KENYA PEABERRY

Tastes Like: Toasted Sugar, Orange, Green Apple

Why I’m Obsessed: I haven't featured a Kenyan in some time, but this peaberry is the newest (green) apple of my eye! I mean, this is one seriously approachable Kenya. It’s a slightly toasty lighter roast loaded with caramelized sugars, a real sticky orange juiciness in the mouthfeel, and a green apple note that stays soft and candy-sweet instead of tart, like a green apple Jolly Rancher. I also taste a soft tropical note floating through, and a little black tea lingering in the background of every sip. If you’ve been following along with my features, you know my soft spot for peaberries, those one-in-twenty round beans that concentrate flavor in a unique way... and look pretty cute while doing it. Kenya grows some of the world’s finest peaberries, and this lot, from smallholder farmers across Murang’a County in Kenya’s central highlands, shows why: all the vibrancy the origin is famous for, with the acidity dialed to gentle. If big, bold, tart or winey Kenyans have ever scared you off, start here!

If you don’t know Madis, here’s the story: founded in 2022, they’ve grown from a single café into a small family of neighborhood spots across Philadelphia, sourcing fresh, roasting small-batch and shipping the next day so everything arrives at peak freshness. That’s the kind of energy I love bringing into the Bean Box family: a hometown roaster on the way up, with coffee that deserves to be enjoyed far and wide. Welcome, Madis! Philly, you’re well represented.

Bottom Line: You’ll love this Kenya Peaberry if you love green apple Jolly Ranchers, candied orange peels, or a gentle introduction to the glories of Kenyan coffee.