Posted May 27, 2025
For those who have frequented Green City Market, the bright orange tents belonging to Kikwetu Kenya Coffee Company are a familiar and welcoming sight, especially in the early morning hours, as attendees stroll the market looking for a cup of coffee to start the day.
What many don’t realize however, is that Kikwetu Coffee is brewing more than just coffee at Green City Market – they are building a stronger, more equitable food system that is far-reaching, not only impacting the Chicago region but the communities in Kenya where the founders and husband and wife duo Martha and Leecox Itulya-Omollo are from.
“Our story started with a memory,” shared Martha in a recent interview. “Growing up in Kenya, coffee wasn’t just a drink — it was the background to my childhood. I remember sitting in coffee houses near the university where my parents taught, listening to the hum of conversation, the whir of grinders, and the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee in the air. That feeling — of gathering, of belonging — that’s what I wanted to bring here.”
For Leecox, he did not become a coffee drinker until his second year in college when he stopped into a new coffee shop in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and was inspired by the flavorful and aromatic Kenyan coffee they served. Together with Martha and her father – who taught horticulture for more than 40 years – the three of them founded Kikwetu Kenya Coffee Company in 2014 to share not only the rich, unique flavors of Kenyan coffee, but the values that come with it.
The name “Kikwetu” means “our way” in Swahili — a nod to the company’s cultural roots that run through every aspect of the business.
“Each of us brings a different perspective, but we share one purpose — to connect people,” said Martha. “Kikwetu is a journey linking two places that are special to us. To connect Chicago and Kenya. To connect farmers and customers. To connect tradition and innovation.”
The history of coffee in Kenya is complicated, rooted in the country’s history as a British colony and the struggle for independence. Coffee came to Kenya in 1893, introduced by missionaries importing Bourbon coffee from Brazil — despite the country’s proximity to Ethiopia, the birthplace of Coffea arabica. Under British colonial rule, Kenyans were forced to grow coffee as laborers while white settlers controlled production, and even after the Mau Mau uprising in the 1950s and 1960s, Africans could grow coffee only under strict limitations.
For decades, Kenya’s best beans were exported, leaving many Kenyans unaware of their country’s exceptional coffee legacy, including Leecox. It wasn’t until recent reforms, less than 15 years ago, that farmers gained full control over their crop — able to process, consume, and sell their coffee freely and determine their own pricing. Martha’s very own father was instrumental in these policies.
For Kikwetu, things were slow going in the beginning.
“We had the name, we had the coffee, and we had a website,” Martha reminisced. “But we were roasting 20 pounds a month and barely selling it. We’d get one order and be over the moon. We knew we had to find a way to share our story in person — to make real connections.”
That’s when they discovered farmers’ markets. After a small start in Hyde Park, Martha and Leecox were introduced to the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, where they participated in the Small Business Growth Program. At that same time, a recommendation from their fellow vendors at the market led them to Green City Market in 2019 — and the rest was history.
“Green City Market was a turning point for us,” Martha shared. “It gave us visibility. It gave us credibility. But more than that, it gave us a community.”
Joining Green City Market didn’t just boost sales — it aligned Kikwetu with a mission they deeply believe in: supporting small-scale farmers, honoring the land through sustainable practices, and creating equitable access to fresh, nutritious food.
Currently, Kikwetu operates at GCM as Contracted Concessionares, defined as sustainable, direct-trade food vendors who are committed to the values of Green City Market despite not being local to the Midwest.
“Even though our beans don’t come from the Midwest, our values absolutely align with Green City Market’s,” Martha explained. “The small-scale farmers we work with in Kenya are the heart of their communities, just like the farmers here. They’re not only growing coffee, but also food for their families and neighbors. They’re stewards of the land. Supporting them isn’t just our supply chain — it’s our purpose.”
Kikwetu practices direct trade, meaning they source coffee grown by small farmers and cooperatives who are paid a fair wage and work in safe conditions, ensuring fair prices and long-term relationships.
“We don’t go through auctions or middlemen,” Martha said. “We negotiate directly. Our goal is to make sure farmers are empowered to set their own prices and build sustainable futures. When you buy Kikwetu coffee, you can be sure that small-scale farmers are getting fair compensation for their product.”
A big part of that work happens thanks to Phyllis Nganga, Kikwetu’s sourcing partner in Kenya and a former student of Martha’s father.
“Phyllis travels to farms, trains farmers on better growing and processing practices, and helps them reach specialty grade standards,” Martha shared. “She’s our boots on the ground and our heart in the field.”
The impact of this approach is personal — and profound.
“When I go back to Kenya every year, I’m reminded how much labor and love go into every bean,” Martha reflected. “Some of these farmers have never even seen their coffee roasted. They don’t know where it goes. I want to change that. I want to bring our customers to meet them and close that loop — to build a bridge both ways.”
When asked about what’s in store for Kikwetu in the near future, Martha dreams of leading origin trips under the name Twende Kwetu (“let’s go to our place”) — a way for customers to see firsthand the care that goes into every cup, and for farmers to finally connect with them directly.
“The Kenyan farmers are the cornerstones of their community, just like the farmers at Green City Market,” Martha shared. “It’s important for people to see that firsthand.”
Here in Chicago, Green City Market has become the heartbeat of Kikwetu’s journey. Since joining the market, they have become essential members of the community, connecting with our local vendors to craft their specialty coffee drinks.
“This market didn’t just give us a platform — it gave us room to grow, to make mistakes, to evolve,” Martha shared. “It gave us our first customers. It gave us confidence. It gave us the ability to give back.”
And give back they do. For every cup of coffee sold, Kikwetu donates a portion of their sales to support Green City Market’s nonprofit mission to lift up Midwest growers, promote the environmental stewardship of land and responsible treatment of animals, and build a vibrant market for local, sustainably-produced food in Chicago.
“I think Green City Market’s intention to create a space for these farmers to come and sell and to create the infrastructure for them to do that was kind of similar to what we were doing in that we wanted to support small-scale farmers in Kenya,” Martha shared. “And so I think we were already aligned in that way, and very similar in our own mission.”
In just the last year, Kikwetu donated more than $54,000 to Green City Market.
“We’re a small business, but even so, we’re able to be part of something bigger,” Martha shared. “That’s incredibly humbling. It makes me feel like we’re actually making a difference.”
Kikwetu’s drinks — from their Bourbon Bae to Lavender Bee fan favorites — are crafted with the same care and community in mind. Many of their signature syrups are inspired by the market itself. The syrup used for the Lavender Bee, for example, was born from a lavender honey scone Martha fell in love with at Hoosier Mama Pie Company back in 2020, made with lavender from fellow vendor Green Eyed Lady Farm and honey from Ellis Family Farms. The name itself was submitted through a naming contest from a longtime customer who is now an employee of Kikwetu.
“It’s all connected,” Martha shared. “Our flavors, our ingredients, our values — they all come from relationships. And making long-lasting connections.”
In addition to the planned trips to Kenya, Martha envisions a long-dreamed-of brick-and-mortar café for Kikwetu somewhere in Chicago.
“Green City Market helped us test our concept, build our brand, and grow a loyal following without the overwhelming costs of a storefront,” Martha said. “Now, we’re ready. We want to build a space that’s open year-round, that feels like home — where people can come, connect, and feel seen.”
Until then, you can find Martha and her team doing what they do best: pouring love, community, and connection into every cup — right here at Green City Market.
Learn more about Kikwetu Kenya Coffee Company on Green City Market’s website and visit Kikwetu’s website here. At Green City Market, we believe farmers' markets are a powerful instrument of a local food system, and we're dedicated to creating widely accessible marketplaces for local food in Chicago where farmers can make a living wage and connect directly with their customers. Visit our calendar for upcoming market dates and support our nonprofit work here.