The Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) held its 36th sale of the year on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, delivering strong trading results that highlighted the resilience and demand for Kenyan coffee in the global market.
A total of 10,850 bags of coffee, weighing 679,022 kilograms, were sold during the auction. The combined sales value stood at USD 5,026,069, equivalent to approximately KSh 648 million. This performance reflected both strong volumes and competitive prices, giving a positive signal to farmers and traders.
The overall average price across all grades was USD 370.10 per 50kg bag, translating to around KSh 147 per kilogram of cherry gross. Prices ranged widely, from a minimum of USD 108.00 to a high of USD 434.00 per bag, underscoring the premium attached to top-quality Kenyan coffee.
Two standout lots achieved near-record highs of USD 432 per bag. These included 21 bags of AA coffee from Kiganjo Factory under Thiririka Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Kiambu County, and another small lot of three bags of AA coffee from Kanyiriri Factory, part of Rugi Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Nyeri County. In the estates section, Ibonia Farm in Kiambu also secured a high price, with 11 bags of AA coffee fetching USD 430.
Overall, 771 bags about 7% of the total volume sold for over USD 400 each, reflecting the continued appetite for Kenya’s premium AA grade coffee. This was encouraging for farmers, especially those producing small but high-quality lots.
On the buyer side, five companies dominated the market, purchasing approximately 84% of the total coffee traded. Ibero Kenya Ltd led with 2,901 bags worth over USD 1.3 million, followed by C. Dormans SEZ Ltd with 2,412 bags worth USD 1.16 million. Louis Dreyfus Company purchased 1,491 bags valued at USD 659,197, Kenyacof Limited acquired 1,452 bags worth USD 673,786, and Taylor Winch (Coffee) Limited bought 1,162 bags worth USD 542,548.
The results of Sale 36 reinforced the strong positioning of Kenyan coffee in the international market and provided optimism for farmers and cooperatives working to maintain quality and consistency.
