DECOLONIZING SUPPLY CHAINS: ACCESSING THE VIABILITY OF THE DOMESTIC COFFEE MARKET IN UGANDA

The purpose of this analysis is to look at the characteristics of coffee consumers and retail sales channels in Uganda’s emerging domestic coffee industry. This paper will look at the historical effects of colonization and cash crops in Uganda to suggest theories as to why the coffee market never developed. Following the brief historical account, the implications for business models, markets, and potential value chain alliances will be discussed. Drawing on the perspectives of Ugandan coffee entrepreneurs, young adult consumers and the Uganda Coffee Development Authority, the study will contribute to deeper insights regarding the potential scope, scale, and financial viability of Uganda’s emerging domestic market for coffee. Lastly, the paper will examine the extent to which Uganda’s coffee consumers are exposed to niche market coffee products including fair trade, organic, various categories of sustainably produced or carrying some type of environment-related certification, and “relationship” coffee