Gulmarg Estate

Gulmarg is a 145-hectare coffee farm with origins dating back to British colonial times. Today, it is one of six estates managed by Sasini, a publicly listed company with majority Kenyan ownership.

Sasini has a long-standing focus on community support and worker welfare, providing housing, early childhood education, union representation, and wages above the national minimum. In partnership with Olam Specialty and several customers, the company has also contributed to local education, most recently supporting the development of a new computer lab at Njenga Karume Primary School to help students build essential digital skills.

Kiambu County, situated just north of Nairobi, is known primarily for its agricultural activity. The area’s fertile highlands and suitable climate support the cultivation of tea, coffee, and various horticultural crops. Kiambu has a notable reputation within Kenya’s coffee sector, producing quality Arabica beans that contribute to the country’s exports. Its closeness to Nairobi also means the county benefits from expanding urban areas and infrastructure, blending rural traditions with gradual development. Overall, Kiambu plays a modest but important role in Kenya’s economy and community life.

Coffee likely grew wild in the region that became Kenya, either hidden in dense forests or nearby unnoticed. However, it wasn’t until 1895 that both Protestant and Catholic missionaries began cultivating coffee commercially. The 100 seeds brought from Reunion Island by the “Holy Ghost Fathers” arrived by train and reached what would soon become the capital city on August 12, 1899.

One early Protestant medical missionary, Dr. Henry Scott, left a lasting legacy after his death in 1911. A hospital complex named in his honour was later taken over by the agricultural department in 1923 and became the Scott Agricultural Laboratories, or “Scott Labs.” The “SL” designation in SL28 and other coffee varieties traces back to this lab.