day9.coffee day9

Kiambu · Kenya

Sasini Coffee

Since 1952 · Doondu Estates Ltd (original incorporators)

Visit website Instagram

Overview

Sasini was incorporated in 1952 as Doondu Estates Ltd with a single coffee farm in Kiambu, then known as the Kenya Colony, and went public in 1960 — making it one of the oldest agricultural firms on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. Sasini PLC now operates six coffee estates totaling roughly 775 hectares in Kenya's Central Highlands (including Tinganga, Mweiga, and Kamundu), grows SL28, French Mission, K7, Ruiru 11, and Geisha varieties, and runs a mill processing approximately 20% of Kenya's total coffee production. Roughly 90% of the coffee is exported to roasters and trade houses in Europe, Asia, and the Americas via the Nairobi Coffee Exchange and direct sales.

Known for

  • Founded 1952 as Doondu Estates Ltd — one of Kenya's oldest publicly listed companies
  • Six coffee estates across Kiambu County and Mount Kenya region (~775 hectares)
  • Mill capacity ~3,200 bags/day — about 20% of Kenya's total coffee production
  • Varieties grown: SL28, French Mission, K7, Blue Mountain, grafted Ruiru 11, Geisha
  • Estate workforce includes living quarters, early-childhood education, union membership, and above-minimum-wage guarantees

Why it matters

Sasini is the rare African coffee operation that operates at meaningful scale (six estates, roughly 20% of Kenyan coffee processed at its mill, ~90% exported globally) while maintaining estate-level traceability and a long history of community investment programs. Kenyan coffee is overwhelmingly smallholder, so estate-grown lots like Tinganga and Kamundu are a relatively rare category — Sasini is the foundational example, with seven decades of continuous operation and a public listing on the Nairobi Securities Exchange that gives it durability most African coffee businesses don't have.

Production

destoning
null
head roaster
null
color sorting
null
roaster machine
null
filter equipment
null
cupping frequency
null
roastery location
Kiambu County, Kenya (mill + retail packing)
espresso equipment
null
annual volume tonnes
1980

Recognitions

  • One of the oldest publicly listed firms on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (since 1960)
  • Mill processes ~20% of Kenya's total coffee production
  • Food safety certifications across estates

Sources

More roasters