Millions of people worldwide enjoy their first cup of coffee every morning. However, few take a moment to consider the individuals who pick the beans, particularly the women who cultivate the farms and the challenges they encounter in the industry. One such woman is Eva Muthuuri.
Growing up on a coffee farm in Kenya, she witnessed the relentless work of women in the fields who aimed to support the coffee industry yet remained largely unrecognised. Despite their hard work, they were often overlooked, underpaid, and undervalued. Today, as the founding director of Eva’s Coffee Limited, Muthuuri is changing this narrative.
“When the call came for us to shift from aid to trade, I asked myself, ‘What does Kenya have that the world needs every morning?’ The answer was clear—a cup of coffee.”-Eva Muthuuri, Founder of Eva’s Coffee Ltd.
Eva’s move from policy to plantations
Muthuuri’s journey into coffee entrepreneurship was not straightforward. Before entering the agricultural sector, she had a successful career in public health. She authorised Kenya’s Ksh4 billion ($30.9 million) Free Maternity Policy, significantly reducing maternal deaths. She also collaborated with global organisations such as the World Bank and the UN to address international development challenges.
She was making a difference, but something kept pulling her back home. Muthuuri realised that true empowerment isn’t just about formulating policies but economic freedom. And for the women in her community, that freedom was rooted in coffee, the crop that had funded her education.
So in 2013, she took a bold step, leaving the world of policy to create Eva’s Coffee Limited—a company dedicated to producing world-class coffee while empowering the women behind it.
“I established Eva’s Coffee to connect women producers to global markets and unlock economic opportunities for them,” she told Forbes.
Today, Eva’s Coffee supports over 600 women farmers, ensuring they receive fair prices, training, and access to international markets.
More than just coffee
The vision doesn’t stop at coffee production for Muthuuri. She has introduced AI-powered breast cancer detection in rural areas, hosted medical camps, and championed climate resilience to safeguard farmers’ futures.
“A sick farmer cannot deliver even a kilo of coffee,” Muthuuri says.
Her company partners with the United States African Development Foundation (USADF), International Trade Center (ITC), and Afreximbank to provide women with microloans, grants, and export training. Beyond financing, she pushes for gender-sensitive policies, equal land rights, better financing options, and more assertive female representation in decision-making.
She is planning to establish a Coffee Tourism Eco-Lodge that will offer visitors an immersive experience of the journey of Kenyan coffee, from the plantation to the final brew. This ‘farm-to-cup’ initiative will showcase the coffee-making process and serve as a training centre, equipping women and young farmers with valuable skills.
Additionally, Eva Muthuuri is leveraging global attention from countries such as Switzerland, the USA, and Germany to expand exports and elevate Kenyan women’s coffee internationally.
