About This Coffee
This coffee is Rainforest Alliance Certified and, thus, ensures practices aligned with protecting ecosystem and preserving biodiversity.
Cultivation
In the east, the fertile volcanic soil surrounding Mount Elgon volcano makes for productive coffee farms, and to the west, the Rwenzori mountains offer high altitudes perfect for Arabica cultivation. Farmers typically intercrop their coffee with subsistence and cash crops including bananas, beans, vanilla, passion fruit, cassava, maize and groundnuts.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Farmers handpick ripe cherry and deliver it to washing stations or supply chain agents near them. Cherry is sorted at intake where under- and over-ripes, along with any foreign matter, are removed. In order to offer fair prices, farmers are paid the same for their quality cherry regardless of where they bring their cherries.
Cherries are then pulped under constant supervision. Pulping, fermentation, washing, grading through channels and a final soaking are all closely monitored.
Wet parchment is sorted and any damaged beans that remain are removed. Then, parchment is moved to raised beds where it is turned regularly to ensure even drying. Parchment is covered at the hottest part of the day and overnight to prevent cracking and/or condensation. Workers also regularly inspect drying parchment and remove any damaged beans. Table are marked with tags to ensure traceability.
Coffee in Uganda
Uganda is the native home to one species of Robusta, and commercial coffee production in the country goes back to the beginning of the 20th century.
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.