She left Wall Street to make coffee and become a millionaire in Kenya: who is Margaret Nyamumbo?

The coffee It is much more than a drink that connects millions of people around the world. From the intense italian espresso until the mild cold brew and the exotic coffee of Ethiopian originits versatility gave rise to specialty stores. In this universe, a Kenyan businesswoman is revolutionizing the industry with an ethical and sustainable model.

Margaret Nyamumboa 37-year-old young woman, left her successful career in Wall Street to found Kahawa 1893a coffee brand that combines isocial impact with excellence in flavor. Her company not only conquers palates, but also empowers hundreds of African women farmers, billing more than 3 million dollars a year.

Kahawa 1893: the company that revolutionizes the ethical coffee trade in Africa

The story of Kahawa 1893 began in 2018, when Margaret Nyamumbo decided to leave her work at finance to dedicate himself to his passion for coffee. Raised on a coffee farm in Kenya, she grew up watching women work tirelessly on the crops, but rarely receive the benefits of their efforts. This led her to create a company with a clear purpose: give back the spotlight to these women farmers.

Since its inception, Kahawa 1893 established an ethical supply chain. The company obtains high quality beans from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, ensuring fair conditions for workers. In addition, it implemented an innovative system: a QR code on every package allowing consumers send tips directly to female farmers.

The impact of this model was notable. So far, Kahawa has raised more than $90,000 in tips, benefiting more than 500 women in rural communities. This approach not only improves their income, but also gives them a voice in the coffee industry, which traditionally does not give visibility to female workers.

In 2023, after his appearance on the program “Shark Tank”the company received an investment of $350,000. With this support, Kahawa managed expand rapidlybringing their products to chains such as Trader Joe’s and ensuring strategic collaborations that position its coffee as a global benchmark.

From Wall Street to Shark Tank: How Margaret Nyamumbo turned her passion for coffee into a global success

The businesswoman was born and raised on a coffee farm in Kenyawhere, ironically, coffee was a luxury. “I didn’t have my first cup of coffee until I moved to the United States.“, he remembers. His first encounter with this infusion occurred during his flight to study in Smith College, where he began to appreciate the drink and its culture.

After graduating, he worked on Wall Street, but never lost sight of his roots. Inspired by the work of women farmers in her country and by the potential of coffee as a tool for social change, she decided to turn her life around. “I didn’t want to look back and regret not having tried something that I was really passionate about”account.

Kahawa 1893 not only represents a revolution in the coffee trade, but also in Margaret’s life. “Coffee connects people,” he says.