The first weeks of 2025 have been a whirlwind of activity, successes, challenges, and milestones at our roastery in Nairobi. To get the latest update, we called Tess Atieno, Head Barista and Quality Control at the Moyee roastery in Kenya, for a rapid-fire check-in..
TESS: Have you ever produced a 40-foot container order in just two weeks while battling occasional power outages, green bean scarcity, and skyrocketing coffee prices? Oh, and all while keeping tabs on remote farmers and coffee suppliers to make sure we secure the highest quality beans at manageable prices? Also—not to make a big deal out of it—but we had a bit of drama when one of our roasters caught fire due to the excess coffee chaff buildup in the chimney during heavy production runs.
TESS: We’re all excellent, thank you for asking. It’s just been a crazy time, but we completed all the orders on time, and the entire container was dispatched last night. Now the team is cleaning up, reflecting on lessons learned, and preparing for the next cycle of production.
TESS: It really is a constant struggle. While we typically source our beans from Mount Elgon in Uganda and Kericho in Kenya, the volatility in pricing and availability in the coffee world has made this increasingly difficult. When prices skyrocket, even our most loyal farmers look to auctions where they can command higher prices—at least in the short term. But we have a great network and reputation and are always able to find the right balance between quality and cost.
TESS: It’s true! The project is in its final phase—we’ve secured a lease on a beautiful location in the cool Westlands neighborhood and are now in the process of painting, partitioning, and installing equipment. We’ve got a few surprises up our sleeves, but it will definitely have the best coffee in Kenya with, naturally, the country’s best barista … me!
TESS: Indeed! I just earned my AST (Authorized Specialty Trainer) certification from the Specialty Coffee Association. This certification allows me to train individuals worldwide in specialty coffee practices. I’m planning to develop new courses—very exciting! It’s all still in progress, but I’ll definitely be doing something with it.
TESS: We just finished one production run, and the next will arrive soon enough. There are 19 of us, with extra help during peak periods. It’s a cycle—you finish one task, take a breath, and start again. It’s hard work, but also deeply rewarding.
Abel Ketema, Digitalization and Data Manager at FairChain, provides an update on the latest coffee harvest, the progress of digitalization, and the future of coffee farming in Ethiopia.
Sander gives us some insider information about the biocompost project. That means: more sustainability, better soil health and less CO2!
Wij hebben behoorlijk wat bereikt met z’n allen in 2024. Hier alle impact-feitjes op een rij. Bedankt he!
