Bugisu CPB Washed

Bugisu refers to washed Arabica coffee produced in Eastern Uganda. Sourced from various areas, including the eastern region of Mount Elgon and the western regions of Paidha and Kasese, Bugisu is highly sought after for its round body, floral notes, and sweet aftertaste. 

The farm structure in Uganda resembles that of Ethiopia and Kenya, with 85% of all coffee grown by smallholders managing fewer than 2.5 hectares. Per container, approximately 140 to 200 producers focus on producing Bugisu CPB grade coffee, primarily growing varieties such as SL14, SL28, and Bourbon.  

Coffee trees generally flower about twice a year, benefiting from the favorable climate conditions. The region experiences an average rainfall of 1200-1800 mm, with harvest seasons typically occurring from September to December and February to May. Similar to Ethiopia, Ugandan smallholders often intercrop their coffee with traditional food crops. For example, banana trees are planted alongside coffee to provide shade and serve as a food source for families.  

Most producers are small and cultivate fewer than 2.5 hectares. Due to their small size, almost all labor is done by the family. Farming families selectively handpick ripe cherry and pulp it with hand pulpers. New initiatives are underway to make eco-friendly integrated pulping systems more widely available. Coffee is fermented and then washed in clean water. Parchment is then laid to dry on patios or raised beds.  

Our partner, UGACOF/Sucafina Uganda is committed to improving quality in Uganda by building new washing stations and infrastructure and training personnel in the region. Collaborations with our FarmerHub program and our sustainability partner, the Kahawatu Foundation, are building upon our work to expand farmers’ access to better resources and better training. Our connections to our more established operations in nearby Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya offer us advice and a perspective steeped in a familiarity with East Africa.

The bulk of our work in Uganda is focused in the West, near the Rwenzori Mountains. The biggest difference between East (Mount Elgon) and West (Rwenzori) is that Mount Elgon is a more established and competitive market. We are excited to be at the forefront of the drive for enhancing coffee production infrastructure, developing the industry and becoming reliable partners for farmers in the Rwenzori Mountain region.

It is clear to us that the potential in this region might exceed our expectations and even the potential of the popular Mount Elgon region. With an ever-growing demand for high quality Arabicas and a sustained interest from roasters and coffee drinkers in the East African origins, we are very confident that, with diligence and effort, Western Ugandan coffees will be able to take their place alongside the other great East African coffees. ​

While the scale of work in regions like this can sometimes be overwhelming, we have a clear plan that steadily increases coffee quality.

Our first step is the one that leads to the most immediate and noticeable improvement: harvesting techniques. Due to a long history of home-processing and a lack of incentive for high quality, harvesting in the region is often semi- or entirely non-selective. Thanks to our extended network of cherry collection sites, we meet with farmers every day during the harvest season and can give real-time feedback that can impact the quality of the next day’s harvest. At the collection sites, we can insist on higher levels of care and reward meticulous picking. Though we’re still in the early years, we have seen a clear difference in quality from one year to another and even from the first week of the harvest to the last.

Future steps will include working with farmers to improve their access to materials and knowledge of better farming practices. This means making fertilizer more accessible, encouraging farmers to plant shade canopies and more. We’re planning on building demonstration plots, input access sites across the region and training a new generation of skilled washing station staff. We know it will take time, but we have a strategy and are committed to realizing this vision.