KNCCI backs Kenya Coffee Hub launch as coffee exports rise

The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) has backed the newly launched Kenya Coffee Hub 2026, describing it as a strategic platform that could help reposition Nairobi as a centre for coffee trade negotiations and strengthen market access for producers across East Africa. The chamber participated in the inaugural Kahawa Conversation, which marked the launch of the Kenya Coffee Hub. KNCCI was represented by National Director Cynthia Nyawira, who attended on behalf of the organisation.

Speaking at the event, Nyawira said conversations around coffee trade should increasingly take place where the coffee is produced rather than in traditional consuming markets. The chamber said the initiative presents an opportunity to shift more of the industry's commercial activity and value creation to producing countries.

KNCCI also called for greater exploration of emerging and frontier markets for Kenyan coffee exports. Nyawira highlighted Kazakhstan as one such opportunity, noting that the chamber recently organised a trade mission to the country as part of efforts to open new commercial corridors for Kenyan exporters beyond traditional destinations.

The chamber invited stakeholders across the coffee value chain, including cooperatives, exporters, processors and traders, to participate in upcoming KNCCI trade missions to Canada, Brussels and other international markets. According to KNCCI, such missions can provide direct access to buyers and support efforts to diversify export destinations.

KNCCI underscored the broader significance of the Kenya Coffee Hub, noting that Kenya earned approximately $297 million from coffee exports in 2025 and exported coffee to 59 countries. Despite this international reach, the country has never previously hosted a dedicated at-origin coffee trade convention. The chamber said the hub aims to address that gap by bringing international buyers directly to producing regions. According to KNCCI, buyers are often willing to pay premiums of between 30% and 50% when they experience coffee at its origin, making Nairobi a suitable location for commercial engagement and sourcing activities.

Beyond Kenya, the hub is expected to serve as a regional sourcing platform, bringing together coffee producers and exporters from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. KNCCI said this model could reduce the need for international buyers to undertake multiple sourcing trips across the region. The chamber added that smaller cooperatives stand to benefit from the initiative by gaining access to verified international buyers while exhibiting closer to home and at lower cost than overseas trade events.

According to projections from the United States Department of Agriculture, Kenyan coffee exports are expected to reach 940,000 bags, equivalent to 56,400 tonnes, in 2026, representing growth of nearly 12% compared with previous levels. KNCCI said the anticipated increase in export volumes creates an opportunity for more trade to be negotiated through platforms such as the Kenya Coffee Hub.

KNCCI serves as a founding advisor to the Kenya Coffee Hub through its Global Strategy, Business Development and Partnerships leadership. The chamber called on government agencies, the Agriculture and Food Authority, licensed exporters and financial institutions to support the initiative and help strengthen Kenya's position in the global coffee market. Speaking at the event, Nyawira said, "Kenya is a global coffee brand. It is time we owned the conversation that tells that story — on our terms, from our soil."