Laban Njuguna, a Kenyan entrepreneur based in Nebraska and founder of Zabuni Specialty Coffee Auction, has helped establish a new market for the top-grade Kenyan coffee in the United States of America.
The launch of the auction for Kenyan coffee in the Grand Island city of Nebraska State was witnessed by Trade and Industrialisation Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya and local coffee roasters.
The auction that is expected to attract hundreds of coffee roasters from across the US.
Mr Njuguna is the brain behind the idea of starting direct sale of coffee to the US through his start up, Zabuni Specialty Coffee Auction, which will link Kenyan growers with US roasters.
Kenya produces premium Arabica coffee beans that have high demand around the world.
However, the small-scale farmers who produce most of the coffee have remained poor as they sell through brokers.
This initiative will help them reap higher returns with direct link to end roasters thus minimizing the brokerage chain.
Previously, it has been multinationals benefiting from the coffee as they buy the beans in raw form, which they roast to blend with low quality coffee.
During the launch on last week, it was announced that 80 bags of coffee from smallholder Kenyan farmers had been shipped to the US and stored at Zabuni Warehouse for the auction.
