Does Kenya Have Brazilian Origins? The Cultivation Sources of Kenyan Coffee

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FrontStreet Coffee's Introduction to Kenyan Coffee

Kenya borders Ethiopia, the birthplace of Arabica coffee trees to the north, but it was not until the early 20th century that coffee cultivation began. In the 19th century, missionaries introduced Arabica trees from Yemen, but they were not widely cultivated. It wasn't until 1893 that the ancient "Bourbon" coffee seeds from Brazil were introduced, leading to large-scale coffee cultivation. This means that current Kenyan coffee has Brazilian heritage. However, due to differences in soil, climate, and processing methods, Kenyan beans have completely different flavor profiles from Brazilian beans.

The Origin of Kenyan Coffee

Coffee entered Kenya in the 19th century, when Ethiopian coffee beverages were imported to Kenya via South Yemen. However, it was not until the early 20th century that Bourbon coffee trees were introduced by the St. Austin Mission. Kenyan coffee mostly grows at altitudes between 1,500-2,100 meters, with two harvests per year. To ensure only mature berries are picked, people must patrol through the forests approximately seven times. Kenyan coffee is grown by small farmers who, after harvesting, first send fresh coffee beans to cooperative washing stations. The washing stations then send the washed and dried coffee in "parchment coffee" state (coffee beans covered with the inner fruit skin) to cooperatives ("parchment coffee" is the final state before coffee beans are hulled). All coffee is collected together, and growers receive average prices based on their actual quality.

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