Coffee markets are like rain and sunshine — we don’t control when they come, how strong they are, or who they favor. But we do feel their impact.
When global auctions dominate pricing structures, especially export-driven systems, they often:
- Lock out local buyers
- Price out small roasters
- Reduce access for domestic consumption
- Shift power away from farmers toward large trading systems
In many producing countries like Kenya, auction systems were designed for transparency and foreign exchange generation. But over time, they have also created unintended consequences:
🌧 When the Rain Is Too Heavy
- High auction reserve prices push coffee beyond reach for local traders.
- Small-scale roasters struggle to secure quality lots.
- Domestic café culture grows, but raw material access remains limited.
- Farmers become price-takers instead of market-shapers.
☀️ When the Sunshine Is Shared
- Direct trade relationships empower cooperatives.
- Local roasting industries strengthen.
- Youth entrepreneurs enter the value chain.
- Domestic consumption markets stabilize farmer income.
The real question is not whether auctions are good or bad —
it’s whether the system balances:
- Export revenue
- Farmer welfare
- Local industry growth
- National coffee culture
A country that produces world-class coffee should not struggle to supply its own people.
Markets may be like weather —
but policy, education, and organization are irrigation systems.
When institutions like Kenya Coffee School train baristas, roasters, and entrepreneurs, they are not just teaching skills — they are building internal demand.
And internal demand is economic sovereignty.