Kenya: Gloria does it differently...

Never cooperate with Kenya...

At our partner This Side Up, also known as the good middleman, Kenya was never really high on the list as a coffee country. They simply did not want to feed the unjust Kenyan coffee industry.

Kenyan coffees are in great demand worldwide due to the unique flavor profiles, and buyers are now used to the high prices compared to other African specialty coffees.

Unfortunately, most of the high price goes to a corrupt auction system. As a result, coffee farmers earn extremely little...

As in many other countries such as Colombia , many young Kenyans choose to say goodbye to this undignified existence and move to the city. Shame...

It is therefore unfortunately the case that we ourselves maintain the system and the associated injustice by accepting these high prices, because of the overwhelming quality. Fortunately there is nothing wrong with that.

Instant Trade

Until our partner came into contact with Stean Fasol (raised in Kenya), known for Stean's Beans. At the end of 2020, Stean obtained an export license that allowed the auctions to be circumvented. As a result, our partner purchased coffee directly from Kenyan coffee farmers for the first time in 2021 via direct trade .

Sustainable financially and ecologically

Specifically, our new Kenyan coffee comes from Sakami Coffee farm, which is run by female entrepreneur Gloria and her Finnish husband Jarmo. This is one of the most environmentally sustainable farms in the country that is powered entirely by solar panels.

They also help surrounding farms to obtain better prices and knowledge, so that the entire chain in Kenya can become more sustainable, both financially and ecologically.

The farm practices "agroforestry" by growing macadamia trees in between the coffee, protecting all local trees in and around the farm and leaving natural shrubs in and around the coffee plants, placing beehives around the farm and of course avoiding of pesticides and herbicides.

All waste such as coffee pulp and macadamia peels are fed to earthworms, the worm excrement is returned to the field as fertilizer.

Water used to ' process ' the coffee is treated with lime in special ponds and then used to irrigate the pastures below the ponds.

Finally, Sakami Coffee uses mineral fertilizers to replenish the nutrients that are taken away when the coffee cherries are harvested.

The taste

Also not unimportant... How does this coffee taste? The coffee from Gloria's farm has the typical bright fruit notes you would expect from Kenyan coffee, but by using several coffees and because Sakami is located in a less usual climate, you will find a somewhat firmer body in the coffees.

The coffee we have selected has beautiful taste notes of red grapes, plums and dried figs. We burned these for all filter styles!

Samples?

Got excited? Or maybe just very curious? Then quickly taste our newest addition !