Lava cherry: a fruit bomb from the volcanic soil of Uganda!

A new partner

Our regular partner The Coffee Quest has been working with Uganda for quality coffee since 2021. This year, in 2022, they got to know a new partner there who made the collaboration even better: Great Lakes Coffee (GLC).

MaxTrace system

Great Lakes Coffee connects local small farmers through lead farmers. What sets GLC apart from other regional players is its ability to run this coffee producing operation while maintaining a perfect traceability system: the MaxTrace program.

This is not an easy task, given that many farmers own several smaller and scattered plots of land of only half an acre.

And because different amounts of coffee from different plots of land are contributed to the harvest at different stages of the harvest season.

But this system allows buyers like our partner to trace the coffee all the way back to individual farmers! This system narrows the gap between producer and importer, making truly transparent cooperation much easier!

Big impact

GLC regularly organizes agricultural training on transparent quality-based pricing and access to premium markets for the sale of premium traceable coffees.

In doing so, they are addressing some of the most pressing challenges for farmers in the region, such as underpayment and climate issues.

The coffee

This Ugandan coffee is a beautiful Arabica bean that grew on volcanic soils, up to 1700 meters above sea level. It has a very special full body with fruity notes.

The name is therefore due to its agricultural origin - the volcanic land. The coffee contains an explosion of flavours, particularly fruity and tropical flavours.

Most of the region's coffee is picked and processed by individual households, which then deliver the coffee to local collection centers. A proper registration is kept here to guarantee traceability.

Prices

GLC also ensures that each of their local collection centers has a whiteboard with the current coffee price on it. This way, the small farmers know exactly what price they can expect if they sell their coffee that day. This avoids the problem of farmers being ignorant of the price of their input until it is sold.

climate

Fortunately, Uganda already meets important climate requirements in many areas; traditionally, coffee is produced there with a minimal footprint. Intercropping and the use of organic fertilizers are already largely the norm, as in Ethiopia. Many farmers also keep livestock and use the waste products as additional compost on the farms.