By Henry Kinyua
Sale 31 of the Nairobi Coffee Exchange, held on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, recorded significant trading activity.
A total of 5,818 lots, representing 359,444 kilograms of coffee, were transacted for a gross value of USD 2,445,479.18 (approximately Ksh 315 million). The average price across all transactions was USD 340 per 50kg bag (equivalent to Kshs 134 per kilogram of cherry, gross), indicating strong market performance for Kenyan coffee.
Major buyers dominated the market, with C. Dormans SEZ Ltd leading, followed by Louis Dreyfus Company, Ibero Kenya Ltd, Diamond Coffee Company, and Sasini (K) Limited. Other notable players included Kenyacof Limited, Sondhi Trading Co. Ltd, and Taylor Winch (Coffee) Limited, while smaller buyers accounted for the remaining 9.8% of the market.
Price performance was robust, with the maximum price reaching USD 401 per 50kg bag, achieved by a lot of 10 bags of AA-grade coffee from Kiamariga Factory (Code XAC63F01), part of Mathira North FCS in Nyeri County. Regarding lot confirmations, approximately 28% were CONFIRMED by the close of trading.
In terms of premium pricing, 36% of the lots fetched prices above USD 350 per 50kg bag, underscoring the market’s willingness to pay a premium for high-quality Kenyan coffee.
The grade distribution was led by the AB grade at 46%, followed by the C grade at 19% and the AA grade at 17%. Lower commercial grades included T (5.2%), TT (4.8%), MH (6.9%), and UG1/UG2 (6.0%), while Peaberry (PB) accounted for 3.4%, reflecting the broad quality spectrum of Kenyan coffee offerings.
