Arab Coffee in Kenya: How French Mission Bourbon Arrived

French Mission Bourbon came to Kenya in 1893, when coffee was introduced from Brazil, and the variety itself was carried from the island of Bourbon by a French diplomatic mission. Unlike the later laboratory-developed SL28 and SL34, it keeps the original character of native Bourbon. Kenya Hania Estate grows this traditional arab coffee, which suits pour-over brewing.

Kenya was under British colonial rule from 1890 until independence in 1963, and export profits long favored London. Smallholders owned only 5,000 acres until 1954. The Scott Laboratories later bred SL-28 and SL-34 from 40 cultivated varieties. Common Kenyan varieties today also include Ruiru 11, Batian, K7 and Kent, chosen for disease resistance or drought tolerance.

Kenya is a major coffee-producing country in eastern Africa, bordering Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee. In 1893, coffee was first introduced to Kenya via Brazil, and one of the varieties, known as "French Mission Bourbon," was brought from the island of Bourbon by a French diplomatic mission. Unlike the later laboratory-cultivated SL28 and SL34, French Mission Bourbon retains the original flavor of native Bourbon. This article will outline the historical context of Kenyan coffee, the origins and characteristics of French Mission Bourbon, and introduce Front Street Coffee's Kenya Hania Estate French Mission Bourbon, along with suitable brewing parameters, to help coffee enthusiasts gain a comprehensive understanding of this unique bean variety.

Kenya is one of the cradles of humankind, with a human skull fossil dating back about 2.5 million years unearthed within its territory. From 1890 until its independence in 1963, Kenya was under British colonial rule for nearly seventy years.

Kenya is located in eastern Africa, bordering Ethiopia, the "source of coffee." Despite its fertile land, the country's coffee cultivation began in 1893 with Bourbon introduced from Brazil (also known as French Mission, to commemorate the French missionaries who brought coffee). This story is like a tale of "going left or going right"—coffee did not move south into the interior, but instead crossed the Red Sea to the north. After centuries of spreading, taking root, and mutating around the world, it finally made its way back to its homeland—The Great Rift Valley in Africa.

As a British colony, it is not surprising that coffee export profits favored the mother country. Until 1954, Kenyans owned only 5,000 acres of arable land, with the rest mostly controlled by the British and shipped to London for auction. The colony may appear exploited, but without the British laboratory Scott Laboratories, Kenyan coffee would not have achieved its current success. Its representative varieties, SL-28 and SL-34, were two of the 40 coffee varieties cultivated by that laboratory. Currently, common varieties in Kenya also include Ruiri 11, which has high disease resistance but slightly inferior flavor, as well as Batian, K7, and Kent, which are highly drought-resistant.

In 1892, French missionaries brought Bourbon coffee to Kenya for cultivation, and these native coffee plants were therefore called French Mission Varietal. During cultivation, they were not improved through scientific methods, preserving the most original flavor of Bourbon.

In the early twentieth century, French and British missionaries and researchers screened and cultivated coffee trees in Kenya, successfully developing the direct descendants of Bourbon, "SL28" and "SL34." Over the past century, Kenyan coffee has adapted to high-concentration phosphoric acid soil and developed the unique acidic essence of Kenyan coffee beans, with a flavor distinct from Bourbon coffee beans from other Central and South American countries.

Unlike the improved SL28 and SL34 that are mostly planted in Kenya today, French Mission is a native Bourbon variety that has not undergone scientific improvement. In the late 19th century, it was introduced to Kenya by a French diplomatic mission from the then island of Bourbon (now Réunion), retaining the flavor characteristics of the traditional Bourbon variety. The bean appearance and flavor of this variety are also somewhat similar to Rwandan Bourbon, which is planted almost throughout neighboring Rwanda and consists of traditional native varieties.

Front Street Coffee's [Front Street Kenya Hania Estate] is the French Mission Bourbon variety from the West Hania Estate~

"French Mission: West Hania Estate" is named after the river flowing through the estate, and the local soil is deep red, fertile volcanic soil. The Harries family has been growing coffee for nearly a century, and their rich planting experience, combined with the ideal terroir conditions for coffee production, has consistently delivered excellent flavor performance.

In addition to being committed to the sustainable operation of the coffee business, the estate owner also focuses on giving back to the local community, donating more than 50 acres of land to the Thika Municipal Council and the Wabeni Technical Research Institute, dedicated to teaching practical livelihood skills to children from impoverished families and improving the living conditions of local people.

Kenya's Coffee Auction

Every Tuesday during the harvest months, an auction is held at the Coffee Exchange in the capital, Nairobi. Approximately 50 government-approved exporters classify and grade coffee lots, send samples to potential foreign buyers for cupping evaluation, and later enter bids. Some foreign companies also commission approved marketing agents for Direct Trade. All steps are clear and transparent and are regulated by the Coffee Board of Kenya, ensuring that after deducting costs, the proceeds go entirely to the farmers.

Front Street recommended brewing parameters:

V60/90℃/1:15/2 minutes

It has good body, with a dense, rich, and lively acidity, featuring flavors of caramel red grapefruit, lemon, lime, and red brown sugar.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.