'Shark Tank': Meet founder of Kahawa 1893, Trader Joe's first coffee brand owned by a Black woman
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Margaret Nyamumbo, aka Maggy, seeks to strike a deal in 'Shark Tank' for Kahawa 1893, her Kenyan coffee company that advocates fair trade with women farmers. Let's take a look at Trader Joe's first coffee brand owned by a Black woman before viewers encounter this unique business for the first time in Episode 14.
"Kahawa" translates to "coffee" in Swahili. Coffee returned to Africa in 1893 after wandering throughout the world since it was discovered in Ethiopia in the 7th century. African farmers grow the world's most famous kahawa. With its high altitudes and rich volcanic soil, Kenya, in particular, has the ideal climate and terroir for growing coffee. The Arabica beans burst with vibrant citrus notes that are balanced by warm spices, berry bursts, and the sweeter flavors of sugar, chocolate, and caramel. Hand-picked coffee cherries are flown to San Francisco for roasting. The beans are roasted gently in small quantities in Kahawa's distinctive technique for unsurpassed quality, consistency, and beautifully rich flavor. Can Lori Greiner, Kevin O'Leary, Robert Herjavec, Mark Cuban, and Guest Shark Emma Grede be swayed by the rich flavor to make Kahawa 1893 their everyday cup of Joe?
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What is Kahawa 1893?
Nyamumbo, a third-generation coffee farmer, grows Kahawa 1893 coffee in Kenya and roasts it fresh in San Francisco. The company sells ground coffee, whole beans, and single-serve coffee packs, which are biodegradable coffee bags that steep in 5 minutes. There are several blends available, including the 1893 Espresso, Safari, Ethiopian, Serengeti, Peaberry, Kenyan, and Single-Serve Coffee. Here is some in-depth information about their popular blends.
Rum Barrel-Aged Coffee: This is a limited edition coffee that has been precisely constructed to highlight the finest of coffee and rum, resulting in an extraordinarily smooth cup of coffee with a caramel and vanilla finish. A freshly empty rum barrel is progressively filled with organically processed Guji coffee. The barrel is moved regularly to ensure that the rum is equally absorbed by the coffee. When the coffee is ready, it is roasted medium to bring out the smooth, subtle taste.
Ethiopian: These coffee beans are obtained from both Guji and Yirgacheffe, two coffee-growing areas in Ethiopia. Yirgacheffe beans are acquired from a farm owned by a lady who has been farming coffee since the 1950s and is handing down traditional Ethiopian coffee processing skills to the next generation. Guji beans are naturally processed, which means they are dried in the sun while still inside the coffee cherry, resulting in beans with a delicious taste.
Serengeti: This is a wonderful, sweet dark roast with chocolate and molasses overtones. The Serengeti blend, named after the world-famous Serengeti plains in East Africa, mixes a fruity Kenyan with a full-bodied Rwanda for a balanced, powerful flavor. Excellent choice for a cold brew.
Tanzania Peaberry: It tastes like honey and orange. Peaberry beans are bigger, rounder, and sweeter than standard coffee beans, and the coffee is sometimes characterized as having the flavor of two beans. Peaberry cherries only yield one coffee bean, as opposed to the two seen in other coffee cherries.
Chai Spice: It is a Zanzibar-sourced combination of cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon. The major component is cinnamon, which originates from the tree's inner bark. It's subtler, sweeter, and more nuanced than "ordinary" cinnamon. The cloves originate from Zanzibar clove trees, which are thought to be among the oldest in the world.
Who is the founder of Kahawa 1893?
Maggy, the founder of Kahawa 1893, is a third-generation Kenyan coffee grower. Her grandpa was one of the first Kenyan indigenous people to be granted permission to produce coffee by British colonists. Maggy was born on the farm and recalls harvesting ripe coffee berries with her mother lovingly. A less pleasant recollection was witnessing women perform the majority of the work in coffee production while being paid very little. The majority of the compensation was paid to landowners, while women-owned little or no land.
When Maggy arrived in the United States to pursue a BA from Smith College and an MBA from Harvard, she first pursued the traditional path of working on Wall Street. Yet the more she learned about money, the more she wanted to start a company that would help women in the coffee industry in her native country.
Kahawa 1893 is the first Black woman-owned boutique business that promotes, supports, and empowers female farmers. It arose from the desire to assist Kenyan communities by leveraging centuries-old artisan techniques to create locally sourced coffee beans. Women's empowerment is central to Margaret's business approach. The coffee beans are supplied directly from Rwandan and Kenyan women farmers, who are paid fairly.
Maggy also established a fund for women to augment their income to fulfill necessities, hire staff, and invest in the future. She pledges 25% of Kahawa 1893 revenues to assist women with loans to empower them financially. There is a "tip page" on the website where visitors can give directly to the women coffee farmers, and Maggy matches all contributions 100%. Customers can scan a QR code on the Kahawa 1893 packets to send a tip straight to a farmer's e-wallet, which also matches 100%. Maggy is thankful for the scholarships that enabled her to attend Smith and Harvard, and she is paying it forward by collaborating with both institutions to give scholarships for women via Kahawa 1893.
What is the cost and where to buy Kahawa 1893 from?
Kahawa 1893 is a high-quality product. A 12-ounce bag will cost you between $17 and $20, depending on the kind. The whiskey and rum barrel-aged coffees are $28 for a 12-oz bag. Bulk coffee is also available in 2-and 5-pound bags for $35 and $75, respectively. She also offers tea bags and single-serve coffee. Kahawa 1893 is available on the company's website, Amazon, Sprouts, and the Fresh Market. Maggy is probably looking for a Shark to help her get onto the shelves of national supermarket stores.
Where is Kahawa 1893 now?
Margaret Nyamumbo made history in 2021 by becoming the first Black businesswoman to have her coffee brand, Kahawa 1893, distributed at Trader Joe's supermarket shops nationwide. As a third-generation coffee grower from Kenya, she witnessed firsthand the inequalities that women coffee workers face in the industry. Kahawa 1893, which derives its brand name from the Swahili language for coffee as well as the year coffee returned to Africa, has now achieved new heights by becoming accessible in all 200 Trader Joe's locations in California, as well as additional stores in New York City and Chicago. It will also be offered in other states in the near future.
Who will steal the deal?
Maggy faces a significant challenge in the Tank. Coffee is a commodity and a highly competitive industry. Having said that, this is a luxury brand that has made inroads into retail. Several large corporations are encouraging Black-owned businesses and brands into their stores, which might benefit Maggy. Mark may take a chance on Kahawa 1893 after having such a fantastic experience with Misto Box in Season 4. We'll simply have to wait and see whether any of the Sharks strike a deal.
'Shark Tank' Season 14, Episode 14 will air on ABC on Friday, February 17, 2023, at 8 PM ET. Catch the latest episode featuring products like ReTold Recycling, Kahawa 1893, FunkkOFF, and The Chub Rub Patch.
Missed an episode? Been wanting to catch up? Episodes can also be viewed the next day on demand and on Hulu. Not just that, you can also watch old seasons and episodes on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.