Bungoma Coffee Beans

When talking about Kenya’s coffee-growing regions, many people mention the crescent-shaped coffee zones around Mount Kenya, such as Nyeri and Kirinyaga, but in fact, Mount Elgon on the western border with Uganda also produces excellent beans. The coffee region on Mount Elgon is called Bungoma, once a strong sugarcane province, now striving to reinvent itself through coffee.

Bungoma is located in northwestern Kenya near Mount Elgon, close to Uganda (one of Africa’s major coffee-producing countries). Bungoma has long been known for sugarcane cultivation, but due to outdated sugar industry facilities and heavy corporate debt, locals have decided to explore a new industry—coffee.

This coffee is grown by smallholder farmers from the Bungoma Kikai Cooperative, on the southeastern slopes of Mount Elgon at an altitude of 1,900 meters. The area enjoys abundant rainfall and a mild climate suitable for coffee tree growth, and its mineral-rich volcanic soil gives the coffee rich flavor potential. The farmers grow varieties specifically developed by NARL for Kenya’s terroir—commercially viable and suitable for large-scale planting—namely SL34 and SL28.

The beans are then processed using the washed method at the Simba Factory, and the classic flavors of Kenyan coffee are inseparable from these two coffee varieties. The coffee processed by Simba Factory features distinctive black plum, cherry tomato, and honey notes, with a juicy mouthfeel and bright acidity.