Kenyan Coffee Fetches Record Prices at African Trade Fair

Direct online coffee auctions are connecting farmers to global buyers, pushing specialty coffee prices to historic highs.

The African Coffee Trade Fair (ACT) 2026, held Thursday evening, recorded its highest-ever sales, with Kenyan specialty coffee fetching up to USD 120 per kilogram in a landmark direct auction that linked farmers to international buyers.

The event, a premier platform for trading high-quality Kenyan micro-lot coffees held Thursday, brought together producers and buyers from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas through a fully digital bidding process.

Organisers said the initiative is transforming how Kenyan coffee is marketed globally, with a focus on quality, sustainability, and direct trade.

Luka Rotich, a manager at Jabali Coffee Company and a licensed exporter at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange, said the initiative was launched three years ago to address the lack of recognition for Kenyan coffee in emerging markets.

“Much of our coffee was being blended with other origins, losing its identity. With recent sector reforms, we are now connecting farmers directly to global buyers, and the results are clear,” he said.

Since its inception, prices have risen sharply, from USD 35 per kilogram in 2024 to USD 60 in 2025 and now a record USD 120 in 2026, he said, adding that this year’s event featured over 300 samples, with only 22 top-scoring lots graded above 85 points selected for auction.

Farmers say the platform is already delivering results, and Josephine Ndikwe of Kiguta Estate in Nyeri County, a family farm with over six decades of coffee production, said participation in the auction offers better pricing and international exposure, and their fermented micro-lot sold for USD 33.50 per kilogram.

“Kenya is renowned around the world for producing very high-quality coffee, and we have been able to actually produce very good coffee. This auction is helping and giving farmers a platform whereby bidders around the world can experience the top 30 coffees in Kenya,” Ndikwe added.

Meanwhile, second-generation farmer Martin Mwangi Muriuki from Gacha Coffee Estates, in Kirinyaga County, reported strong global demand for his coffee, with one lot also reaching USD 120 per kilogram.

He added that the anonymous, quality-based bidding system marks a shift from traditional trading models.

Industry players say growing demand for specialty coffee, driven by urban consumers and specialty cafés, presents a major opportunity for Kenya. Farmers are increasingly adopting innovative processing methods and tailoring production to meet global tastes.

The success of the ACT auction signals a broader shift in the sector, one that could give Kenyan farmers greater control, higher earnings, and stronger positioning in premium global markets.

Kenya is widely respected in the global specialty coffee sector for producing coffees with distinctive character and exceptional quality, and the government has been aggressively revitalising the coffee sector to boost production from 2 kg to 5 kg+ per tree, aiming for 150,000 metric tons.

By Wangari Ndirangu