Nestlé Commits to Help Revive the Kenyan Coffee Industry

As the world celebrated the 2018 International Coffee Day, Nestlé reiterated its commitment to help restore glory in Kenyan coffee through continued technical support and training for existing and potential farmers.

The support to farmers is geared towards increasing productivity and quality of the coffee beans as well as encouraging more women and youth to participate in farming of the crop.

Speaking during a visit to coffee farmers in Murang’a County, Nestlé’s Regional Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Head, Mrs. Judy Mwangi said the company view farmers as crucial partners in the value chain from farm to the cup hence its continued investment in the project.

“The Nescafé Plan program aims to enlighten farmers on good agricultural practices and good processing practices including certification and 4C verification, increasing the quality and quantity of the coffee they produce; promoting the responsible farming and production, and empower women and young people to become leaders in the coffee sector,” said Mrs. Mwangi.

According to Mrs.Mwangi, farmers involved in the Nescafé Plan have registered immense progress with production raising by more than 100 percent and coffee trees producing up-to 10 kilograms compared to 2.5 kilograms per tree on average before the launch of the program.

Over 6000 women are directly involved in coffee farming.

Globally, Nestlé will spend about 36 billion shillings in the Nescafé Plan up to 2020.

Nestlé has been buying coffee from Kenya for over 40 years for the manufacture of its Nescafé, Dolce Gusto, Zoégas and Nespresso brands and the Nescafé Plan program ensures that Nestlé gets required supply for the brands. 

Through its global Nescafé Plan program, which was launched in Kenya in 2011, Nestlé has so far reached over 40, 000 coffee farmers drawn from 12 Farmers’ Cooperative Societies in Eastern and Central Kenya.

The company has spent over 80 million shillings in the last seven years and now promises to invest more as it plans to expand the program to coffee farming areas in Western and Rift Valley.

The 2018 International Coffee Day was themed “Women in Coffee” in recognition of women who work in the coffee industry around the world.