This archive report was first published on 20 August 2021.
On August 20, 2021, a new chapter opened for coffee farmers in Eastern Kenya with the formation of a company to directly market and sell their coffee.
Unlike in the past when they relied on brokers, the United Eastern Kenya Coffee Marketing Company will now enable farmers to sell their coffee directly, fetching them more earnings.
Steven Wambua, the chair of the company, announced that operations will start by September 7, 2021.
Wambua, who was briefing his newly constituted board of seven members, said the only pending thing was a brokerage code from the Nairobi Coffee Exchange, which they were aggressively pursuing.
The new move was a result of the coffee farmers, through their umbrella body Machakos Cooperative Union, applying and being given a licence by the government to sell their coffee directly.
The company will market and sell coffee locally and internationally, reducing transport and milling costs for farmers.
"The new company will also create job opportunities apart from reduced transport and milling costs which will be a big achievement for coffee farmers," said Wambua.
The company's share capital was set at Sh50 million, with 65 per cent going to cooperative societies, 20 per cent to corporates, and 15 per cent to individuals.
