LONDON, UK — AgDevCo announced an investment in Great Lakes Coffee, Uganda’s leading producer and exporter of fully traceable, high-grade coffees. AgDevCo’s multi-million dollar trade finance facility will allow the company to purchase coffee from more than 21,000 smallholder farmers and cooperatives across Uganda.
Great Lakes Coffee is a Ugandan company, established in 1999, which sources, mills and exports Arabica coffee to green coffee traders such as Falcon Coffees (UK), which in turn is sold in retail outlets such as Wholefoods and Starbucks. The company also roasts coffee for wholesale customers in Uganda and runs a barista training programme for unemployed youth.
The company builds strong relationships with its farmers, providing training on good agronomic practices and financial literacy. Farmers receive premium prices for quality with the majority being paid by mobile money. Great Lakes Coffee is fully certified by the Rainforest Alliance and UTZ.
AgDevCo is an impact investor specialising in agribusiness investments in Sub-Sahara Africa. AgDevCo’s portfolio consists of over 50 investments in production, processing and distribution. AgDevCo is headquartered in London with representative offices in Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana and Sierra Leone.
