Meet Michael Nuwagaba

How did you get into coffee?

We all have that one friend or relative that we admire for their work. My cousin Hannington Karuhanga had worked with the Coffee Marketing Board, a state enterprise, and later transitioned to Sucafina as UGACOF`s Managing Director, and for me, that was the greatest influence to join the coffee world. Being a top executive in the sector, he caught my attention and that really led to my falling in love with the sector. During my college breaks, I would volunteer and intern at the company. It has been two and half decades since I was in college, and I have only worked in coffee and with the Sucafina group. I have no regrets.

What are your main jobs and tasks? 

My job involves working with both the people and the product. The people: I manage our talent and facilitate everything so that we work as a team where everyone is rightly placed and motivated. This helps our operations run smoothly.

I also do coffee sourcing, work with coffee suppliers, regulators, service providers and government officials. My other task is to make sure we have enough supplies in the right quality and quantity and that coffee is properly processed and handled all the way through export.

What inspires you?

I get inspired that colleagues and other departments come to me with the most challenging tasks. However difficult the situation may be, they are confident that I can handle it, and as a result, I embrace the challenge and am motivated to do my best. 

I also like to coach and mentor young professionals. I have been privileged to mentor brilliant young people who are now middle managers and pursuing fantastic careers. This gives me a lot of energy. 

What else should we know about you?

I live in the moment. When it’s time for fun and family I never hold back. I’m the center of the party and am focused on making it better for everyone. I love to dance and see everyone around me happy. 

I`m also inspired by service to humanity. I challenge myself on how many lives I can impact and to ensure that the work I do helps serve the people. In the field, I look at the emotional investment farmers put into their coffee plantation across East Africa and it challenges me to play a part in supporting them to achieve their dreams. 

Michael and the Uganda team are hard at work sourcing new crop Ugandan coffees from our washing stations and producing partners. Keep an eye out for new crop Ugandan coffees, which will start arriving soon and contact your trader for more info.