KAMPALA, Uganda — Uganda has launched its first comprehensive Regional Coffee Flavor Profiles, a scientifically validated classification system that officials said will redefine the country’s brand, enhance traceability and empower farmers to command higher prices in the lucrative global specialty market.
The profiles were unveiled by Minister for Agriculture Fred Bwino at the Serena Hotel in Kampala, culminating a seven-year research effort that for the first time scientifically documented the unique flavor identities of both Robusta and Arabica coffees grown across Uganda’s diverse agroecological zones.
“Coffee contributes over 22% of our foreign earnings and supports millions of households,” Bwino said. “Yet until now, the unique flavor signatures of our regions have not been fully documented, celebrated, or marketed.”
He noted that researchers and sensory professionals had analyzed 792 coffee samples—a mix of Robusta and Arabica—collected from farms distributed across the country’s diverse coffee lands, representing the geographic, climatic, and soil variation.
The extensive study established six regional flavor profiles for Robusta and four for Arabica, providing a definitive map of the nation’s coffee landscape.
For Robusta coffee, the profiles distinguish six zones: The Kyoga Plains offers a bold and spicy character, marked by nutty and chocolaty aroma, full body and a smooth finish. The Lake Victoria Crescent features tropical fruit and resinous flavors with balanced sweetness and a medium body. The Northwestern Savannah Grasslands is characterized by a dried fruit fragrance, citrus notes, mild body and smooth bitterness. The Southwestern Farmlands presents a smooth and subtle cup with subtle spice, mild chocolate, a full body and rounded bitterness. The Pastoral Rangelands stands out with resin-forward intensity, earthy undertones and moderate bitterness. The Western Savannah Grasslands provides a clean resin character, mild herbal tones and a balanced, gentle finish.
For the higher-altitude Arabica coffee, four profiles were defined: The Highland Ranges is known for its citrus brightness and cocoa aroma, featuring a strong citrus flavor, clean light body and high acidity. The Northwestern Savannah presents a spicy fragrance, berry notes, low acidity and a gentle body. The Western Savannah Grasslands offers a complex cup with dried fruit fragrance, spicy, berry and citrus notes, a moderate body and a multi-layered aftertaste. The Southwestern Farmlands produces a full-bodied and creamy profile, with low citrus and berry notes, high body and acidity, a rounded spice and rich mouthfeel complexity.
“These profiles are more than descriptors. They are identities, a way to tell the world that Ugandan coffee is not generic, but regional, traceable, and unique,” Bwino said, emphasizing that the tool will enhance traceability and reward farmers for origin-specific quality.
The flavor launch coincides with Uganda’s efforts to meet strict new traceability requirements for its major export markets. Dr. Gerald Kyalo, the Commissioner for Coffee Development in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, confirmed the country’s readiness for the European Union Deforestation Regulation, or EUDR, expected to take effect in late 2025.
Dr. Kyalo said the government has already mapped 1,000,650 farmers and their gardens to provide the necessary geo-coordinates.
“We have established a government-managed data warehouse specifically for hosting, accessing and securely maintaining this traceability data,” Dr. Kyalo said, adding that five companies have been approved as traceability providers and their systems successfully piloted across the country.
The flavor profiles are a national milestone that builds on the sector’s recent boom. In the 2023-24 coffee year, Uganda exported over 6.13 million 60-kilogram bags, earning a high of $1.14 billion. Officials report that as of the 2024-25 period, total export revenues reached $2.2 billion, according to ministry officials
