Member of the Month

December 2008: KAWACOM (UGANDA) LIMITED

Kawacom, the Ugandan subsidiary of the ECOM Group, was founded in 1996 and has been at the forefront of Uganda’s coffee export trade for 11 years.  The company has grown significantly since 1996, from a small company in rented premises, to a market leader, with processing units and buying stations throughout the country.

We believe the reason for the growth, is our focus on quality and innovation, and a continued desire to bring the best of Uganda’s coffee to the world.

Kawacom is recognized as the guarantor of high quality Robusta and Arabica coffee production within Uganda.  Over the last 10 years the company has positioned itself as the market leader in innovation, having spearheaded the development of the first organic coffee projects in the country.

In 1998, Kawacom started the development of Certified Organic Coffee in Uganda.  This led to the establishment of 3 projects, in the 3 districts of Kapchorwa (East), Bugisu Arabica Coffee; Bushenyi (West), Robusta Coffee and Nebbi (North West), Arabica Okoro Coffee.  All 3 projects obtained UTZ certification in 2002, and a new Arabica project in Kasese district (Southwest), Drugar (Dried Uganda Arabica) was UTZ certified in 2007.

This project is currently awaiting organic certification, which is will have achieved by 2009. Kawacom is the only exporter that offers UTZ certified Drugar in Uganda. 

Pioneering as the first producer to export Organic and UTZ certified coffee, Kawacom continues to work with farmers and their communities to ensure quality and sustainable agriculture.

In addition to our already well established projects, we are playing our part in attempting to reverse the declining trend in coffee production. Kawacom established a coffee production and quality enhancement project based in Bushenyi. 

This project has constructed 2 nurseries, each housing 200,000 seedlings, and planted a mother garden, from which cuttings have been, and will continue to be distributed to farmers.

We are also establishing a central pulpery near Sipi trading centre, in the Eastern part of Uganda.  The centralised wet processing of the coffee cherries will guarantee a consistent level of quality and crop control. Additionally, the wet mill will be equipped with a dryer which will ensure optimal drying of the processed parchment.

Kawacom will establish a purchasing system whereby farmers can conveniently deliver fresh coffee cherries for collection and transportation to the pulpery. The high quality coffee will attract both higher value and increased demand resulting in an improved income to the farmers.

At Kawacom, coffee is more than just a business.  It is a commitment to a country, its culture and its incredible biodiversity.

* * *

See other Members of the Month