Jane Wanjiku Kiriri-Kamau is the founder and farmer behind WanRich Coffee, a smallholder farm in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County, western Kenya. ‎
After a long career in banking, in 2015 Jane transitioned into specialty coffee, shifting her farm’s focus from maize and livestock to high-quality Arabica. ‎
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Her farm sits at 1,800 masl on fertile volcanic soils along the western slope of Mount Elgon — a region blessed with consistent rainfall and a favourable microclimate. The terroir of Kitale combines high elevation, volcanic soil, and moderate temperatures (rarely above 28 °C), encouraging slow cherry maturation and a vibrant acidity. ‎
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Jane cultivates leading Kenyan Arabica varieties — SL28, SL34, Batian, and Ruiru — often grafted together to combine disease resistance with excellent cup potential. She follows organic farming practices: no pesticides, manual weeding, and seasonal applications of organic foliar fertilisers. Her agronomic methods are supported by specialists from the Coffee Research Institute of Kenya. ‎
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Processing is done fully washed on the farm. Ripe cherries are selectively hand-picked, depulped the same day without water, then undergo a double fermentation: ‎
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First soak: 13–15 hours ‎
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Washing ‎
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Second fermentation: 12–13 hours ‎
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After a final wash, the parchment is dried on African beds for 10–11 days, with midday covering to preserve delicate flavours. ‎
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Beyond quality, Jane’s work has a strong social impact: she provides stable employment to local workers and serves on the board of NORT — a women’s group working to establish a central processing station for farmers in the region. ‎
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