​In Kenya, after a certain lot has been processed, it will be delivered to the Marketing Agent (MA) in parchment by the farmer or cooperative. The MA will then mill and grade the lot by shape and size, and give this particular lot an unique "Outturn Number" (ON), before delivering it to the Nairobi Coffee Exchange. This ON system will be crucial to provide transparency and traceability to the system.

​The once full lot will have now a unique ON but many different grades, that can go from:

AA (7,2 mm), 
AB (6,6 mm), 
PB (peaberries), 
C (screen 14-15), 
E, TT, T, UG, MH, ML; these are just some of the full range of different grades.

According to our experience cupping at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange, the best coffees are found always between the grades AA, AB, PB and C. But the system assumes that the bigger the bean the better the cup, but that is not always correct. We have had many times the best cup in the C grade and not in the AA for the same ON.

​Anyway, to make our search more efficient, considering the great number of samples and the limited time we have, we focus only in the AA, AB, and PB grades. Through that selective research, the centralized system of the Nairobi Coffee Exchange has allowed us, to discover some hidden jewels from very remote areas of the country, that it would have been impossible to find just travelling around.

In simple words the Nairobi Coffee Exchange works as a weekly Cup of Excellence, stimulating competition and prices for the best lots; and the different grades generate the synergy that provides the best formula for maximizing the benefits of small farmers.

This formula becomes particularly important, in times like this week, when the Coffee Futures in New York plummet to minimums of more than 12 years to 100.4 cts / lb.

Enjoy your Kenya coffee in Barcelona and Santiago!

​These initiatives were called "The Green Revolution" and involved the use of high yielding varieties, higher fertilizers dosages, intensive and mono cropping, the development of highly toxic and life damaging pesticides, among others.

After this changes, the food production increased dramatically in the world, and it is said the over 1 billion people were saved from starvation. Today, this very achievement, though remarkable, has costed us dearly in socioeconomic terms for small farmers, reduction of biodiversity, increase of green house emissions and health issues related to the excessive use of pesticides.

​According to the World Coffee Research "most African coffee-producing countries produce substantially lower volumes of coffee than elsewhere. This has profound impacts for farmer livelihoods when farmers are paid per pound of cherry. There is a widespread need for replanting with young trees that are resistant to major diseases and pests (including coffee berry disease, coffee leaf rust, antestia bug and stem borer), and with improved varieties. The World Coffee Research believes that over 50% of coffee trees in Africa are more than 50 years old."

​In Kenya particularly, we have always selected lots where the cultivars are exclusively SL28 and SL34, because we love the complexity, dense sweetness, citric acidity and the viscosity in the cup of these two varieties. But we understand the unpostponable necessity of experimenting and promoting new varieties with higher yieldings, tolerant to diseases and adaptability to warmer climates.

Our new lot Kabunyeria AB is the first ever lot we source of Ruiru11 and Batian in Kenya. Cultivated in the Kericho county at an average altitude of well over 2000 masl, this lot is cupping great for espresso, very sweet with a full body and a gentle well balanced citric acidity.

We invite you to try it and discover the full potential of Kenyan coffees and its new varieties of the 21st century. 

Enjoy your Kenya Kabunyeria AB!