary Manager. The Secretary Manager  oversees the day to day running of the Coop under the supervision of the board.

The 2 Wet mills in the coop have a membership  of 2333  farmers.

Coffee Processing and Marketing:

Farmers selectively hand pick red ripe cherries  that are delivered for wet milling the same day. The parchment is then fermented, washed and sun dried . Dry parchment is milled and bagged at Socfinaf coffee mills and then transported to SMS Ltd warehouses. The Coffee is then sold either through the Nairobi auction or direct to overseas buyers.

Coffee Diversification

Kikai FCS has been earning significant amount of FT premiums and last year they resolved to diversify to milk production. FT Premiums have been used to put up a milk cooling plant where all Kikai members will pool together all their milk in a bid to negotiate for better prices and close out  middle men. The coop has also started a second project on Biogas installation in the farms with SMS and some other NGOs in a bid to improve the lives of women by using gas in their kitchens instead of firewood. The second project will also see increased production of compost manure that is necessary for sustainable cherry production and quality coffee production.