The Return of Zambian Coffee and the Kateshi Estate

Zambia is a relatively young coffee-producing country, with a history that spans less than a century. It was first introduced by British colonists in the early 20th century, but their pursuits were short-lived as trees failed to take root. Smallholder farmers took their shot at growing coffee in the late 1950s, but it wasn’t until after Zambian independence in 1964 that coffee became part of the nation’s strategy to diversify its economy.

With a focus on making coffee one of the country’s exports, commercial coffee estates began to appear in the 1970s.

Production grew from the 1980s-2000s, reaching a peak of just under 7000 metric tons in the early 2000s. However, low coffee prices between 1998 and 2004 that was caused by global oversupply resulted in a production decline in the 2000s. Many estates that required significant infrastructure, including irrigation systems, couldn’t secure investment and financing. In 2015, production hit a low of 180 metric tons as a result of harsh weather conditions. 

Despite the challenges, Zambian coffee production has been back on the rise. In 2012, Olam International acquired estates in the Northern Province, and its investment has played a major role in the rejuvenation of the Zambian coffee sector. The Olam Coffee Estate Coffee Company - Northern Coffee Corporation Ltd (NCCL), is the largest coffee producer in Zambia. NCCL consists of five estates, including the Kateshi Estate: one of Zambia’s first coffee estates established in 1972 near the Kateshi Village.

Coffee trees are neatly arranged into rows with enough space to allow for healthy tree growth and easy picking

The Kateshi Estate strives to have a positive impact in the region. It has almost 600 hectares of protected forest to preserve the area’s natural resources and ecosystem. The estate provides daily access to safe drinking water to over 20,000 locals and supports three schools, which provide more than 1500 students with primary and secondary education. It has a health clinic on site, complete with a pharmacy and delivery room, and provides free basic healthcare to over 4000 community members. The estate also sponsors a local football team, the Kateshi Coffee Bullets, who compete in the Zambian 1st Division. Many of its players are gainful employees of NCCL.

In rural communities, women do a lot of the productive work but often don’t have access to the necessary resources to help them reach their full potential.

The Kateshi Estate has been recognized for challenging gender stereotypes in Zambia, being the first and only coffee estate to employ women for traditionally male-dominated roles, such as driving tractors, bulldozers, and operating other heavy machinery.

This sense of empowerment doesn’t just stay at the farm; the women are able to take home a new sense of independence and pride, which can carry over into neighboring communities.

Freshly picked ripe cherries

To produce washed coffees at the Kateshi Estate, pickers take fresh, ripe cherries and deliver them to the ecopulping station within 6 hours of picking. Once the pulp is removed, the coffees are fermented in tanks for anywhere between 16-24 hours based on weather conditions. Afterwards, they are washed and dried using a combination of patios, raised drying tables, and hot air beds. They are then sorted by size and weight and stored in a cool environment before preparing for export.

As our first Zambian coffee, we’re excited to highlight the Kateshi Estate with its bright and herbal washed coffee. This coffee only gets better with age, and we’ve enjoyed it the most when brewing it at least one week after roasting. Try it on pour-over, drip, or as an iced coffee!