Kenya ships first green coffee consignment to Italy, eyes EU market

Kenya has dispatched the first of 20 containers of green coffee beans to Italy, marking a new export milestone that industry stakeholders say could strengthen the country's presence in the European coffee market.

According to social media posts by the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) and the State Department for Trade, the inaugural shipment, exported by Sumseron Coffee and Tea Limited, departed for Trieste Port in Italy during a flag-off ceremony held at Mitchell Cotts' LC1 Warehouse along Mombasa Road. KNCCI President Ruto K. Erick described the shipment as the outcome of collaboration between the Kenyan Government, KNCCI and the Italian Government.

According to KNCCI, Italy, Europe's third-largest coffee consumer, represents a market valued at approximately KES 500 billion. The chamber added that the first shipment achieved a selling price of more than US$9.50 per kilogram and said access to the Italian market could help increase Kenya's annual coffee production from the current 50,000 tonnes to 150,000 tonnes by 2029.

KNCCI also said establishing a presence in Italy could provide Kenyan exporters with access to the wider European Union coffee market, which it valued at more than KES 6 trillion. The chamber said it has been supporting the sector's preparedness for European market requirements by training 200 local coffee cooperatives on fair remuneration, market requirements and branding, while also publishing a Sector-Wide Impact Assessment (SWIA) report.

According to KNCCI, Patrick Kiburi Kilemi, Principal Secretary for Cooperatives and MSME Development, said the milestone reflects continued government investment in the coffee sector. The chamber said Kilemi noted that the government is working to clear outstanding debts owed to coffee farmers to encourage greater investment in coffee production.

In its social media update, the State Department for Trade said Principal Secretary for Trade Regina Ombam joined Kilemi at the dispatch ceremony, describing the inaugural shipment as a significant milestone in Kenya's efforts to expand its global trade footprint and deepen access to premium international markets.

According to the State Department, Ombam said the shipment demonstrates the resilience of Kenya's coffee sector and the country's commitment to producing high-quality coffee that meets international standards. The department added that she reaffirmed the government's commitment to expanding market access for Kenyan coffee through strategic trade partnerships, including the Early Harvest Arrangement with China, while pursuing new export opportunities in Japan, Algeria, Kazakhstan and other international markets.

The State Department also said Kenya is leveraging opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to expand intra-African trade, diversify export destinations and create greater value for coffee farmers and exporters. Earlier, KNCCI had also said Ombam attributed Kenya's growing access to European markets, including Italy and Poland, to recent trade missions and export promotion initiatives, adding that the country is expanding trade with South Korea.

In a separate social media post, Mitchell Cotts said it served as the preferred warehousing and logistics partner for Sumseron Coffee and Tea Ltd and hosted the flag-off ceremony at its LC1 Warehouse.

According to the company, the event highlighted collaboration across Kenya's coffee value chain and underscored the role of logistics, aggregation and value-added services in connecting farmers and cooperatives with international buyers. Mitchell Cotts said the shipment to Europe represents not only the export of premium Kenyan coffee but also broader efforts to strengthen Kenya's export supply chain and improve access to global markets.