Kenya is returning to the highest echelons of specialty coffee. In years past, it stood as Ethiopia’s foil: where Ethiopia was elegant, Kenya was boisterous; where Ethiopia leaned floral and delicate, Kenya went vivid and gripping. Over time, though, Ethiopia evolved. A new generation of washing stations and exporters began to prioritize quality above all else. Meanwhile, Kenya began to slip. The currant and gooseberry notes that once defined its cups grew more savory, even tomato-like. Kenyan coffee lost its distinct voice and, in many cases, disappeared from roasters’ menus altogether.
That decline didn’t happen by chance. Kenya’s export landscape, where coffee moves from farmers and cooperative societies to roasters, became dominated by large, profit-driven multinational corporations. These exporters favored margin over meaning, leaving farmers underpaid and sidelined. Transparency, communication, and relationship were sacrificed to maintain a system that benefits intermediaries while limiting farmer’s agency and ability to connect directly with high value markets.
In 2024, our longtime friend Peter Mbature founded Kamavindi Coffee Exports to change that reality. His goal is profound: to elevate Kenyan specialty coffee through transparent trade. Instead of funneling farmers through a system that obscures them from the final product, Peter connects them directly with roasters. He helps both navigate Kenya’s complex landscape with honesty and care. The result is transformative: Farmers gain insight into the global market, receive feedback, and capture more value from their work. Roasters, in turn, gain access to exceptional coffees, clear traceability, and meaningful, long-term relationships.
Kenya’s story is not one of decline, but of renewal with Peter Mbature at its center. The Thunguri Factory stands as one such success. Only a few years ago, Thunguri had shuttered, unable to pay farmers or continue production. Today it has been revived through new leadership that treats quality and transparency as the foundation for the future of Kenyan coffee. Under Peter’s guidance, Thunguri has emerged as a force within Kenya’s specialty landscape, producing coffees of remarkable clarity, sweetness, and depth. Their natural selection is, without question, the finest we’ve ever tasted.
