Kenyan Coffee: The Unsung Beauty of Coffee

A product of Kenya’s once lush and elusive coffee farms elevated 2000m above sea level, the Kenyan coffee is often lauded as one of the best coffees in the world. The bean is loved for its distinctive taste that gives off wafts of fresh, floral aroma and its notes of bergamot, berries and lemongrass upon tasting. Why then, with its quality and complex flavour, is the elusive Kenyan coffee not more popular or known?

Kenyan Coffee: Origins

[caption id="attachment_6903" align="alignnone" width="2000"]a person lifting a teaspoon from a cup of coffee Kenyan Coffee, while medium-bodied, lingers on the palate with its juicy and rich flavour. Photo from Louis Hansel[/caption] The Kenyan Coffee originates from the red volcanic soil on plateaus to the north and east of Nairobi. Mainly a crop grown by smaller farms and cooperatives as well as within the confines of larger estates, it yields only 2 million bags a year. In comparison to its 50 - 500 trees, a common South American coffee farm boasts 5,000 - 10,000 trees. The best Kenyan coffee can be found within their very own local coffee roasters, who roast the beans fresh daily. More commonly, however, brands such as Starbucks and Amazon offer pre-roasted packs in stores and online. However, after roasting, the flavour diminishes the longer it is stored and when tasted, simply does not do it justice to the bean’s potential.

Poor Marketing

To examine why the Kenyan coffee goes unappreciated, it boils down to bad, if not a lack thereof, marketing. Instead of marketing to the global audience, the coffee undergoes a cooperative system of marketing. Auctions are held each Tuesday of the harvesting season and buyers engage in intense price wars. On top of all tha
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