The incoming executive director plans to expand domestic coffee consumption, open new export markets and mobilise up to Shs5 billion in financing for members under a proposed 2027–2030 strategy.
The Uganda Coffee Roasters Association (UCRA) has appointed Richard Rugaya, of Gorilla Highlands Coffee, as its incoming executive director, with a mandate to grow members’ businesses, expand markets and mobilise financing for the roasting industry.
In a communication to members, the association’s board said Rugaya would pursue a commercial growth strategy focused on delivering measurable business benefits to Ugandan coffee roasters.
His proposed 2027–2030 Strategic Brief prioritises expanding domestic coffee consumption, opening new international markets and mobilising between Shs1 billion and Shs5 billion in financing for association members.
The strategy seeks to shift the association’s focus beyond industry representation towards generating tangible commercial opportunities for businesses in the coffee roasting sector.
Rugaya’s performance will be assessed against targets covering revenue generation, partnership building and market access, according to the board’s announcement.
He has also developed a 356-day roadmap organised around diagnosis, mobilisation and delivery, with the aim of producing measurable results for members within his first year in office.
The association plans to strengthen collaboration with key industry institutions, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), standards bodies, trade and export agencies, and financial institutions.
These partnerships are expected to help roasters access financing, meet quality requirements, reach new customers and compete more effectively in domestic and international markets.
The appointment comes as Uganda seeks to increase the value it earns from coffee by expanding processing and marketing opportunities beyond the export of raw beans.
Coffee roasting adds value by transforming green coffee beans into a finished product that can be packaged, branded and sold to consumers, potentially creating opportunities for local businesses to capture a larger share of the coffee value chain.
For UCRA, the proposed strategy places member profitability at the centre of its activities, with the board challenging the incoming executive director to demonstrate how membership translates into commercial gains.
The association said the ultimate measure of Rugaya’s tenure would be whether members could identify clear business benefits from paying their membership fees.
Further details on the implementation of the proposed strategy, including specific financing arrangements and market expansion targets, were not provided in the announcement.