Coffee stakeholders in Uganda launch association to boost global exports and value chain competitiveness 

UGANDA – Stakeholders across Uganda’s coffee value chain have formally established the Commercial Coffee Producers Association of Uganda (CCPAU), in a move aimed at strengthening the country’s position in the global coffee market. 

The association held its first General Assembly on 19 March 2026, where founding members adopted its operational framework and elected the inaugural Board of Directors.  

The event brought together commercially oriented coffee farmers, exporters, processors and cooperatives under a unified platform focused on quality, branding, collaboration and export growth. 

CCPAU aims to unite businesses that prioritise quality and consistency across the coffee value chain. According to its founding framework, the association will operate around six strategic priorities designed to deliver measurable value to members.  

These include improving quality and productivity, strengthening knowledge exchange, expanding export market access, facilitating financing opportunities, enhancing logistics and fulfilment systems, and promoting Ugandan coffee globally. 

By aligning commercial strategy with quality and collaboration, CCPAU seeks to strengthen Uganda’s reputation in international markets, improve producer margins and increase collective bargaining power across the sector. 

The establishment of CCPAU builds on years of collaboration among private-sector stakeholders through the UK Trade Partnerships Programme, implemented by the International Trade Centre with support from the British High Commission.  

The initiative has supported Ugandan coffee producers through capacity-building programmes, international exposure and structured partnerships. 

As part of these efforts, producers have participated in major global trade events, including the London Coffee Festival, Manchester Coffee Festival and CoffeeFest Madrid, where they showcased Ugandan coffee and developed new commercial relationships.  

These engagements helped lay the foundation for the formal creation of CCPAU as a private-sector platform representing producers and exporters. 

British High Commissioner to Uganda Lisa Chesney highlighted the importance of the sector, stating: “Coffee is one of Uganda’s most important exports, and the UK is proud to support Uganda’s ambition to move further up the value chain – increasing exports of high-quality, high-value products, and building strong, commercially sustainable links with international markets. That ambition aligns very closely with the UK’s own commitment to open, outward-looking trade partnerships.” 

Membership in CCPAU is open to registered businesses across the coffee value chain that are committed to quality production and market development, including farms, nurseries, aggregators, cooperatives, processors and exporters. 

The launch comes as Uganda’s coffee export earnings remained broadly stable in January, reflecting lower global prices.  

The country earned US$161 million from coffee shipments, a 1.5% increase compared to the same period last year, with lower prices attributed to improved global supply conditions following increased rainfall in Brazil. 

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.