- varietal arabica typica
- altitude 1300 m / 4265 ft
- processing Washed (Wet)
- region Eastern Uganda
- cooperative Peace Kawomera
Elias Hasalube and Hakim Aziz underneath the thick shade of Mr. Hakim’s coffee farm, surrounded by bananas, mangos, guavas, and coffee. Photo: Ben Corey-Moran, 2008
Arabica coffee cherries ripen in the morning sun. Photo: Ben Corey-Moran, 2006
Excellent Habitat for Coffee
Grown high on the slopes of Mt. Elgon, a dormant volcano in eastern Uganda, Mirembe Kawomera Coffee is produced in small batches by the family farmers of the Peace Kawomera Cooperative.
Rich volcanic soils, shade canopy, and artisan production methods combine to produce an exceptional coffee bean with distinctive flavor and character. The antique Arabica varieties cultivated by the farmers of the Peace Kawomera Cooperative were planted nearly a century ago, after being transported from nearby Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee.
Full-bodied and lively, with hints of pecan and notes of nutmeg, and a lingering sensation of malty antiquity.
Distinctive Processing
The farmers of the Peace Kawomera Cooperative prepare their coffee in small-batches carefully picked throughout the three-month harvest season. Ripe coffee cherries are handpicked, the red skin is removed using cooperatively owned hand-cranked pulping machines, and the sugar-rich pulp is allowed to ferment on the beans overnight. Then the beans are carefully washed, and sun-dried on elevated racks, a two-week process from start to finish. Once the coffee is dried, it is transported to the Cooperative’s warehouse where it is stored and prepared for export.
Small-Scale Farming and Fair Trade
Economically, coffee is the backbone of the Ugandan economy, accounting for over 90% of the country’s revenues from international trade. In terms of export earnings, Uganda is the most coffee-dependent country in the world. The vast majority of Uganda’s coffee is produced by small-scale family farmers numbering at least 500,000 in a country slightly smaller than the state of Oregon. Historically, these farmers saw only small profits on their coffee due to low international prices, inefficient government marketing boards, and exploitative market intermediaries. Mirembe Kawomera Coffee is the first Fair Trade Certified™ Ugandan coffee to reach the U.S. market.