Wesley Yeaman: How coffee can be used to fight alcoholism

Wesley Yeaman has been in the coffee industry for about two decades now. He is one of the few international coffee coaches in the country.

Why is coffee consumption low in the country?

The challenge is more of attitude. We were raised when there was a narrative that coffee belongs to mzungu (white man).

The colonial mentality was that black people were not supposed to drink coffee. It is a notion that has been passed on from generation to another, leading to the mental theorem that drinking coffee is for the elite.

We have been raised not to drink coffee and the notion that coffee is a preserve for the elite and this is why many people resorted to drinking alcohol.

Does it mean many switched to alcohol because they could not take coffee?

We are not saying alcohol is bad. What we are fighting for is sobering up a continent to be able to retrieve its culture. It will take some time but it is better to start than not to do anything. Our coffee consumption as weighed against our production.

Can coffee be used as a substitute for alcohol?

Yes. We have beverages that can be produced from coffee as well. Coffee is a wide range of organic compounds that can be made in all perceptions. Sadly, we rarely see coffee billboards displaying the best coffee in the world in the country when we go through coffee expos in developed countries. We tend to get acknowledgement from countries that don’t grow coffee but there is nothing here at home.

What is your take on booze as compared to coffee?

I am a beverage expert and I am not saying alcohol is bad. What I am saying is that we have masked ourselves. We tend to get acknowledgement from things that are not manufactured locally instead of feeling proud of what we grow.

How did you find yourself in this sector?

The passion was driven from drinking instant coffee in my early years. When I left high school, I wanted to pursue more than just being given a can of coffee. That is where my passion grew. I wanted to go and chase this drink which I had been having for years without knowing how it is produced and where it comes from.

How has your journey in the sector been?

Even though I am a cyber security expert, at some point I worked as a dishwasher as my appetite to learn more about coffee grew. In between, I got extensive training and later on I got  six month job as a barista for a global organization. At the expiry of the contract, I was absorbed in another embassy where I worked for two years as a techie then went back to my coffee.

How did you cut your niche in the sector?

I settled for five marketable coffee skills: roasting, brewing, barista, sensory, and green in training that took me about 5 years to master.

How do you help coffee enthusiasts?

The skills that we provide at Arobisca centre can help interested persons be absorbed in the international market. For slightly over one year now, coffee learners have been flocking the centre to scoop the knowledge. The barista course takes about 5 weeks and it costs about Sh50,000 at the centre that has five trainers, so far.

How is the job market after the training?

The centre is accredited by Kenya Barista Organisation and is internationally recognised in around 20 to 35 countries that we send our expertise for work related in barista, roasting and other coffee skills.

What are the basics?

There are about five coffee skills. Locally though, the most absorbed skill is barista, which is preparation and consumer perspective. The trainee will learn the craft on how to make coffee, the specialty way, the knowledge of the coffee and how one relates one’s added value to the industry.

How is the quality of coffee in the local market?

The coffee that is taken locally is of high quality and that is the best thing micro-roasters in the country have been doing. They deserve a pat on the back for that. The coffee that is exported to our buyers across the globe is the same quality.

The challenge is that we need to initiate ways to get more Kenyans to keep drinking coffee at home or any other places. We need to make the beverage available in all government offices and places like Huduma centres.

What contributed to the decline of production of coffee in the country?

Our production went low since 1992. We have been having challenges in our production because of political issues. The policies that are put in place are not favourable to reclaim our culture of coffee drinking.

What kind of policies are currently in place?

The policies that are in place favour having our products being exported but we are looking at a country where we can generate our own revenue. Where would the product go if we don’t export? We have to consume it. The whole issue started when the government withdrew support for the farmer.

Where did the rain start beating us?

Before 1992, farmers were fully supported by the state. In fact, there was a special unit of agronomist fully funded by the government, which meant the farmers had full support. When it was dissolved years later, the farmers were left hanging, with no knowledge and helpless.

What pains you the most?

Currently, we are battling with real estate as a country. That is why you find many coffee farms have been converted into concrete jungles. As a coffee expert, I weep whenever I walk around in Kiambu.