Uganda Targets Bigger Share of Shs5tn UK Coffee Market

What the report says

Uganda is working to capture a larger portion of the United Kingdom’s coffee market after exporting just $39.9 million worth of coffee there in 2024, far below the market’s estimated $1.4 billion value. According to Nile Post, officials see the gap as evidence that Uganda has room to expand sales, earnings and value addition in a market where British and Irish buyers already import significant volumes.

The effort was highlighted during the Uganda–UK and Ireland Coffee Familiarisation Trip, which brought together Ugandan producers and exporters with potential buyers in those markets. Ambassador Steven Senabulya, deputy head of mission at Uganda’s High Commission in London, said Uganda needs stronger access to international markets and more stable export volumes if it is to benefit more from its growing coffee production.

Nile Post reported that research commissioned earlier this year by the British High Commission pointed to a decline in Uganda’s coffee exports to the British market, leading to calls for targeted action. The familiarisation trip is intended to connect industry players directly with importers, roasters and distributors and to turn promotional efforts into commercial deals.

The initiative also fits into Uganda’s wider economic diplomacy and development plans, which emphasise export growth, market access and job creation. Coffee remains one of Uganda’s major foreign-exchange earners and a key source of income for rural households, making improved access to premium markets important for farmers, processors and exporters alike.