Dispatch - Bulambuli

Notes - Quince, palm sugar and banana

Origin - Uganda

Process - Natural

Profiles - Tangy and fruity

Recommendation - Discovery Filter

A bestseller last year, back for a second time! The Bulambuli Washing Station was built in 2022 and works with approximately 1,100 farmers who supply coffee cherries from the surrounding region. The producers contributing to this batch cultivate the SL14, KP162, SL28, and KP423 varieties at altitudes ranging from 1,500 to 2,050 meters above sea level. To ensure the cleanliness and clarity of their offerings, the drying process is overseen by experienced professionals who meticulously monitor the process. In the cup, we taste quince, palm sugar, and banana.

Farmers who sell to the mill benefit from the non-profit NKG Bloom program, which provides services that improve the long-term profitability of producers in the region. An independent external study found that farmers participating in the NKG Bloom program saw, on average, a 187% increase in yield and a 189% increase in net coffee income. While these figures are relative, they certainly represent a positive shift from the status quo in these communities. By the end of the year, the association aims to increase its membership by an additional 1,000 producers and continue to strengthen its financing, education, and market access efforts.

This is the second season we have purchased products from Uganda, which we consider a hidden gem of East Africa. Uganda has attracted less interest from specialty coffee buyers due to a lack of investment from the specialty coffee industry, despite sharing sought-after terroir and varieties with neighboring Kenya, as well as great quality potential. Ugandan coffee is best known for its prolific production of Robusta, the more productive and less flavorful cousin of Arabica specialty coffee. We were attracted to this value chain primarily because of its participation in the NKG Bloom program—a global development initiative that, in their words, “focuses on offering three key services to smallholder farmers: mobile money advances, professional assistance with farming and better business practices, and soil testing and fertilizer application.”