Episode 41: Coffee in Kenya - A conversation with Stephen Vick

In this episode, I sit down with my good friend Stephen Vick during my recent visit to Kenya. Stephen shares his journey in the coffee industry, which began in Oregon, USA, and has since brought him to Kenya. Together, we reflect on how the industry has evolved over the more than twenty years we have both been a part of it.

Stephen works for the Danish Coop, a grocery store chain in Scandinavia. He oversees their roasting and export of roasted coffee from Kenya to Scandinavia. He explains how his work in Kenya operates and the impact of exporting roasted coffee as opposed to unroasted coffee makes locally.

We talk about the supportive barista community in Nairobi, where sharing knowledge has become more common and important for growth. We also discuss robusta coffee and the increasing interest in experimenting with new cultivars.

Additionally, we talk about the rise of organically certified coffees in Kenya, which is still relatively rare but showing promising growth. Finally, Stephen shares what excites him most about the future of Kenyan coffee and the local coffee community.
Music by my uncle Jens Wendelboe.