Uganda has launched its first national coffee brand, “Uganda Coffee: It’s in Our Nature”, unveiling the new identity on 25 June 2026 at World of Coffee Brussels as the country seeks to reposition itself in Europe, its most important export market. The campaign debuted while Uganda served as the event’s official “Portrait Country” at Brussels Expo.
According to ChimpReports, Uganda exported 8.78 million 60kg bags of coffee in the 12 months to April 2026, valued at US$2.38 billion, a 22% increase in volume and 23% increase in value over the previous 12-month period. An earlier report from ChimpReports on 21 June 2026 noted record exports of 8.4 million bags worth US$2.4 billion for the 12 months ending October 2025, underscoring a period of strong growth for Uganda’s coffee sector.
The Uganda Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes Uganda as Africa’s leading coffee exporter by volume and reports that Europe accounted for 52% of Uganda’s coffee exports by continent in April 2026, with Italy and Germany the leading destinations. The ministry states that the national brand is designed to present a unified origin identity to these buyers at a time when European regulations, including the EU Deforestation Regulation, are reshaping access to the bloc’s coffee market.
The new brand, detailed by ChimpReports, features a bold “Uganda Coffee” wordmark and emblem combining coffee beans with the Crested Crane, Uganda’s national bird, in a palette of black, sunshine yellow, bright red, and neutral beige, with secondary greens and brown tones referencing coffee landscapes. The visual identity was unveiled in Brussels with a drum-led procession, traditional music and dance, a brand video, hospitality service, giveaways, and daily cupping sessions that highlighted coffees from Mount Elgon, the Rwenzori Mountains, West Nile, and the central Robusta belt.
Ambassador Mirjam Blaak Sow, Uganda’s representative to Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and the European Union, framed the launch as part of a broader shift toward direct engagement with European buyers. “The World of Coffee in Brussels offers a unique platform for Uganda to present its coffee story directly to the European market the world’s largest coffee-consuming region. Through this campaign, we aim to strengthen trade relations, attract investment, and elevate Uganda’s brand as a producer of world-class coffee,” she said at the event, according to ChimpReports.
Trade promotion for the launch is supported by MARKUP II, a €40 million European Union‑funded Market Access Improvement Programme implemented by the International Trade Centre. The same source reports that under the first MARKUP phase, East African coffee exports to the EU more than doubled in value from €488 million in 2018 to €1.1 billion in 2022, illustrating how structured market-access initiatives have coincided with increased coffee trade between the regions.
In comments reported by the Africa Agricultural Network, Uganda’s Minister of State for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Hon. Desire Muhooza, linked the branding effort to changing buyer expectations around sustainability and traceability. “In a global market rightfully focused on sustainability and transparency, Uganda offers a partnership built on shared history and mutual growth. Being selected as the Portrait Country at World of Coffee in Brussels, the seat of the European Union, is deeply meaningful for us and is the perfect location to officially launch our national coffee brand, Uganda Coffee,” he said.
The Uganda Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that the new brand will serve as a long-term platform for trade promotion, including ongoing buyer engagement, events, digital campaigns, packaging, and other market activation tools, alongside implementation of quality systems and traceability measures aimed at full compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation.
Against a backdrop of price volatility that saw global coffee prices move between US$4.20 per pound and US$2.88 per pound in July 2025, as documented by Comunicaffe, Uganda’s Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries emphasized the sector’s current momentum in a campaign announcement quoted by ChimpReports: “Uganda’s coffee sector has never been stronger. With record exports, improving quality standards, and growing global recognition, the World of Coffee Brussels is the perfect stage to demonstrate why Uganda is the future of African coffee.”
Ugandan coffees also drew attention on the competition stage: the Africa Agricultural Network reports that Uganda took both overall winner and first runner-up positions at the Africa Barista Competition (AFCA 2026) and has been announced as host of the AFCA Conference and Expo in 2027, providing another international platform to reinforce the national brand and the country’s coffee identity.
