Kenya’s coffee
culture is picking up fast and beans that once were almost exclusively an
export crop increasingly are being consumed at home. The shift is visible in
the booming cafe scene, changing consumer tastes and renewed government efforts
to revive production.
According to the
Agriculture and Food Authority, local consumption has risen sharply, with the
number of coffee houses increasing from just 14 in 2022 to more than 800 today.
Felix Mutwiri,
director of the Coffee Directorate at AFA, said the trend reflects Kenya’s
evolving urban lifestyle and a growing specialty coffee culture that has taken
root in Nairobi and other cities and major towns.
He said that for
years, domestic consumption remained stagnant at about three per cent of the
crop as most Kenyan coffee was exported. Today, however, around 2,000 tonnes of
coffee are consumed locally, signalling what he called “a cultural shift
in how Kenyans relate to coffee.”
“Right now, we have
almost over 800 coffeehouses. That shows consumption is increasing,” Mutwiri
said, adding that the growth is helping cushion farmers by diversifying markets
beyond international buyers.
Kenya produces an
average of 50,000 tonnes of coffee annually, but the government has set a
target of 150,000 tonnes over the next few years. In the early 1990s,
production peaked at 129,000 tonnes, before years of sector decline caused by
aging coffee trees, limited farm earnings, and market inefficiencies.
Mutwiri said global
consumption trends also justify renewed investment. He said international
demand for coffee continues to grow and global consumption is estimated at more
than 170 million 60-kg bags annually.
He added that
coffee quality is diminishing in many producer countries due to climate
stresses, and said Kenya can fill part of that premium market gap due to its
reputation for high-quality Arabica.
“We want to assure
Kenyans and farmers that the government is committed to make sure there’s
market for their coffee,” he said.
Mutwiri said the
recent extension of African Growth and Opportunity Act by the United States
offers expanded opportunities, especially for value-added roasted coffee, which
captures far higher premiums than green beans.
He said China,
Malaysia, Morocco, Algeria and Egypt are among the emerging markets with an
appetite for specialty coffee.
James Wanjohi,
director of State Corporations at the Ministry of Agriculture, said the coffee
subsector remains central to Kenya’s agricultural economy, supporting about
800,000 smallholder farmers and the livelihoods of more than six million
people.
Despite its high
global reputation, Kenya’s production today remains far below potential.
“In the’90s, annual
production was 129,000 metric tonnes. Today this has declined to 40,000 to
50,000 metric tonnes,” Wanjohi said. “This reality underpins the government’s
strong focus on increasing production and productivity.”
Some current
interventions include rehabilitation and replanting of aging trees,
climate-smart farming practices, improved access to quality inputs, stronger
extension services and use of digital tools for farmer training.
Wanjohi also cited
the need to bring youth into coffee farming and value addition.
“Our objective is
to raise yields per tree and ensure farming remains profitable and attractive,
especially to the youth,” he said.
The director said
Kenya must move beyond exporting green coffee, arguing there’s more value in
roasting, packaging, brewing, branding and domestic retail.
The profile of
Kenyan specialty coffee is being raised by competitions such as Taste of the
Harvest, led by AFA and private partners. They also connect farmers directly to
buyers willing to pay premium prices.
Calistus Efukho,
director of Food Crops at AFA, said this year’s national competition received
100 entries, with 57 coffees making it to the finals, competing across
naturals, washed and experimental categories.
The top coffees
will proceed to the African regional competition in Addis Ababa, where winning
lots will be auctioned online at premium prices.
“This initiative
will go a long way in supporting farmers as Kenyan coffee will be highly visible in the international market,”
Efukho said.
Wanjohi said the
government is also responding to new global requirements for sustainability and
traceability, including the European Union’s deforestation regulations and US
traceability standards.
Digital
traceability systems, he said, are being strengthened to keep Kenyan coffee
competitive and compliant.
Meanwhile, reforms
under the Coffee Regulations 2019 are aimed at improving governance, marketing
transparency and farmer earnings. The state has also rolled out subsidised
fertiliser for coffee, lowering production costs and increasing quality.
Wanjohi said the
government hopes that rising domestic consumption, new export markets and
stronger value addition will both revive production and rebuild confidence
among farmers, many of whom abandoned coffee due to poor returns.
“There is a lot of
current support from the government because there’s investment in
infrastructure, pulping stations and inputs. Improved quality translates to
premium prices,” Mutwiri of the Coffee Directorate said.
