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Uganda is East Africa’s largest coffee exporting county by volume. The country exports an annual average of more than 6 million bags. Uganda’s hugely ambitious government has plans to more than triple this number in the coming years.

The central Africa region holding Uganda’s fertile lowlands was the evolutionary source of the caffea canephora. This is the “robusta” species of coffee, and Uganda is one of its only modern indigenous sources.

Today, robusta remains almost 80% of Uganda’s trade. However, arabicas of a wide quality spectrum are some of the sweetest and creamiest coffees in east Africa. Their snappy naturals are also on par with the best from Burundi or Ethiopia. This is a huge accomplishment from historically underserved smallholders producing a minority species.

The best Ugandan coffees can easily stand against those from anywhere else in East Africa. They are bright, layered with enzymatic and fresh fruit juice complexity, with uniquely caramel-like sugars and soft textures. We buy a small variety of centrally processed smallholder coffees from Mt. Elgon each year. These are stunning examples of arabica’s potential in Uganda, which is still relatively unknown to many.

We can offer more traceability for Ugandan coffee beans than ever before. They come from an incredibly gifted and water-rich land, often with certifications. We find it shocking that no Uganda coffees have Good Food Awards stickers on their labels!

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Uganda Coffee Beans

The modern coffee trade in Uganda began during its years as a British protectorate. Because Uganda was not a colony, they could operate their government with British supports and trade along the Nile.

After Ugandan independence in 1962, the already established domestic coffee industry took off. Coffee exports increased through 1979, but prices plummeted after the International Coffee Agreement in 1987. Uganda reorganized its coffee production along free market rules.

Commercial grades of arabica coffee in Uganda are divided into process types. WUGAR (washed Uganda arabica) and natural-processed DRUGAR (dried Uganda arabica) are the most widely available. Washed profiles at this level are often earthy and fudgy with little fruit or acid articulation. Consumers buy them primarily for their mouthfeel and bittersweet simplicity.

Naturals can have more heft and sweetness, but consumers buy them for similar reasons. These feature low differentials, mostly neutral cup profiles, and ready availability. DRUGAR grades are annually 50% of arabica exports in Uganda.

Higher quality blended arabicas are far sweeter and tend to be deeply layered with caramel, raisin, and nougat. They feature creamy bodies and classic East African clean and pointed acidities.

As qualities climb, the best washed lots show increasingly refined nuance. These offer tart stone fruit or kumquat, wildflower honey, sweet pea, and clean syrupy textures. Naturals and honeys are available in increasing quantities thanks to specialty producer groups’ investment in central processing.

Uganda’s highest coffee-producing elevations are Mt. Elgon in the east, and the Rwenzori mountains in Uganda’s southwest. Arabica coffee in both locations can exceed 2000 meters in elevation. Robustas grow in the south, up to 1200 meters.

FAQ

Because Uganda is equatorial, the primary coffee harvest is in one of two seasons. Each may have a smaller fly crop.

Coffees north of the equator, primarily arabicas on Mt. Elgon, harvest from October to February, with a potential fly crop in the summer. Coffees south of the equator in the southwest will harvest primarily from April to July, with a winter fly crop. Robustas most often follow the same calendar.

Uganda robusta is the country’s primary coffee species by a longshot. The export industry around robusta is significant, as is the value of the crop to Uganda’s GDP. However, Uganda arabica coffee is also widely available in a variety of flavor profiles.

At Royal Coffee, we connect producers with roasters and ship great coffee all over the world. We select and make the finest green coffee beans accessible to roasting houses around the world.

Try some of our Ugandan coffees today!