In partnership with Vava Coffee, Uvuu and Nzaini factories showcase Makueni’s revival, where shared farming and youth empowerment create coffees full of flavour and future.

Partnership overview: people, place and a new chapter in Kenyan coffee
East of Nairobi, beyond the famous slopes of Mt Kenya, a quiet revival is underway. In Makueni County and neighbouring Machakos, smallholder farmers are rebuilding coffee as a viable livelihood through cooperatives, seedling programs and better access to finance. County leaders and the New Kenya Planters Co-operative Union (New KPCU) have been running sensitisation sessions, demo farms and a “cherry fund” that helps growers cover inputs while their coffee is processed and sold. It is practical support that keeps trees in the ground and quality moving in the right direction.

Our work here centres on the Kikima Farmers’ Co-operative Society (FCS), a farmer-run network operating six factories where producers pool cherry, labour and infrastructure to achieve consistent processing and exportable volumes. Two of those sites are the Uvuu Factory and the Nzaini Factory, which serve their surrounding communities and reflect the region’s growing confidence.

How the factories operate
At Uvuu and Nzaini, farmers deliver ripe cherries to central mills. Teams float and sort the fruit, pulp it, then ferment the parchment in clean water. Channels help remove lighter beans before the coffee is dried on raised beds. The method is classic Kenya. The outcome is clarity and structure in the cup. These factories also provide a rally point for agronomy advice and community problem-solving.

Our connector and partner: Vava Angwenyi and Vava Coffee
Our link into Kikima FCS is Vava Coffee, founded by Vava Angwenyi in 2009. Vava is a Kenyan exporter, roaster and author whose mission is to build fair, dignified pathways for farmers, especially women and youth. Vava Coffee earned B Corp certification based on principles and accountability to supply chains remain front and centre.

Vava’s leadership is recognised across the industry, from interviews and talks on decolonising empowerment to profiles that document how her team challenges inherited trade structures and pushes for pricing that reflects real costs and value.

Training the next generation: Gente del Futuro and La Dulce Toro Café
Beyond trade, Vava co-founded Gente del Futuro, a program that takes young people through hands-on coffee training across East Africa. The goal is simple and urgent: keep youth engaged in coffee by offering real skills, networks and viable career paths.

In coastal Lamu, Vava’s team has channelled this ethos into a youth project and training hub connected to La Dulce Toro Café. It is a beautiful island with deep Swahili history where many young people have limited options in tourism or fishing. Creating a coffee school and café introduces new pathways in hospitality and specialty coffee, and anchors learning in a real workplace.