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How Are Kenyan Coffee Grades Classified? How Should Kenyan Coffee Be Enjoyed?

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange For more coffee bean information Please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account cafe_style) No country in the world attaches as much importance to producing high-quality coffee as Kenya, so Kenya can be called the best model among world coffee-producing countries, because all Kenyan coffee must be handed over to the government-established Kenya Coffee Board (C

Professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information. Please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style).

Kenya Coffee: A Model of Excellence

No country in the world values high-quality coffee production like Kenya, making Kenya the best model among global coffee-producing nations. All Kenyan coffee must be submitted to the government-established Coffee Board of Kenya (CBK) for unified acquisition and cupping grading after harvest. Every Tuesday, the government-established Nairobi Coffee Exchange conducts public auctions in the capital. This publicly managed system encourages over 570,000 small-scale coffee farmers throughout Kenya—if you have good quality, it's not difficult to get a good price. In fact, the Kenyan government's efforts include many support measures: the government provides numerous small coffee farmers with technical guidance on growing quality coffee, assists nearly 300 agricultural marketing cooperatives (similar to Taiwan's agricultural production and marketing classes) in better green bean processing, and the Coffee Board of Kenya (CBK) dedicates effort and educational guidance to coffee industry production, quality research, sales, and even financial assistance. This has created the unparalleled charm of Kenyan coffee quality and flavor, deeply loved by coffee buyers from around the world. Kenyan coffee is also extremely popular in the domestic coffee market.

Kenya Coffee Growing Regions

Surrounding Mount Kenya (a volcano) and Mount Elgon, the more famous growing regions include Meru, Thika, Nyeri, Nakuru, and Embu. Kenya's terrain is complex and varied, with plateaus, deserts, canyons, and grasslands. Coffee growing regions are distributed in areas with elevations between 1,000 to 2,500 meters in central, southwestern, and eastern Kenya, such as the Mount Kenya region in the central area, the Aberdare Zone, Nyanza and Kasii in the west, Bungoma, and Kericho and Nakuru in the east.

Kenya Coffee Grading

The primary processing method for green beans is washed processing, with grading based on bean size and cupping to determine actual value. The highest grade coffee beans are AA grade (large beans that remain on a 7.2mm sieve), A grade (second-largest beans that remain on a 6.8mm sieve), B grade (medium-sized beans that remain on a 6.2mm sieve), C grade (all small beans smaller than B grade), PB grade (oval-shaped beans), as well as TT and T grade beans that are too light or too small. A and B grade beans are mixed together for export and called AB grade.

Kenya Coffee Quality

Kenyan Arabica grows in volcanic soil at elevations between 1,400 to 2,000 meters. This high altitude creates outstanding coffee flavor with higher acidity. The taste is rich, with wine-like aftertaste and citrus and berry undertones.

Additionally, fierce competition among farmers is also one of the factors contributing to high quality. Coffee public auctions are held weekly in Kenya's capital—Nairobi. Beyond the lively atmosphere, farmers with high-quality coffee beans naturally earn substantial profits, repeatedly driving progress in the coffee industry. Even international coffee buyers make special trips to Nairobi to purchase, then distribute to coffee sales points worldwide.

The Kenyan authorities (CBK) have very high requirements for coffee beans, using consistent packaging, combined with good quality and excellent texture, so coffee lovers always remember to enjoy a cup of Kenyan coffee.

Kenya Coffee Varieties

The cultivation history of Kenyan coffee dates back to the late nineteenth century. Coffee tree species were introduced from the northern neighboring country Ethiopia. Through their own variety improvements, common varieties now include Bourbon, Kents (SL34, SL28), Typica, and Riuri 11. Currently, about 90% of coffee planting varieties are SL34 and SL28. The new variety Batian, released in 2007, has not yet been widely planted. Most Kenyan coffee is organically grown without certification because improved cultivation techniques are used, and chemical pesticides or herbicides are rarely used.

FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya Selection

FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya selections are mostly AA grade. We typically use light to medium roast to express Kenya's flavor characteristics. This provides both substantial body and Kenya's distinctive berry acidity!