Storytelling & Coffee at Barista Mtaani
Brewing Stories, Brewing Connections
Concept Purpose
- To create a community space where youth, women, farmers, and coffee lovers gather to share stories, learn, and connect over a cup of Kenyan coffee.
- To use storytelling as a tool for empowerment: sharing personal journeys, farmer struggles and triumphs, cultural coffee traditions, and innovation in the industry.
Why Storytelling + Coffee?
- Coffee has always been more than a drink – it’s a conversation starter, a connector of cultures, and a symbol of resilience.
- Kenyan coffee farmers and youth entrepreneurs have powerful untold stories: from farm-to-cup journeys to personal struggles of survival, innovation, and pride.
- Storytelling humanizes coffee, helping local consumers connect emotionally and global buyers appreciate the value behind every bean.
Program Elements
1. Coffee Story Circles
- Weekly meetups at Barista Mtaani cafés or pop-ups.
- Farmers, roasters, youth, and consumers share their personal or community stories.
- Themes: “My first coffee harvest”, “Starting my barista journey”, “The day I roasted my first beans”, “From farm struggles to global shelves.”
2. Coffee & Culture Nights
- Storytelling sessions infused with music, poetry, and art.
- Highlight Kenya’s coffee traditions and cultural pride.
- Featuring guest storytellers: poets, musicians, and innovators.
3. Digital Storytelling Hub
- Short video/documentary clips capturing farmer and youth stories.
- Shared on social media, YouTube, and at coffee festivals.
- Creates a digital archive: “Kenya’s Coffee Voices.”
4. Innovation Story Pitch Sessions
- Youth entrepreneurs share their startup stories before pitching.
- Builds narrative confidence for investment.
- Encourages authenticity in presenting coffee ideas to VCs.
Impact
- Humanizes the coffee value chain – local consumers see the faces and stories behind their cup.
- Builds empathy + loyalty for Kenyan coffee among global buyers.
- Inspires youth participation in coffee entrepreneurship through relatable stories.
- Turns Barista Mtaani into a hub for culture, creativity, and coffee innovation.
“BREW & TELL: Coffee Stories by Barista Mtaani” – Every Cup Has a Story
☕📖 CoffeeTales by Barista Mtaani
Every Cup Has a Story
Concept Vision
CoffeeTales is a community storytelling movement built around Kenyan coffee culture. It transforms coffee spaces into story hubs where farmers, baristas, youth, and consumers share personal stories that connect people across the coffee value chain.
Core Elements
1. The Story in the Cup
- Every coffee served at Barista Mtaani carries a short story card: about the farmer, the origin, the roasting process, or even a youth entrepreneur behind the coffee.
- Consumers not only drink coffee, but also consume the story behind it.
2. CoffeeTales Nights
- Weekly/monthly storytelling gatherings at Barista Mtaani cafés/pop-ups.
- Blend of:
- Farmer & barista stories
- Spoken-word poetry & music
- Coffee-inspired art and performances
- Creates a warm, intimate storytelling culture over shared cups.
3. Digital CoffeeTales Hub
- Short video/audio podcasts featuring farmers and baristas sharing stories.
- Youth-led production teams capturing and sharing these tales on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
- Creates a living digital library of Kenya’s coffee stories.
4. CoffeeTales for Entrepreneurs
- Startup founders in the coffee space learn how to craft and pitch their stories to customers, partners, and investors.
- Strengthens narrative branding as a business skill.
Impact
- Makes Kenyan coffee personal and relatable to local and global consumers.
- Builds empathy and pride among youth and farmers.
- Encourages local coffee consumption through storytelling experiences.
- Turns Barista Mtaani into a cultural and entrepreneurial hub.
Taglines (pick one or combine)
“Brewing Voices, Brewing Connections”
“CoffeeTales: Every Cup Has a Story”
“From the Farm to the Cup, from the Heart to the World”
Coffee, Creativity & Stories in Every Cup
Barista Tales
- A fusion of coffee beverages and storytelling culture.
- Youth baristas create innovative coffee-based drinks (mocktails/cocktails) inspired by farmer stories, Kenyan heritage, or personal journeys.
- Each drink has a story attached to it, told live by baristas, farmers, poets, or musicians during CoffeTails sessions.
Signature Elements
1. CoffeTails Menu (Story-Driven Drinks)
Each drink = a story. Example:
- “The Farmer’s Dawn” – cold brew + ginger + honey (symbolizing early mornings at the farm).
- “Mtaani Hustle” – espresso + tonic + citrus (youth hustle in the city).
- “Folded Flag” – strong dark roast with cocoa (honoring resilience & sacrifice).
- “Hope Rising” – spiced latte with cinnamon & vanilla (farmers’ hope for better prices).
2. Live Storytelling Nights
- Weekly CoffeTails events where the drinks are paired with live storytelling, poetry, music, and farmer tales.
- Creates a unique coffee culture nightlife that is non-alcoholic friendly but still feels vibrant and social.
3. Youth Innovation Lab
- A space where baristas experiment with coffee mixology.
- Encourages creativity → blending coffee with local ingredients (hibiscus, baobab, honey, tropical fruits).
- Winners of innovation challenges get their CoffeTail featured on the menu.
4. Digital Amplification
- Short videos & reels of the CoffeTails stories + drink recipes.
- Shared via TikTok/Instagram to connect youth globally to Kenya’s coffee culture.
Impact
- Makes coffee cool, modern, and youth-driven.
- Expands local consumption by making coffee a social lifestyle drink.
- Provides baristas with a platform to be creators, storytellers, and entrepreneurs.
- Strengthens farmer-consumer connection through stories in every cup.
💡 Branding Idea:
Visual Identity: Coffee beans swirling into cocktail-style glasses with story symbols (books, microphones, music notes).
CoffeTails: Brewed Stories, Shared Nights
