Stakeholders across Uganda’s coffee value chain have launched a new umbrella body aimed at strengthening the country’s position in the lucrative global market.
The newly formed Commercial Coffee Producers Association of Uganda (CCPAU) was unveiled at its inaugural General Assembly in Kampala on Thursday, bringing together commercially oriented farmers, exporters, processors and cooperatives under a unified platform focused on quality, branding and export growth.
At the meeting, founding members adopted the association’s operational framework and elected its first Board of Directors, marking a significant milestone in efforts to better coordinate Uganda’s coffee industry.
CCPAU is expected to serve as a central force in aligning private sector players around shared goals, with a strategy anchored on improving productivity and standards, enhancing knowledge-sharing, expanding export market access, improving financing opportunities, strengthening logistics systems and promoting Ugandan coffee globally.
By fostering collaboration and focusing on quality, the association aims to boost Uganda’s reputation on the international stage, improve returns for producers and increase collective bargaining power across the value chain.
The initiative builds on years of collaboration among private sector actors under the UK Trade Partnerships Programme, implemented by the International Trade Centre with support from the British High Commission in Kampala.
Through the programme, Ugandan producers have participated in major international trade fairs such as the London Coffee Festival, Manchester Coffee Festival and CoffeeFest Madrid, helping to showcase the country’s coffee and establish new business links.
“These engagements have laid the foundation for a formal, private sector-led platform to represent the interests of Uganda’s coffee producers and exporters,” officials said.
Speaking at the launch, Lisa Chesney said the United Kingdom remains committed to supporting Uganda’s ambition to move up the coffee value chain.
“Coffee is one of Uganda’s most important exports, and the UK is proud to support efforts to increase exports of high-quality, high-value products, while building sustainable commercial links with international markets,” she said.
Membership to CCPAU is open to registered businesses across the coffee value chain, including commercial farms, nurseries, aggregators, cooperatives, processors and exporters, provided they meet set quality and market development standards.
The association plans to provide members with market intelligence, export readiness support, buyer linkages and joint promotion initiatives, while also representing Uganda at international coffee events and facilitating entry into specialty markets.
Industry players say the formation of CCPAU marks a critical step towards positioning Ugandan coffee as a recognised global brand and a reliable source of high-quality beans, with the country continuing to produce both Arabica and Robusta varieties.
