Nairobi Coffee Exchange(NCE) at last week’s auction recorded sales of 46,984 bags weighing 2,868,424 kilograms and worth US$ 19,869,355.42 (approximately KES 2.58 billion). This was translating to approximately 3,356 bags per hour, or 56 bags every minute.
During the auction that lasted for 14 hours from 8:00am to 10:00pm, nearly 47,000 bags of Kenya’s finest coffee beans changed hands.
The average price settled at US$ 346.35 per 50 kg bag, with premium lots commanding as much as US$ 442.00 while the bottom-tier beans scraped by at US$ 104.00. Compared to the prior auction, volumes rose sharply by 43%, jumping from 32,876 bags), though prices took a 10% dive from US$ 385.00.
However, compared to the same period has year when only 23,333 bags were sold at US$ 341.00, this year’s performance saw volumes more than double and prices staying relatively stable.
Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) hit its highest trading volume of the season
15 marketing agents participated in last week’s auction with Alliance Berries Limited dominating the NCE market activity, moving 15,027 bags at an average price of US$ 349.03 per bag, a commanding 32% market share. Kirinyaga Slopes Coffee Brokerage Company Ltd achieved the highest average price of US$ 382 across its 9,735 bags, accounting for 20.7% of the market.
New Kenya Planters Co-operative Union PLC secured third place with 4,621 bags, at an average price of US$ 344.73 per bag (9.8% market share). Kipkelion Broker Company Ltd followed with 4,421 bags at US$ 328.27 average (9.4% share), while KCCE Marketing Agency Limited rounded out the top five with 4,316 bags at US$ 341.41 (9.2% share).
Other notable brokers included Kinya Coffee Marketing Agency Ltd (1,761 bags at US$ 298.22), Coffee Estates Bourgeoisie Brokers Limited (1,677 bags at US$ 328.38), and Minnesota Coffee Marketers Limited (1,225 bags at US$ 301.53). The remaining brokers were Meru County Coffee Marketing Agency (1,093 bags), Mt. Elgon Coffee Marketing Agency (1,062 bags), United Eastern Kenya Coffee Marketing Co. Ltd (943 bags), Murang’a County Coffee Dealers (920 bags), and Kiambu Coffee Marketing Limited (183 bags).
NCE Top Buyers
Ibero Kenya Ltd led all buyers, purchasing 16,209 bags, representing 34.5% of the total market. C. Dormans SEZ Ltd came in second with 8,641 bags, while Kenyacof Limited secured 5,466 bags
Others included: Louis Dreyfus Company acquired 4,646 bags, Sasini (K) Limited took 4,497 bags, and Taylor Winch (Coffee) Limited rounded out the top six with 3,520 bags. Together, these six buyers controlled 92% of the market, purchasing a combined 42,979 bags.
Premium AA-grade beans moved 14,365 bags at an average of USD 368, while AB-grade dominated with 22,639 bags at US$ 352—representing nearly half of all coffee sold. The C grade, PB (Peaberry), and various specialty grades made up the remainder of the market, with prices ranging from US$ 104.00 to US$ 442.00.
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