Uganda Bugisu AA

The Bugisu Cooperative Union was officially formed in 1954 after decades of struggle with British and European authorities over control of the coffee on Mt. Elgon—widely considered Uganda's best. In the first decades after its formation, the union helped mobilize and market coffee from northwestern Mt. Elgon.

It was a vital source of unity for the Bugisu people and an engine of economic empowerment for the wider native region. From the mid-50s to the mid-90s, as production increased, "Bugisu" became synonymous with top-quality Ugandan coffee. Since cooperative unions nationwide waned in the 1990s, "Bugisu" has remained a proud mark of smallholder coffee from the western slope of Mt. Elgon. Kawacom, one of Uganda's top exporters, invests heavily in this area's potential and keeps Bugisu's history alive in its profiles. Kawacom has long managed a multi-pronged quality operation in the area, known as the Sipi Falls Coffee Project. 

The project includes a centralized wet mill that buys cherries directly from local farms and traceable purchasing of home-processed parchment coffee from thousands of smallholders across the Kapchorwa, Bulambuli, and Kween districts on Mt. Elgon. "Bugisu" is the title given to all coffee grown and fully processed by individual smallholder farmers that Kawacom blends and mills for export. Farmers across Mt. Elgon have long been (and still are) accustomed to rudimentary home processing techniques. The vast majority of coffee coming off the mountain is pulped in tiny batches, often on borrowed equipment, and fermented in a bucket or a nylon bag before being tarp-dried on the ground or, at best, on a mesh screen a few inches above the patio. 

Uganda Bugisu AA has the aroma of vanilla and sweet cream with subtle orange blossom notes. The cup is big and sharp, with a silky baker's chocolate and walnut body with a touch of vanilla. The finish has a light earthiness and ends with a touch of toasted sugar.

One Pound

About this Coffee

GROWER: Producers throughout northern Mt. Elgon
REGION: Mt. Elgon Region, Eastern Uganda
ALTITUDE: 1,500 – 2,500 meters
PROCESS: Fully washed and dried in the sun
VARIETY: Bourbon: SL14, SL28, Blue Mountain
HARVEST: September - February
SOIL: Volcanic loam
CERTIFICATION: Conventional

"Bugisu," around Mt. Elgon, can refer to a geographical region, a tribe, colonial politics, coffee, and even a soccer team. The title refers to the Bugisu tribe, native to the mountain's northwestern districts, who, during the final years of British colonialism, became entwined with agricultural politics through the formation of Uganda's most vital coffee cooperative union. 

With farms as small as half an acre, building large volumes for sale is complex. In addition, collection and milling standards must be strict to control inconsistencies, and contributing farms must be well-documented to maintain certifications. 

Kawacom invests in freshness and quality by buying offices across the mountain and meeting farmers in their community for convenience and accountability. This lets them serve traditional smallholders in the region who prefer processing their coffee (which often captures a better margin than selling cherry to roaming collectors) or who don't have access to a central wet mill.

Get this in a 5 pound bag