Uganda Mount Elgon - Friends of Mothers

Tasting notes: Cocoa, raisin & orange zest. Well suited for darker roasts.

Grower: 500 Women farmers organized around Friends of Mothers Initiative Ltd.

Altitude: 1400 – 2500 masl

Variety: SL-14, Nyasaland

Soil: Volcanic loam

Region: Mt. Elgon, Mbale District, Uganda

Process: Fully washed and dried on raised beds

Harvest: August - February | April-June

Certification: Fair Trade (FT-FLO) | ORGANIC

Coffee broker: Royal Coffee https://royalcoffee.com/

Sourcing Details

This lot was produced by a women’s collective called Friends of Mothers, which was established in 2015.  The group has 500 members with farms in the Mbale District on the slopes of Mount Elgon.

Processing Details

During the harvest, each producer meticulously picks ripe cherries, sorts them by hand, and floats the cherries to remove damaged and less dense coffee.  Next, the producer uses their own micro-mill to depulp, ferment, wash, and dry the coffee before delivering it to the Friends of Mothers warehouse.

Exporting Details

Friends of Mothers has its own dry mill facility, which features a fully staffed cupping lab to ensure traceability and quality control throughout the post-harvest process.  Friends of Mothers manages the certification process and also helps train producers on best organic practices, which includes using materials like coffee pulp to make organic fertilizers, creating an abundant source of plant nutrition that ensures better yields and quality.