Uganda unveils global coffee identity to strengthen international branding

KAMPALA, June 29, 2026 — Uganda has unveiled its first national coffee brand in a landmark move aimed at repositioning the country as a leading origin of specialty coffee and securing stronger recognition in global markets.

The initiative is expected to enhance the value and visibility of Uganda’s coffee exports internationally.

The new branding, “Uganda Coffee. It is our Nature”, was launched days ago at the World of Coffee exhibition held from June 25–27 in Brussels, Belgium, marking the country’s most ambitious effort yet to establish a distinctive global identity for its coffee sector.

The campaign seeks to ensure that international buyers, roasters and consumers readily recognise Uganda as a premium coffee origin with a compelling story rooted in quality, sustainability and heritage.

In the 12 months ending April 2026, Uganda exported at least 8.78 million 60-kilogramme bags of coffee worth US$ 2.38 billion, representing a 22 per cent increase in export volumes and a 23 per cent rise in export earnings compared with the previous year.

In April 2026 alone, coffee exports reached 591,687 bags valued at US$ 155.5 million, underlining coffee’s position as Uganda’s largest foreign exchange earner.

Although Uganda is recognised as Africa’s largest coffee exporter by volume and as the birthplace of Robusta coffee, policymakers and industry leaders believe the country’s next opportunity lies beyond increasing production.

Attention is now shifting towards capturing greater value through branding, quality differentiation and direct engagement with international markets.

State Minister for Agriculture Desire Muhooza said the new national identity reflects Uganda’s ambition to build a globally trusted coffee brand while strengthening compliance with increasingly demanding international market requirements.

“Uganda’s coffee sector is charting a bold path forward, anchored in stronger quality systems, full compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation [EUDR], and expanded access to European markets,” Muhooza said.

The branding strategy comes at a critical moment for the industry as consumers increasingly seek traceable, sustainably produced coffees with distinctive origins rather than undifferentiated commodity products.

More than 52 per cent of Uganda’s coffee exports are destined for European markets, with Italy and Germany remaining the largest destinations by volume.

The launch in Brussels, home to both the World of Coffee exhibition and European Union institutions, provided a strategic platform for introducing Uganda’s new coffee identity to the world’s largest coffee-consuming market.

The new visual identity incorporates coffee beans into the national wordmark alongside the Crested Crane, Uganda’s national bird, helping distinguish Uganda in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.

Uganda’s Ambassador to Belgium, Mirjam Blaak Sow, said the initiative presents an opportunity to deepen commercial ties with Europe’s coffee industry while attracting new investment across Uganda’s coffee value chain.

“The World of Coffee in Brussels offers a unique platform for Uganda to present its coffee story directly to the European market, the world’s largest coffee-consuming region,” she said.

Europe’s premier specialty coffee event attracted more than 450 exhibitors from across the world and approximately 17,000 coffee professionals who gathered to network, showcase innovations and discuss emerging industry trends.

The exhibition also hosted the prestigious World Brewers Cup, World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship and World Coffee Roasting Championship, alongside dedicated spaces including the Roaster Village, Producer Village, Green Coffee Connect and Cupping Rooms.

As global coffee markets become increasingly competitive and consumers place greater emphasis on origin, sustainability and quality assurance, building a recognised national coffee identity could help Uganda secure stronger market positioning and increase export value while opening new opportunities across the international coffee value chain.

https://thecooperator.news/uganda-coffee-export-earnings-fall-despite-higher-volumes-in-march/

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