AvailableSpecialty
Kenya · Kirinyaga
- Species
- Arabica
- Process
- Fully washed with soak
- Grade
- AB
- Screen
- 15/16
- Crop
- 2025/26
- Quantity
- 150 bags
Plum · Tomato leaf · Black tea
Kenya · Grade
Kenya C Grade
C grade is the least discussed Kenyan separation and the one where the difference between "smaller" and "worse" is most worth stating clearly.
- Species
- Arabica
- Preparation
- Fully washed with soak · Mbuni (natural)
- Harvest
- Main crop October–December; early (fly) crop May–July
Quick answer
Kenya C is the flat-bean separation smaller than the AB block, retained at approximately screen 14 and below. It is a size class, and it comes from the same cherry and processing as the AA and AB from the same outturn.
Contract on: region · grade · screen · process · crop · moisture · defect tolerance · cup approval.
Request current kenya c gradeWhere C sits
- Basis
- Size — screen separation at the dry mill
- Screen
- Approximately 14 and below
- Position
- Below the AB block; above T (fines and broken)
- Species / process
- Arabica, fully washed with soak
- Traceability
- Factory and outturn, as for the larger grades
C is distinct from TT, which is a density separation from the AA and AB size ranges rather than a size class, and from T, which is the residual broken and fine material. See Kenya coffee grades.
Smaller is not the same as worse
What C grade actually is
C beans come from the same cherry as the AA and AB alongside them, processed identically. They are the smaller end of the size distribution. Some very good coffee ends up in the small screens, particularly from high-altitude factories where the whole distribution runs tight.
What is true is that a smaller bean has a higher surface-area-to-mass ratio and develops faster in the roaster. In a batch of mixed sizes that is a problem; in a separated C parcel it is simply a profile adjustment.
Where C fits commercially
- Price-led blends where Kenyan character is wanted at a workable cost.
- Applications with a short roast where fast development is an advantage rather than a hazard.
- Volume programmes where the differential on AA and AB is prohibitive.
- Testing a factory before committing to its larger separations at a higher price.
Specify carefully at the bottom of the ladder
The lower the grade, the more the defect and preparation terms have to do. State the maximum full defects per 300 g, the primary defect position, and the foreign matter limit explicitly rather than relying on the grade name.
Kenya C enquiries
Tell us the volume and the defect basis you work to. We will confirm what is available from the current crop.
Request Current Crop OfferLast reviewed 2 min read
The distinction that matters
What this grade does not tell you
A grade is a preparation class. Everything below is a separate contract field, and every one of them moves independently of the grade name.
What it does fix
Kenya C Grade encodes
- Bean size, as the screen the parcel is retained on
- Bean shape, for the PB separation
- Density, for the TT and T separations
- Whether the coffee is washed or Mbuni (dried whole cherry)
Use the grade to define the physical deliverable. Use the approved sample to define the cup. Both belong in the contract.
What it does not
Specify these separately
- Cup qualityTwo lots at the same grade from the same mill can cup several points apart. Only cupping tells you.
- Defect countA separate count on a defined sample, against a weighting table that differs by origin.
- MoistureA range plus the measurement method. Two meters on one parcel routinely disagree.
- Crop yearNothing in a grade name distinguishes current crop from a parcel that has been in store a year.
- DensityBulk density in g/L, which drives charge temperature and roast planning.
- Water activityStorage stability. Related to moisture but not derivable from it.
- TraceabilityCountry, station or day lot are different claims. A grade fixes none of them.
- Processing methodWashed, natural and honey can all carry the same grade at most origins.
Availability
Current Kenya C Grade
Availability moves with the harvest, with milling and with prior commitments. Everything here is confirmed against the current crop on enquiry.
LimitedSpecialty
Kenya · Nyeri
- Species
- Arabica
- Process
- Fully washed with soak
- Grade
- AA
- Screen
- 17/18
- Crop
- 2025/26
- Quantity
- 80 bags
Blackcurrant · Grapefruit · Cane sugar
LimitedSpecialty
Kenya · Murang’a
- Species
- Arabica
- Process
- Fully washed with soak
- Grade
- PB
- Screen
- PB
- Crop
- 2025/26
- Quantity
- 60 bags
Redcurrant · Muscovado · Bergamot
Quality
Quality evaluation
Every parcel runs the same sequence before it is offered and again before it is loaded. What is reported for a given lot depends on what the buyer specifies.
- 01Physical gradePreparation class against the origin’s own system
- 02Screen distributionRetention plus the percentage passing
- 03Defect analysisFull defects per 300 g on a stated weighting table
- 04MoistureRange plus the measurement method and instrument
- 05Water activityWhere the buyer specifies it, for storage stability
- 06DensityBulk density in g/L, for roast planning
- 07Sample roastTo a cupping profile, not a commercial roast
- 08CuppingMultiple cups, against the approved sample
- 09Buyer approvalThe retained sample the shipment is measured against
Crop
Kenya crop calendar
Flowering, harvest, processing, milling and the export window. Regional cycles differ, so this is not one universal season.
Main crop — central highlands and Mount Kenya
Crop year commonly quoted October–September
Stage
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
FloweringLong rains
Cherry development
Harvest
Processing & drying
Dry milling & grading
Main export window
- Flowering: Feb–Apr. Long rains
- Cherry development: Apr–Sep
- Harvest: Oct–Dec
- Processing & drying: Oct–Jan
- Dry milling & grading: Nov–Feb
- Main export window: Dec–Jun
The main crop carries the majority of volume and the tightest factory separations.
Early / fly crop
Crop year commonly quoted October–September
Stage
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
FloweringShort rains
Cherry development
Harvest
Processing & drying
Dry milling & grading
Main export window
- Flowering: Oct–Nov. Short rains
- Cherry development: Nov–Apr
- Harvest: May–Jul
- Processing & drying: May–Aug
- Dry milling & grading: Jun–Sep
- Main export window: Jul–Oct
Smaller and more variable than the main crop; useful for bridging supply mid-year.
Export
Packing and export
- Ports of loading
- Mombasa
- Bag standard
- 60 kg jute; GrainPro or equivalent liners common on specialty lots
- Export window
- December–June for main crop, with early-crop shipments from August
- Incoterms
- FOB · CFR · CIF
Compare
Against the other East African origins
Grade designations do not translate between origins, and harvest windows barely overlap. This is how the region compares at a glance.
| Origin | Species | Main preparation | Representative grades | Harvest | Ports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tanzania | Arabica · Robusta | Fully washed · Natural | AA · A · AB · B | June–October in the south; July–December in the north | Dar es Salaam · Tanga |
| Uganda | Robusta · Arabica | Natural (Robusta) · Washed Arabica (WUGAR) | Screen 18 · Screen 17 · Screen 15 · FAQ | Robusta main crop November–February with a fly crop April–July; Elgon Arabica October–February | Mombasa (Northern Corridor) · Dar es Salaam (Central Corridor) |
| Ethiopia | Arabica | Fully washed · Natural (sun-dried) | Grade 1 · Grade 2 · Grade 3 · Grade 4 | October–January, varying by region and altitude | Djibouti (primary transit port) |
| Rwanda | Arabica | Fully washed · Natural (growing) | Grade 1 (fully washed) · Grade 2 · Screen 15+ · Screen 16+ | March–July, with the peak in April and May | Mombasa (Northern Corridor) · Dar es Salaam (Central Corridor) |
| Burundi | Arabica | Fully washed with soak · Natural (limited) | Grade A · Grade B · Screen 15+ · Screen 16+ | March–July | Dar es Salaam (Central Corridor) · Mombasa (Northern Corridor) |
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is Kenya C grade?
The flat-bean size separation smaller than the AB block, retained at approximately screen 14 and below. It comes from the same cherry and processing as the larger grades from the same outturn.
Is C grade low quality?
It is a small size class, not a quality class. Some very good coffee ends up in the small screens, particularly from high-altitude factories. What is true is that smaller beans develop faster in the roaster, which is a profile consideration rather than a defect.
How is C different from TT?
C is a size separation — small flat beans. TT is a density separation — beans of AA or AB size that were lighter than the main run and were lifted off by gravity table. They are produced by different machines for different reasons.
Request an offer
Tell us the Kenya coffee you need
Region, process, grade, screen, moisture, defect tolerance, crop year, packaging and destination. Send what you know and we will confirm what Kenya realistically supports for the current crop.