Nespresso introduces new Ugandan coffee and marks second year of success for Reviving Origins programme
Nespresso is introducing AMAHA awe UGANDA, ‘Hope of Uganda’, a new and seasonal coffee from the Rwenzori Mountains of Uganda, made possible only through the company’s unique Reviving Origins programme. Launched in 2019, the Reviving Origins programme aims to restore coffee production in regions where it is under threat.
In Uganda, climate change, poor farming practices and economic hardship has meant that the production of high quality coffee has been a challenge over recent years. As part of the Reviving Origins programme and in partnership with Agri Evolve, a young agribusiness dedicated to improving farmer productivity, Nespresso is working with more than 2,000 farmers, providing training and expertise to improve coffee quality and productivity in addition to establishing sustainable farming practices.
Guillaume Le Cunff, CEO of Nespresso, said: “Coffee is the lifeblood of entire communities across the globe. In many regions, coffee farming is threatened for reasons such as climate change, conflict and a shifting global economy. Through the Reviving Origins programme, Nespresso provides support to struggling coffee farming areas and helps breathe new life into local economies and, most importantly, communities in these regions.”
Formally launched in 2019, the Reviving Origins programme aims to revive coffee agriculture and local coffee economies in regions affected by adversities such as conflict, economic hardship and environmental disasters. The programme provides support to rebuild sustainable livelihoods for farmers and their communities while preserving the future of some of the world’s rarest, most exquisite coffees. Nespresso is investing a total of CHF 10 million in the programme over a period of five years (2019-2023). The Reviving Origins programme is an integral part of the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality Programme, the brand’s sustainable sourcing model in coffee producing countries.
Jonny Rowland, owner and managing director of Agri Evolve, said: “Our partnership with Nespresso enables us to provide ongoing support to the Rwenzori coffee farmers. Through community projects and teamwork, growth and development are not only within the coffee farm but also in the improved environmental and social standards of the community. The Rwenzori coffee farmers now have the opportunity to share their premium quality coffee with the world, leading to higher household incomes as well as giving communities and families confidence for a sustainable future in coffee farming for the generations to come.”
The Reviving Origins programme’s long-term aim is to establish these under threat coffees as permanent blends, available all year round for consumers, by helping farmers to increase the quality and the yield of their coffee, which brings crucial economic benefits for the regions involved, and leveraging strong partners in each of the origins.
The AMAHA awe UGANDA, ‘Hope of Uganda’ in Lhukonzo, a local language in Uganda, is a single origin coffee that carries rare sandalwood notes and elegant florals with medium acidity and body. An intensity 8 espresso, AMAHA awe UGANDA grows in a unique terroir, where Nespresso says shade and nutrients provided by banana trees create a true Arabica dreamland.
The coffee will be available from May 2020 in 31 countries across the world, alongside Reviving Origins coffees TAMUKA mu ZIMBABWE and ESPERANZA de COLOMBIA – both back for 2020 following their initial launch last year.
