By Joseph Mary Buule
KAMPALA — A specialty coffee auction has delivered the highest price ever recorded for Ugandan coffee.
Latest information indicate that a Geisha variety from western Uganda is currently selling for $350.02 per kilogram, highlighting growing international demand for the country’s premium beans.
The online auction, held from July 6 to July 8 by Ugandan specialty coffee producer Mountain Harvest and auction platform M-Cultivo, attracted more than 1,000 bids from buyers around the world.
The top-selling coffee was a Natural Geisha lot from Rwenzori Estate Farm in western Uganda, purchased by CHG of China.
Across all lots, the auction achieved a weighted average price of $24.32 per kilogram, well above conventional coffee market prices.
“For decades, the coffee industry has largely asked producers to fit within a price determined elsewhere,” said Kenneth Barigye, Managing Director of Mountain Harvest.
“The results of this auction point to a different future, one where value is created and recognized at origin. A highest bid of US$350.02 per kilogram, a weighted average price of US$24.32 per kilogram, and more than 1,000 bids are not just commercial milestones; they are evidence that innovation, quality, transparency, and producer leadership can reshape how coffee is valued.”
He added: “This is more than a successful auction. It is proof that the paradigm has shifted, and that when producers are empowered to innovate, the entire coffee industry benefits.”
The winning bidder, CHG of China, said: “We are proud to be a part of this historic moment for Ugandan coffee.”
David Paparelli, CEO of M-Cultivo, said the auction demonstrated the growing recognition of Uganda’s specialty coffee.
“Auctions have the ability to change the market’s perspective of the potential and value of coffee from origins like Uganda,” Paparelli said.
“What is so surprising about this record-breaking price is that it took this long to reach this height. Uganda has all of the potential to grow incredible Arabica coffee and Mountain Harvest definitively proved that today.”
The auction followed Mountain Harvest’s first-place finish at the 2025 African Taste of Harvest competition, which sparked increased international interest in its coffees.
The company said traditional market negotiations had failed to properly value Uganda’s specialty coffees, which account for only about 15% of the country’s coffee production.
Mountain Harvest said the auction, branded “The Paradigm Shift,” was designed to expose buyers to the quality and diversity of Uganda’s specialty coffees while allowing producers to capture more of the value created through premium-quality production.
Founded in 2017, Mountain Harvest works with farmers to improve coffee quality, processing and market access, while M-Cultivo provides online auction, financing and quality management services for specialty coffee producers worldwide.