Acumen Invests In Specialty Coffee Producer Mountain Harvest To Support Smallholder Farmers In Uganda – CoffeeTalk

Acumen has invested in Mountain Harvest, a Ugandan specialty coffee enterprise committed to working with smallholder farmers to enhance their incomes and promote climate resilience via regenerative agricultural practices. This investment underscores Acumen’s commitment to fostering inclusive agricultural markets that allow farmers to achieve a living income while safeguarding the ecosystems they rely on.

Despite Uganda ranking as the world’s eighth-largest coffee producer, approximately 1.8 million smallholder coffee farmers face significant hurdles, including low productivity, volatile market prices, limited access to premium markets, and escalating climate challenges. These issues are particularly pronounced in Uganda’s mountainous regions, such as Mount Elgon, Rwenzori, and Kigezi, where farmers confront additional barriers related to geographical remoteness and a historically limited infrastructure for commercial coffee production, despite ideal growing conditions.

Mountain Harvest tackles these challenges by collaborating with over 1,000 smallholder farmers to source organic Arabica coffee, process it according to specialty standards, and connect it with premium international markets. Acting as a farmer-allied intermediary, the company compensates farmers at rates 13% to 37% higher than the market average while providing comprehensive support services, including agronomic training, access to necessary inputs, and microfinance solutions. This integrative strategy facilitates farmers in improving their yields, managing climate risks, and securing greater value from the global coffee market.

The operational model of Mountain Harvest is distinguished by its emphasis on traceability, gender inclusivity, and engagement with youth. The implementation of digital traceability systems allows buyers to trace coffee back to specific farmers, ensuring transparency and facilitating premium pricing for producers. Additionally, the company’s gender action plan and specially designed microfinance offerings enhance women’s participation and leadership within the sector, while youth employment initiatives create new opportunities in a field experiencing demographic challenges. Collectively, these initiatives elevate Mountain Harvest’s profile as a unique player in Uganda’s specialty coffee sector.

“Acumen’s investment in Mountain Harvest reflects a deep alignment around mission and values. We share a belief that what tastes best in your cup can and should provide a living income for farmers — and that patient capital, paired with strong local leadership, can build inclusive and resilient markets that work for everyone,” states Kenneth Barigye, Managing Director of Mountain Harvest.

Acumen’s financial support will facilitate the company’s advancement phase, which includes the construction of a temperature-controlled warehouse alongside a dry mill and color sorter, and acquiring land to increase processing capacity. These developments are anticipated to enhance quality control, optimize product lines, and bolster profit margins—critical measures for achieving financial sustainability and scalability.

The investment marks a strategic movement towards patient capital, reinforcing Mountain Harvest’s financial standing and enhancing its potential to attract further financing. By equipping the company to utilize its assets and enlarge its network of farmers, Acumen aims to illustrate that specialty coffee can serve as a robust catalyst for inclusive growth in Uganda.

“Acumen’s investment in Mountain Harvest is catalytic. It enables the company to deepen its impact with farmers, strengthen its financial sustainability, and set new standards for gender and youth inclusion in Uganda’s coffee sector,” remarks Millycent Aoko, Investment Manager at Acumen East Africa.

Looking to the future, Mountain Harvest intends to expand its farmer network to 2,600 by 2028, with a concerted emphasis on empowering women and young growers. Additionally, the company aims to complete its processing facilities and achieve sustainable EBITDA profitability by 2029. With a rising demand for traceable, high-quality coffee and an increasing need for climate resilience, Mountain Harvest is positioned to illustrate how premium agricultural value chains can support a flourishing ecosystem for smallholder farmers.

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