COFFEE HERITAGE

The first coffee tree in Kenya was planted in 1893 by missionaries. By the 1920s, with the rapid growth in demand for coffee in Europe, coffee had become Kenya’s main export crop. As the industry matured from a colonial experiment to a major industry, various experiments with different types of cooperatives and marketing systems led to the need for regulation and control. In 1933, The Coffee Board of Kenya was established to act as the key regulator of the coffee sector.

As in many colonized coffee-producing countries, much of the final processing was not undertaken at origin. Coffee was shipped to Europe or other continents and traded as parchment. Kenyan growers soon learned that buyers only bought the best qualities and left the remaining coffees unsold in London warehouses. By the 1930s, the growers had realized that the existing system was not taking their interests into account. They began to market their coffees to trading firms with offices in Nairobi and from this local marketing of Kenyan coffee was borne. In 1937 the Nairobi Coffee Exchange started its auctions - a system that has proven especially efficient to promote quality through a bidding system.

GROWING CONDITIONS

The Kenyan highlands historically offer excellent conditions for coffee growing with well-distributed bimodal rainfall, moderate temperatures and rich volcanic soils. The “grand cru” of Kenyan coffees is grown in a triangle north of the capital city of Nairobi on the foothills of Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Mountain range. In the Central Province we find the coffee growing counties of Nyeri, Kirinyaga and Kiambu. Further East and South we have Embu, Meru and Machakos. Coffee production is also found in Western Kenya in Bungoma, Kakamega, Kisii, and the Kenyan side of Mount Elgon, and the Rift Valley area.

Rainfall is dispersed between the “long rains ” between March and May, and the “short rains” from mid-October to December.

Kenya has two crops: a (early) fly crop harvested from June to August are typically from lower altitude and a main (late) crop harvested from October to March and mainly grown in higher altitudes more temperate temperatures.

PRODUCTION

For mature coffee, a complete production cycle from flowering to fully ripened cherries usually takes eight months. New seedlings, depending on the coffee variety can take 18-36 months to produce their first crop. The Batian, the newest Kenyan variety, for instance, has the shortest maturity period of 18 months. Ruiru 11 and the other traditional varieties such as SL28, SL 34 and K7 take 24 and 36 months respectively. Eight to twelve month is required from flowering to fully ripened cherries

RVESTING & PRIMARY PROCESSING

Harvesting and primary processing of coffee are normally parallel activities. Harvesting, also referred to as ‘cherry picking’, involves actual picking (by hand) of the coffee ‘cherry’ from the tree. On the day of picking, cherry is delivered to the estate or cooperative factory or ‘pulping station’. Here, the cherry undergoes primary processing or ‘pulping’ to transform the cherries into parchment, a protective inner shell inside which the green coffee bean is housed.

Primary processing in Kenya is often described as wet, or fully washed, where the outer skin and fruit is removed to reveal the inner shell or parchment. A machine, usually a disc-pulper, is used to remove the skin and some of its surrounding pulp, before the parchment with the sticky mucilage is fermented overnight. The following day, after enzymes have been breaking down the fruit, it is easy to clean off using water. The coffee passes through the washing/grading channels – density is a great measure for quality. The lighter floating parchment is separated from the denser one lying at the bottom.

Finally, the coffee parchment is submerged in water, before it is taken out and spread on raised beds, or drying tables. During drying, the parchment is frequently turned. After a period of sun drying, the coffee is transferred to the conditioning bins where it rests for several weeks. Thereafter, it is moved to the commercial miller for secondary processing.

WAREHOUSING

Once the coffee has been milled, it is warehoused in advance of being sold – either direct to overseas buyers or through the auction. At this point, the sale of the coffee is taken over by commercial marketing agents who are contracted by cooperatives and estates. It is the responsibility of the marketing agent to warehouse and warrant coffee in preparation for auction.

PREPARATION FOR  AUCTION OR DIRECT SALE

The marketing agent prepares the coffee for auction or direct sale. This involves collecting, preparing and cataloguing coffee for auction or direct sale to overseas buyers. Samples of each lot are made available to licensed dealers and potential buyers prior to auction or direct sale. There are currently around 50 licensed dealers/exporters.

QUALITIES

In Kenya, coffee grading follows a meticulous system designed to ensure quality and consistency. The grading process involves both visual inspection and cupping evaluation. The beans are sorted based on size, density, and visual defects such as color inconsistencies or physical damage. Specialty coffees typically undergo stringent scrutiny, with the highest grades reserved for beans that exhibit superior attributes in flavor, aroma, and overall cup profile. Kenyan coffee is renowned for its vibrant acidity, full body, and complex fruity notes, traits that are meticulously assessed during cupping sessions. Grades such as AA, AB, and PB denote different size and quality categories, with AA being the highest grade and comprising large, uniformly sized beans. This grading system not only ensures a standard of excellence but also serves as a testament to Kenya's dedication to producing some of the finest coffees in the world.

In Kenya, coffee grading incorporates different screen sizes to categorize beans into various grades. Screen sizes typically range from 14 to 20, with larger numbers indicating smaller beans. The most common screen sizes used in Kenyan coffee grading are 15, 16, and 17. Beans that pass through a screen size of 17 are often classified as AA grade, renowned for their large and uniform size, which contributes to a more consistent flavor profile. Grade AB comprises beans that pass through a screen size of 16 but are retained by a screen size of 17. These beans are slightly smaller in size compared to AA but still maintain high quality. Additionally, PB (Peaberry) beans, characterized by their rounded shape resulting from a single seed per cherry, are also highly regarded. This meticulous sorting based on screen sizes ensures that each grade represents distinct qualities, contributing to Kenya's reputation for producing exceptional coffees.

SALES

Kenyan coffee may be sold through  two channels;

1. Auction System: During auction at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) the marketing agent is responsible for cataloguing coffee to be auctioned, distributing pre-auction samples to licensed dealers, auctioning the coffee on auction day and preparing invoices following the auction. Approximately 80%(TBC) of total coffee sales is sold through the auction system affirming the system as the preferred channel for coffee sales for most marketers. The season officially opens on the first of October and the auction is held for a cumulative period of 9 months while green coffee beans are available for sale.

2. Direct Sales: Direct selling, also referred to as the ‘second window’ involves selling of coffee directly to overseas buyers. The marketing agent negotiates with the buyer and a sales contract is duly signed and registered with the Coffee Board of Kenya.

PURCHASE OF COFFEE & PAYMENT

Once the dealer/exporter buys the auctioned coffee, payment is made to the marketing agent within seven days of purchase. The marketing agent in turn distributes coffee proceeds to growers after deducting statutory charges, milling costs and loans owed to financiers by coffee growers where applicable. Payment of coffee through direct sales is made by the buyer upon presentation of the warrant for FOT sales and the bill of lading for FOB sales.

PRE-SHIPMENT ACTIVITIES

Once coffee has been sold at the auction and paid for, the marketing agent issues a release warrant to transfer ownership to the dealer/exporter. The dealer takes delivery of the coffee from the warehouse and according to its buyer specifications, prepares it for export. The quality of the coffee will be subjected to verification against pre-auction samples and in many cases, additional processing. The dealer/exporter may re-grade, sort and separate the coffee according to individual buyer specifications. Bulking and bagging is the last export activity before the coffee is ready for shipment.

SHIPMENT

Coffee is moved to the port of Mombasa either by rail or road. Here it is loaded on to a ship and exported to a specific roaster buyer or importer.