Kahawa 1863: Margaret Nyamumbo and Women in Coffee

The specialty coffee industry in recent years has made great strides to improve the lives of coffee farmers in the developing world. Margaret Nyamumbo of Kahawa 1893 is at the forefront of this movement.

Born into a family of coffee farmers in Kenya, Ms. Nyamumbo moved to the United States for college and founded a farmer-first and women-focused coffee company.

 Ms. Nyamumbo’s family has owned their coffee farm since colonial times. Today, she is making great strides to make coffee farmers the priority in the coffee importation business. Kahawa 1893 was established with a woman-first mindset. In Kenya, the coffee labor force is 80% female; however, women do not have access to the banking system. Kahawa 1893 has created a women-fund, that allows women to benefit directly from their labor.

 Table banking is common in developing countries where women do not have access to the banking system. In this model, women sit around a table and help each member with their needs. The funds are viewed as loans that the women will eventually pay back.

Kahawa 1893 has prioritized the women’s fund as an alternative to the conventional coffee market supply chain. Conventionally, the New York Stock Exchange sets the price for coffee. In Kenya, the cost of production is greater than $2, but under the current pricing structure, they only receive $0.20. This vast cost discrepancy led to the creation of the specialty coffee industry, but fair trade prices still do not pay farmers a livable wage.

“In the Kenyan coffee farming industry, women own only 1% of the land, but compose 90% of the workforce.”

“Today, most farmers are paid only 10% of the costs of producing coffee”

 Ms. Nyamumbo aims to bring awareness of the costs of coffee farming to the specialty coffee industry. Too often, coffee farmers are exploited with suppressive pricing structures controlled by wealthy countries. Kahawa 1893’s model seeks to remedy this wealth gap.

Kahawa 1893 currently offers five coffees ranging from espresso blends to single origins. Roasted in New York and California, Kahawa 1893 provides distinctive East African coffee. To Magaret Nyamumbo and Kahawa 1893, coffee is more than something you drink, it is a medium used to connect people from across the world. Even amidst a pandemic.