Uganda has long been known as a leading exporter of green coffee—both Arabica and Robusta—feeding roasters around the globe with high-quality beans. But for decades, the value-added segment of coffee—especially roasting—has been largely absent from the country’s domestic industry.
That is changing—and Wakanda Coffee Brokers is at the heart of this transformation.
By investing in local roasting infrastructure, training, and brand development, Wakanda is helping Uganda move beyond being just a producer. It’s helping the country become a coffee powerhouse with its own flavors, stories, and finished products that proudly wear the “Made in Uganda” label.
Why Local Roasting Matters
The coffee supply chain is often unfairly weighted. A farmer may earn $1.50 per kilogram of green coffee—but that same kilo, once roasted, branded, and sold in Western markets, might fetch $40 or more.
This disparity is not only economic—it’s also cultural.
“When Uganda exports only green beans, we export the raw value—but we also export the storytelling,” says Brenda Akello, Wakanda’s Roasting Program Manager. “We want Uganda to tell its own coffee story—and to capture the full flavor, both literally and economically.”
Wakanda’s Roasting Investment Strategy
In 2024, Wakanda Coffee Brokers opened its flagship micro-roastery and cupping lab in Kampala, designed to serve three key goals:
- Skill development for young Ugandan roasters and baristas
- Quality control and profiling for Wakanda’s green exports
- Local brand incubation for Ugandan coffee entrepreneurs
The roastery is fitted with state-of-the-art sample roasters, profile software, and a showcase espresso bar where different roast profiles can be tested, compared, and refined.
But the key to the project isn’t the machines. It’s the people.
Building a Roaster-Driven Workforce
Wakanda has launched a Roast Master Academy, training young Ugandans in:
- Roast curve design and manipulation
- Flavor development for Arabica and Robusta
- Roast profiling for specific brew methods
- Quality assurance and moisture retention
- Packaging and shelf-life preservation
So far, over 60 trainees have passed through the program, with several going on to launch roasting businesses, mobile brew bars, or work with local cafés and export groups.
One standout graduate, James Mulinde, now runs his own brand—“Bugisu Fire”—featuring small-batch roasted beans from his home region. His brand was recently featured in a Nairobi café chain.
Export-Grade Roasting in Uganda
While most Ugandan-roasted coffee has traditionally been aimed at the domestic market, Wakanda is now exploring international markets for Ugandan-roasted, Ugandan-branded coffee.
They’ve already exported test batches of:
- Washed Arabica roasted medium-light for filter
- Honey-processed Robusta roasted medium-dark for espresso
- Arabica-Robusta blends for cafes seeking balance and crema
With vacuum-sealed packaging and compliant food safety protocols, these roasted beans are now entering East African diaspora markets in Europe, North America, and the Gulf.
“Roasting at origin gives us more control—and more voice,” says Akello. “It means we don’t just grow coffee. We own coffee.”
Wakanda’s Local Brand Incubator
To promote domestic coffee culture, Wakanda is nurturing local roasting startups through:
- Shared roasting time and equipment
- Branding and package design workshops
- Business development coaching
- Access to curated green beans from Wakanda’s farmer network
- Co-marketing through Wakanda’s events and retail partners
This incubator model has already helped launch:
- Mountain Cup Roasters (based in Mbale)
- Sipi Roast Collective (women-led team near Kapchorwa)
- Boda Brew (a youth-targeted cold brew and RTD brand)
Shifting Culture, One Cup at a Time
Wakanda believes roasting is not just about economics—it’s about identity.
“We want young Ugandans to walk into a café and ask for their own coffee by region, roast, and profile,” says Wakanda’s Creative Director, Tom Mugisha. “We want Uganda’s cities to smell like roasting beans.”
The company hosts monthly “Roast & Brew” events, where consumers taste different regional coffees and roast levels—learning to distinguish flavors and stories. These events have drawn a growing crowd of university students, creatives, and young professionals.
Challenges and Next Steps
Roasting at origin still faces hurdles:
- High cost of food-grade packaging materials
- Limited access to quality roast profiling tools
- Low consumer awareness about coffee origins
- Export red tape for roasted products
Wakanda is actively working with partners and policymakers to improve:
- Incentives for roasted coffee exports
- Domestic café and retail distribution
- E-commerce platforms for Ugandan-roasted coffee
Uganda’s Roasting Future, Wakanda’s Way
For too long, Uganda has been the engine of global coffee—without ever being the face. Wakanda Coffee Brokers is changing that.
By roasting at origin, training new talent, and building brand stories that center Uganda’s people and places, Wakanda is proving that the next big name in coffee doesn’t need to be in Brooklyn, Berlin, or Melbourne.
It could just as easily come from Mbale. Mukono. Mbarara. Kampala.
Because when Uganda roasts its own coffee, it doesn’t just keep the flavor. It keeps the power.
