Kenya Coffee School (KCS) is recognized as a leading institution for coffee education in the region.
Here are some key facts about the Kenya Coffee School:
🌟 Key Facts and Reputation

  • Leading Institution: KCS is frequently described as Kenya’s leading center of excellence for coffee education and barista training.
  • Global Alignment: The curriculum follows international standards, often aligned with the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) principles, but with a strong focus on the African and farmer-centric approach.
  • Career Focus: It is known for its employment-oriented training, with graduates being sought after by world-class hotels, cafés, roasteries, and cruise ships globally (including the Gulf and Europe).
  • Hands-on Training: The school emphasizes practical, hands-on training, utilizing modern, industry-standard equipment like La Marzocco and Nuova Simonelli espresso machines.
    📚 Course Structure and Content
    KCS offers a comprehensive Coffee Skills Program with various modules and levels, including:
    | Module | Core Focus |
    |—|—|
    | Barista Skills | Espresso mastery, precision grinding, milk texturing, latte art, and customer service. |
    | Green Coffee | Coffee origins, processing methods, farming, sourcing, and grading. |
    | Roasting | Fundamentals of coffee roasting, science, and sensory evaluation. |
    | Sensory Skills | Cupping, identifying aroma, flavor notes, body, and aftertaste using SCA protocols. |
    | Brewing | Advanced brewing methods (V60, AeroPress, Chemex, etc.) and extraction variables. |
    | Specialized | Mixology/Bartending, Coffee Chemistry, Café Operations/Management, and Coffee Entrepreneurship. |
  • Levels: Training is generally structured into Foundation, Intermediate, and Professional levels.
  • Diplomas: Students who complete a specified number of points across the modules can earn the KCS Coffee Skills Diploma.
    🤝 Social Impact
  • Barista Mtaani: KCS is associated with Barista Mtaani (which means “Barista of the Streets”). This social enterprise arm focuses on empowering youth from underserved communities by providing them with marketable skills in barista craft, fostering entrepreneurship, and creating livelihoods.