If you’re an avid fav of ABC network’s hit entrepreneurial show ‘Shark Tank’, or native of the San Francisco Bay area, then there’s a chance that you’re already somewhat familiar with the black-owned coffee brand Kahawa 1893. Founded by Margaret Nyamumbo, Kahawa 1893 traces its roots back to 1893 when Nyamumbo’s grandfather managed to get his hands on some coffee beans sparking the idea of establishing his own coffee farm. As a young girl growing up in Kenya, Nyamumbo watched as women labored over the crops in her community while owning less than 1% of the land they worked on. After attending college in the U.S., she returned to Kenya and decided to embark on a mission of bringing single-origin coffee grown on farms owned by women, to people across the globe.
Kenyan coffee is the undisputed favorite among coffee connoisseurs, loved for the complexity of its flavors, unlike any other coffee in the world.
– Margaret Nyamumbo
What makes Kenyan coffee unique
Let’s start by examining the landscape that it’s cultivated upon. Kenyan coffee is grown at altitudes of over 6,000 ft, which enables it to develop its complex flavors. At this altitude, the low oxygen and cooler temperatures slows the growth of the coffee, allowing for the desired floral, sweet and fruity flavors to flourish within the crop. With very fertile soil in place due to the presence of an active volcano system, the Great Rift Valley, the nutrient-rich volcanic soil allows the coffee to grow without the extensive use of fertilizers and pesticides that can diminish the quality of the coffee and environment.
Once ready for harvest, the Kenyan farmers follow a tradition of handpicking only the red ripe coffee cherries from the trees while carefully sorting out any with defects, in readiness for processing. The reason for this technique is because, with mechanized coffee picking tactics, a machine strips the entire branch of both unripe and over-ripe coffee cherries all at once which leads to an astringent taste in a cup. With much of the coffee on the market being a blend of low and high quality coffee beans, this leaves a space for a company like Kahawa 1893 to do things the right way in order to provide a product of the highest quality.
Once picked, the coffee cherries go through a double fermentation process that helps to brighten the flavor of the coffee just before moving off to be roasted.
Margaret’s commitment and experience as a third-generation coffee farmer is what caught the eye of British entrepreneur Emma Grede, on “Shark Tank.” Grede provided funding that helped Kahawa expand across the U.S. in stores like Trader Joe’s and Sprouts. And if by chance none of those groceries are located near you, then you can always buy Kahawa products online. The company offers a diverse selection of coffee including 3 roasted types, a flavored blend called “African Spice”, and unique bundle choices for those who believe in buying things in bulk.
Be sure to check out Kahawa 1893.