Similar to Kenya, there are a good number of SLs, most commonly SL14, SL34, and SL28. Bourbon seems to be common too, especially in the West. Depending on the altitudes and area, there are also a lot of Catimors. Most of the farmers have coffee gardens and are not generally aware of what varieties they are growing. The coffees come from smallholder communities, mostly from farmers working with less than 1 hectare each.

On average, farmers cultivate less than 1500 trees per hectare, and one tree typically produces a quantity of cherries equal to 100 – 200 grams of green coffee. There is almost constant harvest in Uganda if you look across the different regions, and it will vary based on the rains and weather. Mbale in the East has the main season from November – February, and a fly crop from around May – June. The West and South West have one season from March – May, and another from August – November. This can always shift a little depending on the region, weather and the altitude of the farm.

The farms are managed by family members, and located in parishes, or communities. The family cares for the plants and picks the cherries themselves. Usually they will also grow crops for their own consumption, and there are a few farmers with more land. Each parish is the administrative centre for between seven and twelve villages. These villages can be home to as few as 200 people. Farmers often work communally with a leader for each group of farms.

Our Ugandan coffees are mostly from different parishes, with the occasional lot from a communal washing station. The 'potato defect’ can occur in Ugandan coffees, but it is much less prevalent than in countries like Rwanda and Burundi. The Potato Taste Defect (PTD) is caused by a small bug called Antestia that feeds on the cherry and leaves some bacteria, creating a metabolic reaction.

Farmers can reduce the risk by using pesticides and by thoroughly sorting their cherries. In collaboration with our producers, we have implemented improved picking and intense sorting procedures at every stage of processing, drastically reducing the occurrence of PTD.

Processing methods in Uganda are different, depending on the region. 

Naturals in the East: Most of our coffees undergo a semi-anaerobic fermentation. After cherry reception, the coffees are laid out on African beds for pre-drying, and cherries are sorted as they dry. The coffee is then placed in drums or polypropylene bags for additional fermentation. This can last for 12 – 48 hours, after which it is laid on the table. Layers are adjusted accordingly to meet the projected time for final drying, normally 10 – 18 days. 

Naturals in the West: These are usually dried without additional fermentation. Coffee cherries are laid out on the bed in layers, depending on the level of fermentation the producer wants to achieve. We have a separate protocol for cherry fermentation under plastic, before the coffees are dried according to standard procedures for naturals. 

Washed in the East: Coffees at the washing stations are pulped with eco-pulpers before they are dry-fermented in small plastic or concrete tanks. The coffee is then washed and rinsed before it is dried on raised beds. 

Washed in the Southwest: Coffees from the farm are picked and go straight into processing. We have different levels and methods of fermentation both in cherry and in parchment. Cherry fermentation is done on plastic in the open air, or in bags before the coffees are pulped with an eco-pulper and treated like regular washed coffees before they are dried on raised beds.

Regular washed or additional fermentations are also conducted differently. Fresh cherries are harvested and pulped immediately by an eco pulper. They are then either fermented in bags or in regular fermentation tanks for different periods of time, depending on the level of fermentation and flavours we want to produce. All coffees are carefully dried on raised beds, mostly under shade and cover.