Kenya has marked a significant milestone in its coffee sector after shipping its first consignment of green coffee beans to Italy, opening a new high-value market for the country’s produce and creating a potential gateway to the wider European Union.
The inaugural shipment, comprising 20 containers of green coffee beans, was exported by SumSeron Coffee, a corporate member of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI).
The consignment is destined for the Port of Trieste in Italy and represents the culmination of extensive trade advocacy and negotiations involving the Kenyan government, KNCCI and the Italian government.
The coffee was processed and dispatched from the facilities of Mitchell Cotts Kenya Ltd before being flagged off at a ceremony attended by senior government officials, private sector representatives, financial institutions and development partners.
Speaking during the event, KNCCI President Dr Erick Rutto described the shipment as a major achievement for Kenya’s trade diplomacy and evidence of the benefits of collaboration between the public and private sectors.
“This milestone is incredibly fulfilling. Opening up the Italian market, the third-largest consumer of coffee in Europe with a market value of KES 500 Billion, proves that when public and private entities align, we unlock historic value. In this first shipment alone, premium Kenyan coffee is fetching upwards of USD 9.50 per kilogram,” said Dr Rutto.
Italy’s coffee market is regarded as one of the most lucrative in Europe and industry players believe the breakthrough could significantly improve returns for Kenyan coffee farmers by providing direct access to premium buyers.
According to KNCCI, the Italian market also provides an important entry point into the broader European Union market, estimated to be worth more than KES 6 trillion.
Dr Rutto said access to premium markets would play a key role in helping Kenya achieve its coffee production targets, with the country aiming to increase annual output to 150,000 metric tonnes by 2029 from the current production of around 50,000 metric tonnes.
He added that the chamber is already pursuing additional export opportunities across Central and Eastern Europe as part of efforts to diversify Kenya’s export destinations and shield farmers from regional price fluctuations.
To sustain long-term access to highly regulated markets such as the European Union, KNCCI is also spearheading reforms aimed at strengthening compliance and improving standards across the coffee value chain.
Among the initiatives is a capacity-building programme under which the chamber has trained 200 local coffee cooperatives on Business Human Rights, focusing on fair compensation, market compliance and building premium brand equity.
The chamber has also published a comprehensive Sector-Wide Impact Assessment (SWIA) for the coffee sector, outlining practical measures to mitigate labour, environmental and human rights risks and align local farming practices with international supply chain standards.
The send-off ceremony drew strong government support, with senior officials highlighting the importance of the coffee industry to Kenya’s economic transformation agenda.
Patrick Kiburi Kilemi, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Cooperatives, said the expansion into new markets was being supported by deliberate government interventions.
“Beyond policy frameworks, the government is continuously working to clear historical coffee debts owed to farmers. This will relieve financial pressure at the grassroots level and encourage fresh, robust investments back into the sector,” he said.
Regina Ombam, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Trade, said the Italian breakthrough was the result of targeted trade promotion efforts and recent engagements between Kenya and Italy.
“We are highly determined to expand market access. We’ve already witnessed successful bilateral exchanges with countries like South Korea, and we are incredibly optimistic that the Kazakhstan market will open up for our exporters very soon,” she said.
She noted that the export deal had materialised only a few months after a dedicated trade mission to Italy, underscoring the value of proactive market development and economic diplomacy.
The event was attended by representatives from the Agriculture and Food Authority’s Coffee Directorate and Hon. Brighton Yegon, Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock.
Financial institutions including Stanbic Bank, Co-operative Bank and Absa Bank also participated, alongside representatives from the Machakos Cooperative Union, Strathmore Business School’s Institute of Small Business Initiatives, E4Impact East Africa and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).
The successful shipment is expected to pave the way for more direct exports of Kenyan coffee into Europe, strengthening Kenya’s position in global specialty coffee markets while creating opportunities for higher earnings for farmers and greater investment across the coffee value chain.
