Impexcor’s Arabica Red Bourbon variety coffee is cultivated by 137 registered farmers who deliver their harvest to the station between March and June. These cherries, grown with care on smallholder farms, are transported to the station either by bicycle or carried by hand, depending on the farm’s size and accessibility. Upon arrival, each delivery undergoes an initial quality check, where conventional and organic lots are separated. The cherries are weighed, and farmers receive a receipt for their contribution.
The selected cherries are fed into a hopper and floated to remove underripe or defective cherries. Pulping is carried out using a Penagos machine, after which the coffee undergoes fermentation in tanks for 12 to 15 hours, depending on temperature. Once fermentation is complete, the coffee is thoroughly washed and passed through a grading channel, where it is separated by density using water.
Graded coffee is placed on primary drying tables for initial sorting, ensuring only the highest-quality parchment is retained. It is then transferred to raised drying beds, where it dries under the sun for 18 to 21 days, depending on weather conditions. During this period, the coffee is regularly turned to ensure even drying and preserve flavour quality.
Once the ideal moisture content is achieved, the coffee is moved into storage and organised by individual lots. Final sorting is conducted in the warehouse to maintain consistent quality before the parchment is sent to the RWACOF dry mill for hulling, grading, and preparation for export.