Lot 20 Coffee was founded by Sidney Kibet in 2019, who moved back to his home of Kericho, Kenya after living in Rwanda and running a coffee export business. Kibet founded Lot 20 with the initial goal of exporting 20 lots of coffee from farmers in Bomet and Kericho counties.
Since its establishment, the company has expanded its operations significantly, growing from its original focus in two counties to collaborating with farmers in five: Kericho, Bomet, Nandi, Kisii, and Migori.
Lot 20 Coffee is deeply committed to supporting local farmers and improving livelihoods. The company ensures that farmers receive premium prices for their cherries, mitigating the financial risks that farmers typically face in the volatile coffee market. This is in contrast to the conventional coffee supply chain in Kenya, where farmers often receive minimal compensation after numerous middlemen take a share of the profits. Lot 20 pays farmers upfront, removing the uncertainty of fluctuating prices.
The company also provides farmers with financial literacy training and helps them open bank accounts to manage their income. Additionally, to encourage younger generations to participate in coffee farming, Lot 20 offers quality seedlings from its own nurseries, alongside agronomic support and guidance from older farmers and agronomists.
Lot 20's commitment to local production is exemplified by its practice of purchasing locally grown fruit for its co-fermentation processes. For the 2024 harvest, bananas and pineapples used in the "Funky Banana" and "Boozy Pineapple" lots were all sourced from nearby farms, reinforcing the company’s focus on community-driven production.
