Uganda coffee is one of East Africa’s most promising origins. While the country is often associated with home-processed naturals, the specialty sector is growing fast thanks to improved processing, stronger infrastructure, and long-term partnerships between farmers, exporters, and buyers. The result is a broad range of profiles , from clean washed coffees to juicy, expressive naturals.
History and Sourcing
We began sourcing uganda coffee in 2018 because the potential was clear: high-altitude regions, SL varieties, rich soils, and smallholder communities ready for change. Historically, most of the country relied on home drying and basic processing, which limited consistency and traceability. By shifting deliveries toward central washing stations and professional drying facilities, we’ve been able to secure coffees that are stable, transparent, and expressive.
Coffee Production in Uganda
Much of coffee production in Uganda comes from smallholders who farm less than a hectare of land. These farmers typically grow a mix of SL14, SL28, SL34, Bourbon, and Catimor , cultivars suited to both washed and natural processing.
We source cherries only from centralised facilities, avoiding home-processed lots. At these stations, cherries are sorted, floated, fermented with intention, and dried on raised beds. For natural lots, this step makes a huge difference: airflow, shade management, and slow drying allow the coffee beans to develop nuance and longer shelf life.
Uganda’s processing landscape is still evolving, but the direction is promising. Investments in infrastructure, training, and drying capacity are beginning to reshape how coffee farming is practiced across major producing regions.
Processing Styles
Our sourcing program focuses on four main styles:
- Classic washed: clean, structured, lightly floral
- Fruity washed: layered fruit and gentle fermentation character
- Classic naturals: ripe berry, cocoa, and round sweetness
- Wild & boozy naturals: expressive, fermented, often tropical or spiced
We also support experimental fermentations, from anaerobic lots to slow-dried naturals.
Flavour Profiles
Depending on the processing style, Uganda coffees can show:
- berry, plum, and grape
- strawberry, raspberry, and tropical fruit
- cocoa nib, sweet spice, and dried fruit
- clean florals, herbs, and citrus in washed lots
These coffees work well across filters, adventurous espresso profiles, and more playful single-origin offerings.
Seasonality & Logistics
- Harvest: Varies by region, but many areas pick nearly year-round
- Arrivals: Two main seasons , July–August and January–April
- Lot sizes: 10–20 bag microlots, and larger communal lots above 100 bags
- Packing: 60 kg GrainPro
Transparency & Pricing
Uganda’s market is influenced by daily cherry pricing, which is why many roasters ask about coffee prices in uganda today. Prices shift quickly, often driven by competition among buyers. The prices of coffee in uganda can rise sharply during peak cherry demand, sometimes putting pressure on washing stations that rely on stable volumes.
To maintain quality, we work on pre-contracting, committing to volumes, and sometimes pre-financing. This structure helps stations buy cherries at sustainable levels, rewards farmers for well-picked fruit, and protects the long-term viability of the supply chain.
Coffee Exports & Impact
Uganda is one of Africa’s most important origins when it comes to coffee exports, though much of that volume is still commodity-grade. Specialty production is growing as more farmers deliver cherries to central stations and as better infrastructure is established in producing regions.
Our long-term work in places like Bulambuli , where a washing station built in 2022 now serves hundreds of farmers , focuses on upgrading processing capacity, improving cherry selection, and reinforcing stable pricing systems. These changes increase quality, traceability, and farmer income.
Why buying Ugandan Coffee?
Uganda coffee is entering its momentum phase. With SL varieties, expanding processing capacity, and a national shift toward more professional post-harvest practices, the country is well-positioned to deliver consistent, expressive coffees year after year.
For roasters, Uganda offers:
- strong value
- unique flavour opportunities
- reliable naturals and washed profiles
- access to emerging terroirs and processing experiments
And for farmers, transparent buying and stable long-term demand create a foundation for better livelihoods and stronger futures in coffee farming.