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Kenya
Starbucks pours cold water on Gachagua's plans

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“East Africa's hotly contested coffee sector”

East Africa

East Africa's hotly contested coffee sector

An important source of foreign currency, coffee exports are the subject of a power struggle between multinational trading companies and the region's coffee-producing countries, chief among which are Ethiopia and Kenya. While governments try to impose reforms designed to favour local producers and intermediaries, international traders, notably German and Swiss, seek to maintain their dominant position. Fuelling the stand-off are new European Union directives on traceability and the social and environmental impact of agricultural products, which will have major repercussions across the entire sector. [...]

Kenya's Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in Bogota, Colombia, on 12 September 2023. © Sebastian Barros/NurPhoto via AFP

The US mega-chain has decided not to buy its coffee directly from Kenyan producers. This is unwelcome news for the country's deputy president, who has been tussling with multinational traders and is now trying to smooth things over. [...]

Published on 21.11.2023 at 04:40 GMT Reading time 2 minutes

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Commodity traders, Politics

Read this article in our running story

“East Africa's hotly contested coffee sector”

East Africa

East Africa's hotly contested coffee sector

Set up email notifications for these topics

Kenya
Ecom
Fairtrade Africa
International Coffee Organization
Meg Whitman
Neumann Kaffee Gruppe
Rainforest Alliance
Rigathi Gachagua
Simon Chelugui
Starbucks
Sucafina

Spotlight | Ethiopia, Uganda
Russia looks for new ways to import African coffee

For logistical and financial reasons, Russian coffee importers increasingly have to use intermediaries to get round Western sanctions, while Moscow is trying to open doors in producer countries such as Uganda and Ethiopia.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 13.03.2024

A Moscow branch of Stars Coffee, a chain that has taken over Starbucks outlets

Ethiopia
Coffee leader Kerchanshe champions Brazilian growing methods

In the space of a few years, the new sponsor of African Fine Coffees Association has become one of the largest producers and exporters in Ethiopia and could now be a source of inspiration for new growing techniques, from Uganda to Malawi.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 15.02.2024

Kenya
Gachagua coffee reform adviser controversially takes helm of brokerage firm

The Rigathi Gachagua ally Peter Githinji Njuki has not only been appointed CEO of a new coffee brokerage firm but has also obtained a place on a working group focused on the reform of the Nairobi Coffee Exchange.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 04.01.2024

Ethiopia
New EU rules prompt coffee sector to seek fresh markets

Africa's largest coffee producer is set to bear the brunt of Brussels's new traceability directives. Consequently, it has begun to turn its attention to India and China.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 06.12.2023

Kenya
Gachagua's coffee reforms leave bitter taste in Mount Kenya

Kenya's deputy president is doing what he can to make up for coffee farmers' loss of financial support from multinational traders. But the public funds recently made available may not be enough to keep producers sweet.

Subscribers only Politics, Business 26.10.2023

Kenya
Deputy President Gachagua follows up Brussels trip with visit to Germany

Kenyan agricultural reforms have had a direct impact on certain German multinationals. This will be a key subject during Rigathi Gachagua's trip to Germany as the two countries seek to forge closer diplomatic and commercial relations.

Subscribers only Commodity traders, Diplomacy 24.10.2023

Kenya
Rigathi Gachagua's coffee reforms rile multinationals

The deputy president, who has embarked on an ambitious reform of the coffee industry, has set his sights on major traders. But with sales on the Nairobi Coffee Exchange plummeting, the main players targeted have no intention of rolling over.

Subscribers only Commodity traders, Politics 09.10.2023

Kenya's Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Kenya
Kenya coffee reforms pummel multinationals, boost local firms

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's zealous coffee reforms, aimed at giving Kenyan firms a larger share of the spoils, have hit multinationals like Neumann Kaffee Gruppe hard. They are also part of the government's attack on the interests of ex-president Kenyatta.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 18.09.2023

Samples of coffee beans sit at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange on 11 June 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya.

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Kenya
Ecom
Fairtrade Africa
International Coffee Organization
Meg Whitman
Neumann Kaffee Gruppe
Rainforest Alliance
Rigathi Gachagua
Simon Chelugui
Starbucks
Sucafina

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Kenya
Starbucks pours cold water on Gachagua's plans

East Africa's hotly contested coffee sector

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East Africa's hotly contested coffee sector

Set up email notifications for these topics

Spotlight | Ethiopia, Uganda
Russia looks for new ways to import African coffee

Ethiopia
Coffee leader Kerchanshe champions Brazilian growing methods

Kenya
Gachagua coffee reform adviser controversially takes helm of brokerage firm

Ethiopia
New EU rules prompt coffee sector to seek fresh markets

Kenya
Gachagua's coffee reforms leave bitter taste in Mount Kenya

Kenya
Deputy President Gachagua follows up Brussels trip with visit to Germany

Kenya
Rigathi Gachagua's coffee reforms rile multinationals

Kenya
Kenya coffee reforms pummel multinationals, boost local firms

Kenya
Deputy President Gachagua single-handedly steers ambitious coffee reform

Kenya
By targeting foreign traders, deputy president alienates part of coffee industry

Kenya
Gachagua's coffee sector reforms challenge dominance of foreign traders

Kenya
Gachagua seeks to revive glory days of Kenya's coffee sector

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Kenya Starbucks pours cold water on Gachagua's plans

East Africa's hotly contested coffee sector

This article may be accessed by subscribers

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East Africa's hotly contested coffee sector

Set up email notifications for these topics

Spotlight | Ethiopia, Uganda Russia looks for new ways to import African coffee

Ethiopia Coffee leader Kerchanshe champions Brazilian growing methods

Kenya Gachagua coffee reform adviser controversially takes helm of brokerage firm

Ethiopia New EU rules prompt coffee sector to seek fresh markets

Kenya Gachagua's coffee reforms leave bitter taste in Mount Kenya

Kenya Deputy President Gachagua follows up Brussels trip with visit to Germany

Kenya Rigathi Gachagua's coffee reforms rile multinationals

Kenya Kenya coffee reforms pummel multinationals, boost local firms

Kenya Deputy President Gachagua single-handedly steers ambitious coffee reform

Kenya By targeting foreign traders, deputy president alienates part of coffee industry

Kenya Gachagua's coffee sector reforms challenge dominance of foreign traders

Kenya Gachagua seeks to revive glory days of Kenya's coffee sector

Set up email notifications for these topics

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

Guinea
Behind the scenes of Mamadi Doumbouya's offensive on Russian miner Nordgold

DRC
Dan Gertler's billions of dollars in royalties at heart of huge legal battle

Kenya
Starbucks pours cold water on Gachagua's plans

Spotlight | Ethiopia, Uganda
Russia looks for new ways to import African coffee

Ethiopia
Coffee leader Kerchanshe champions Brazilian growing methods

Kenya
Gachagua coffee reform adviser controversially takes helm of brokerage firm

Ethiopia
New EU rules prompt coffee sector to seek fresh markets

Kenya
Gachagua's coffee reforms leave bitter taste in Mount Kenya

Kenya
Deputy President Gachagua follows up Brussels trip with visit to Germany

Kenya
Rigathi Gachagua's coffee reforms rile multinationals

Kenya
Kenya coffee reforms pummel multinationals, boost local firms

Kenya
Deputy President Gachagua single-handedly steers ambitious coffee reform

Kenya
By targeting foreign traders, deputy president alienates part of coffee industry

Kenya
Gachagua's coffee sector reforms challenge dominance of foreign traders

Kenya
Gachagua seeks to revive glory days of Kenya's coffee sector