In his research, Nuwagaba had observed that organic arabica coffee commanded a premium price, but that the market for organic robusta – a hardier species of coffee plant – was less developed. He saw an opportunity for ACPCU to move into that niche robusta market, and wrote a proposal to convert member farms to organic production. A chance introduction to the Rabo Foundation resulted in a grant to partially fund that conversion.

“The grant from the Foundation was an unexpected boost for us,” Nuwagaba claims. “That seed capital shot us forward.”

While ACPCU was pursuing its organic certification, Nuwagaba had another chance meeting – this time with an organic coffee buyer at an industry conference. The buyer invited Nuwagaba to contact him when ACPCU achieved organic certification. That buyer bought the first container of certified organic coffee produced by ACPCU. Today, demand for the cooperative’s organic coffee almost exceeds its current capacity to produce it.

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