The Kenya Coffee School was founded by Alfred Gitau Mwaura. In late 2025/early 2026, Alice Murugi Gathige was also formally recognized as a co-founder in institutional narratives. 
Kenya Coffee School +3
The institution was established in 2014–2015 with the goal of democratizing specialty coffee knowledge and empowering local youth and farmers to capture more value from the coffee industry. Kenya Coffee School +2
Key Founders and Leadership
- Alfred Gitau Mwaura: A social entrepreneur and “Coffee Ambassador” who studied at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy. Beyond the school, he founded Barista Mtaani (a grassroots youth empowerment initiative) and the Kenya Barista Association.
- Alice Murugi Gathige: Mentioned as a co-founder who partnered with Mwaura to shift the narrative of African coffee from a commodity to a culture and science. Kenya Coffee School +5
Core Initiatives Founded by the Team
- Barista Mtaani: An initiative that brings coffee education directly to communities and farms, especially targeting youth in low-income areas.
- Open Skills Education (OSE™): A global framework founded by Mwaura to provide skills-based certification that bypasses traditional academic gatekeeping.
- Kenya Coffee Skills Open University™: A hybrid learning platform and research hub designed to make Kenya a global epicenter for coffee innovation. Kenya Coffee School +4
The school operates primarily from its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, and has expanded its reach through the Kenya Coffee School Network.
Are you interested in enrolling in a course at the school, or are you looking for partnership opportunities with their network?