Ugandan coffee takes centre stage at Manchester Coffee Festival 2025

This weekend, Manchester Coffee Festival returns to Bowlers Exhibition Centre with a three-day celebration of the world’s favourite caffeinated staple. This year’s edition brings a major new arrival as Ugandan coffee appears as a collective for the first time, offering visitors an exciting chance to explore one of the most overlooked origins on the global coffee map.

Known as the Pearl of Africa, Uganda has produced coffee for more than two centuries, its high altitude regions from Mount Elgon to the Rwenzori Mountains nurturing diverse, internationally enjoyed flavour profiles, despite the nation’s beans representing only a tiny share of UK imports.

Building on a shared commitment to sustainable farming, Uganda’s next generation of pioneering growers will join more than fifty other exhibitors to amplify their climate-smart agriculture, agroforestry and community uplift while explaining how shade planting, beekeeping and soil regeneration contribute to their distinct, rich flavours.

Featuring producers such as Mountain Harvest, Ankole Cooperative Union and Zamani Coffee, the Ugandan showcase highlights organisations that blend traditional methods with trailblazing sustainability practices, supported by specialist importers including Dr. Wakefield, Langdon Coffee, Volcafe, Zamani Coffee , Kiyetec Solutions and Moneyrow Beans, the Maidenhead-based UK distributor of Gorilla Conservation Coffee.

Emphasising the breadth of innovation within the sector, Kwezi Coffee and Clarke Farm will share how they champion women farmers, organic farming and agroforestry systems that increase local incomes while producing exceptional specialty and single origin washed Robusta coffees.

The festival will also host tastings, talks and demonstrations that offer an accessible way to learn about ethical sourcing, roasting techniques and emerging brewing trends, with the Ugandan coffee debut set to be one of the standout elements of the weekend.

Manchester Coffee Festival runs from Fri 14 Nov to Sun 16. For more information and tickets, head to the festival website below.