Why We Chose This Coffee
At Nossa Familia Coffee, relationships have always been at the center of how we source coffee — it's part of what it means to be a Farm Direct coffee roaster.
While Kenya Mbandi Undugu isn't part of one of our traditional Direct Trade partnerships, it comes through an organization whose philosophy closely mirrors our own.
For this release, we partnered with Undugu Farms, a Kenya-based farm-to-roaster sourcing company that works directly alongside producers throughout the growing season — not simply as exporters, but as long-term collaborators.
Their team helps farmers improve quality through agronomy support, harvest planning, traceability, post-harvest processing, and continuous feedback between farm and roaster. Rather than focusing solely on buying coffee, they invest in helping producers build stronger farms and produce better coffee year after year.
That commitment to producer relationships made this coffee an easy choice for our Roaster's Choice program.
SHOP Kenya Mbandi Undugu
Meet Mbandi Farm
Kenya Mbandi Undugu comes from Mbandi Farm, owned by Thomas Masila Mutunga in Machakos County, Kenya.
Thomas inspecting ripe coffee cherries at Mbandi Farm.
Located on the western edge of the historic Yatta Plateau — an ancient lava-capped ridge — the farm sits at approximately 1,580 meters above sea level, where cool evenings and slow cherry maturation create ideal conditions for producing coffees with exceptional sweetness, clarity, and complexity.
Thomas cultivates approximately 10 acres of the renowned SL28 variety, one of Kenya's most celebrated coffee cultivars, known for its vibrant acidity and expressive fruit character.
Following harvest, the coffee is:
- Wet processed
- Double washed
- Dried on raised beds
- Triple sorted for exceptional consistency and cleanliness
The result is a beautifully clean cup that highlights the very best of Kenya's terroir.
More Than a Coffee Farmer
What impressed us most about Thomas isn't just the quality of his coffee. He's also an active advocate for coffee farming throughout Southeast Kenya.
Beyond managing his own farm, Thomas mentors younger coffee producers and regularly hosts local forums where farmers discuss climate change, new agronomic practices, and ways to strengthen coffee production across the region.
It's exactly the kind of leadership that helps coffee communities continue to thrive for generations.
Healthy coffee trees producing vibrant, ripe cherries before harvest.
What Does It Taste Like?
If you love classic Kenyan coffees, you're in for a treat. Kenya Mbandi Undugu delivers an incredibly vibrant and layered cup with sparkling citrus, juicy fruit, and remarkable sweetness.
Tasting Notes: Citron · Tangerine · Peach · Tropical Fruit · Sweet Caramel Finish
The first sip bursts with lively citrus before opening into notes of ripe peach and tropical fruit. As the coffee cools, a rich caramel sweetness emerges, creating a cup that's both bright and beautifully balanced.
Whether brewed as a V60, Chemex, Kalita Wave, or even a modern espresso, this coffee offers remarkable clarity from beginning to end.
Why Kenyan Coffee Is So Distinctive
Kenya has earned its reputation as one of the world's premier coffee origins. High elevations, volcanic soils, careful washed processing, and varieties like SL28 consistently produce coffees celebrated for their clean structure, bright acidity, and vivid fruit character.
Machakos County offers a slightly softer, rounder expression of Kenya — still wonderfully expressive, but balanced by approachable sweetness that shines across multiple brewing methods.
Always Improving
One of the reasons we were excited to source this coffee through Undugu Farms is their commitment to continuous improvement. Working closely with Thomas, the team has focused on several initiatives that help improve both quality and traceability, including:
- Better pruning and canopy management to strengthen tree health
- More selective ripe-cherry picking
- Improved pest monitoring and prevention
- More precise moisture tracking during drying
- Enhanced traceability from farm to roaster
Looking ahead, they're continuing to invest in water-smart processing methods, stronger lot separation for true microlots, and improved storage practices that preserve quality while reducing environmental impact.
Coffee like this doesn't happen by accident — it reflects countless thoughtful decisions throughout the growing and processing journey.
Measuring the Brix (natural sugar content) of coffee cherries helps determine the ideal harvest timing for maximum sweetness and cup quality.
A Limited Roaster's Choice Release
Because coffees like Kenya Mbandi Undugu are produced in small quantities, they won't be around forever. That's exactly why we created our Rotating Microlot Subscription — part of our broader Microlot Release Club.
Subscribers receive access to some of our most exciting coffees of the year — small lots, unique origins, and limited releases that often never make it into our regular lineup. If you love discovering exceptional coffees before they're gone, this subscription was made for you.
→ Explore the Rotating Microlot Subscription
Experience Kenya in Every Cup
Kenya Mbandi Undugu represents everything we hope our Roaster's Choice program can be. It gives our roasting team the freedom to share extraordinary coffees from around the world while remaining committed to the relationship-driven sourcing that defines Nossa Familia Coffee.
Through our partnership with Undugu Farms, we're honored to introduce you to Thomas Masila Mutunga, his remarkable farm in Machakos County, and a coffee that captures the vibrant character Kenya is famous for.
We hope you enjoy every cup.
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