In Uganda, the production of high-quality coffee has been severely impacted by climate change, poor farming practices, and economic hardship. However, initiatives like Nespresso's Reviving Origins program are working to turn things around. This program aims to support farmers and communities in regions across the globe, including Uganda, and has already seen success in Colombia, Zimbabwe, and Puerto Rico.
The Reviving Origins program is grounded in the belief that quality coffee, and the premiums farmers earn from it, can be a catalyst for the long-term sustainability and resilience of farming communities and economies. It is also a driver of not just economic development but social development too. By actively contributing in these areas, Nespresso is helping to safeguard rare coffee varieties and protect the rich heritage of coffee farming.
Nespresso’s General Manager - Oceania, Jean-Marc Dragoli, said: “Coffee is the lifeblood of entire communities across the globe."
Since its launch in 2019, the Reviving Origins program has enabled the production of exceptional coffees from challenged areas of Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Colombia and now, Uganda, to become available as seasonal coffees for Nespresso coffee lovers in the UAE and across the globe.
The Story of Joseph Kirimbwa
Joseph Kirimbwa, a coffee farmer from the Rwenzori Mountains, shares his experience: “I farm my coffee plantation in keeping with the highest standards, to ensure the best harvest possible. My father, like others of his generation, didn’t really know how to grow coffee. I figure this out later, when the Nespresso AAA Program team shared their expertise with me."
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Kirimbwa continues, "Our elders used to remove all the cherries from a brand, no matter how ripe they were. But I only pick the ripest, reddest ones. When I hear that people around the world are drinking my coffee it makes me very proud. After receiving training from Nespresso, I have changed the way I pick my coffee, meaning I get a better quality coffee and more money."
He explains: “We’d stopped producing coffee before because it didn’t bring in enough revenue. So coffee was neglected, bit by bit. Until we were shown how it could once again be profitable."
Nespresso's Investment and Impact
As part of the Reviving Origins program, Nespresso is investing AED 37.1m (CHF10M) over a period of five years until 2023 to revive coffee industries in selected countries, including Uganda, with the aim of encouraging rural economic development. The program’s objective is to turn natural unwashed Arabica known as DRUGAR (Dried Uganda Arabica), which has traditionally been a coffee with the lowest quality, into a high quality and more profitable coffee.
Initially, Nespresso is investing a relatively small amount - around USD 10 million of seed capital - as they test consumer responses and the impacts on economic and social development in the relevant regions. These types of investments are not new though - they have been integral to their business for many years. As with any innovation, they must ensure there is also a viable business case. So, the more these coffee experiences appeal to their customers, the more they can invest to scale production and further improve yields and quality.
The AAA Program and Partnerships
None of the AAA Program work can happen without valued partners, including the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation, Fairtrade International and the Rainforest Alliance, to name a few. Specifically, Reviving Origins depends on the support of TechnoServe, a non-profit organisation committed to providing know-how and skills, building capacity in producer communities and creating access to markets.
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Consumer Response
Nespresso consumers are always enthusiastic about the latest coffees, and these have been the fastest selling in our range, often selling out in just weeks! That’s because they speak directly to people’s interests: they combine exciting new coffee profiles with farmer stories and positive on-the-ground impacts. This is particularly the case with millennials - the newer generation of coffee consumers - who are more invested in brands with a strong sense of purpose.
AMAHA AWE Uganda: A Unique Coffee
AMAHA AWE Uganda is an intensity 8 espresso grown in a unique terroir, where shade and nutrients provided by banana trees create a true Arabica dreamland, resulting in the blend’s rare sandalwood and elegant floral notes. Each cup of Nespresso coffee from Uganda contributes to restoring of the country’s coffee regions, with the Reviving Origins program providing support to rebuild sustainable livelihoods for Uganda’s farmers and their communities.
Stretching 120km across western Uganda, the altitude and fertile soils of Rwenzori Mountains have provided ideal conditions for coffee farming for centuries.
Reviving Origins Program Statistics
| Country | Program Launch | Focus | Investment (CHF) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uganda | 2019 | Reviving coffee industries, rural economic development | 10 Million |
| Zimbabwe | 2019 | Supporting coffee farmers in Eastern Zimbabwe | N/A |
| Puerto Rico | 2019 | Reviving coffee farming after hurricanes | N/A |
| Colombia | N/A | Supporting coffee farmers and communities | N/A |
Nespresso Reviving Origins program - Our partner Agri Evolve in Uganda
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