Kenya - Gloria Natural - Direct Trade

We’re delighted to share, that after several years of working directly with Sakami Gloria, the farm has been able to invest in some major upgrades.

As a result, the prices we pay for our Kenyan coffees are more expensive than last year, but we’re proud to pay it! Rather than the result of market swings, this is the result of deliberate choices. They’ve invested in higher wages, stronger farm structures, full quality control, and long-term investments that put people and coffee first. As well as all this, they’ve also earned Rainforest Alliance certfication - a huge milestone.

This season marks another occasion: it’s the last time the ladies will be working with external mills. From the next harvest onwards, Sakami’s on-site dry mill in Kitale will be fully operational so the coffee will be grown, picked, processed, milled, packed, sealed, and locked entirely on site.
No more all-night theft watches, like Mary Tonje had to pull off at the age of 80 during her last 2024 harvest. No more running on fumes for Gloria and Jarmo at 2am, waiting for the broken-down truck carrying our container to be fixed.

Gloria isn’t just building a new facility - she’s becoming a local anchor, lifting more and more producers into a system built around quality, stability, and independence.