Nairobi Coffee Exchange nets Ksh447 million as Kiambu, Murang’a and Nyeri beans dominate weekly auction

The Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) recorded sales worth Ksh447 million in its latest weekly auction, despite a notable drop in trading volumes.

According to the NCE’s Sale 5 report for the current coffee season, only 7,147 bags were sold during the Tuesday auction held at Wakulima House, Nairobi. The average price stood at Ksh50,388 per 50kg bag, translating to Ksh155 per kilogram of cherry gross.

The highest bid was Ksh60,078 per bag, paid for three lots of AA-grade coffee including 18 bags from Kiriangoro Factory under Thangaini Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Murang’a, 19 bags from Kagwanja Factory under Komothai FCS in Kiambu County, and 28 bags from Ndaro-ini in Nyeri County.

Kipkelion Broker Company Ltd emerged the top trader, selling 1,090 bags at an average of Ksh53,876 per bag. Alliance Berries Limited followed closely, handling 1,025 bags at Ksh53,101 per bag, while Coffee Estates Bourgeoisie Brokers Limited traded 977 bags at Ksh44,445.

Other major brokers included the New Kenya Planters Co-operative Union PLC, which sold 1,396 bags at an average price of Ksh47,287; United Eastern Kenya Coffee Marketing Co. Ltd, which traded 733 bags at Ksh51,938; and KCCE Marketing Agency Limited, which handled 635 bags at Ksh51,930.

On the buyers’ end, Kenyacof Limited led the market with 1,760 bags valued at Ksh116.2 million, followed by Louis Dreyfus Company, which bought 1,483 bags worth Ksh91.3 million. Ibero Kenya Ltd secured 1,462 bags valued at Ksh84.5 million, while Taylor Winch (Coffee) Limited and C.Dormans SEZ Ltd rounded off the top five with combined purchases worth over Ksh84 million.

The top five buyers accounted for 68 percent of the market’s total volume and 80 percent of its value, underlining their dominant role in Kenya’s coffee export market.

Despite reduced volumes, the steady demand for premium-grade coffee from Central Kenya counties especially Kiambu, Murang’a, and Nyeri reaffirms the region’s continued reputation for producing some of the world’s finest Arabica beans.