Uganda’s coffee processors have set their sights on the global stage as the country’s coffee export earnings soared to $2.2b in the last financial year.
Having dispatched their first products on International Coffee Day, Inspire Africa Coffee chief executive officer Nelson Tugume said the company is ready to position Ugandan brands alongside the world’s biggest names.
‘Of course, there are challenges; logistics, market protectionism, and regulatory hurdles, but these are lessons we will navigate as we grow,’ he said, noting that they had launched four products: drip, roasted ground, roasted beans, and coffee capsules, with a branding that meets world-class standards.
He revealed that Inspire Africa Coffee had already shipped samples and secured early orders from Turkey, China, Russia, the United States, and parts of Europe.
By December 2025, the company expects to be exporting to at least four key markets: Turkey, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Tugume said the venture was built around creating jobs and adding value locally before export.
‘Our goal is not just to sell coffee abroad but to transform livelihoods here at home,’ he said, adding that more product lines are under development as the company strengthens Uganda’s presence in the global coffee value chain.
State Minister for Agriculture Fred Bwino Kyakulaga said Africa produces a large share of the world’s coffee yet earns only a fraction of global returns.
‘Africa earns just $3.6b from coffee, while the global coffee trade generates $460b. We take a very small share. That is why value addition is essential. It’s what enhances our coffee value chain and ensures farmers and processors benefit more from their hard work,’ he said.
Uganda’s focus on value addition comes amid growing international recognition, with Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) recently saying that Ugandan coffee is ranked third best in the world, behind Ethiopia and Kenya, in a study by professional tasters certified by the Coffee Quality Institute.
The study, which evaluated 1,229 samples harvested between 2010 and 2018, awarded Ethiopia 84.88 points, Kenya 84.31, and Uganda 84.05, cementing Uganda’s reputation for producing coffee with a superior flavour.