OUR FIRST ENCOUNTER
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT 

With seven Ugandan specialty cacaos finally arriving in our Antwerp warehouse last week, the timing feels electric -the perfect moment to reflect on this origin and share a glimpse of the work, the people, and the journey behind every bean.

Our first taste of these cacao beans was in 2020, and from that spark, a story unfolded that would take patience, stubbornness, tough love, expertise, and a lot of trial and error. This path was built from scratch, navigating setbacks, learning on the fly, and leaning on the incredible dedication of local cooperatives, fermentation experts, and field partners who made it all possible. By 2022, the first containers reached Europe -a milestone that reflected every step of that carefully forged journey.

Every bean is a witness to this journey: climate and genetics meeting careful harvesting, controlled fermentation, and patient drying. And it’s not just about the technique -it’s about the passion and persistence behind it. As a specialty cacao importer, we pour time, energy, and a little rock ’n’ roll spirit into every step. Training, testing, tasting, calibrating -all to discover the profiles that make a difference for flavour, forests, farmers, and the future.

This is a story of effort and collaboration, of challenges met with curiosity, and of results that speak for themselves…

FLAVOUR, FORESTS, FARMERS AND THE FUTURE

FLAVOUR
FROM ‘SOME SOME’ TO SPECIALTY – THE PROOF OF CHANGE

Ugandan cacao has long been known in the market as ‘some some’ -a mix of beans, some fermented, some not, with little identity beyond bulk. Yet these very same beans held the potential for something entirely different: unique, distinctive, complex flavours that tell the story of place, people, and craft.

Since 2019, thanks to the International Trade Center’s Market Access & Upgrade Project and the dedication of our post-harvest partner ZOTO, farmer groups in Bundibugyo have been learning controlled fermentation, careful drying, and micro-lot management. Training continued over the years, deepening skills, building confidence, and shaping a new standard for Ugandan specialty cacao. Every step -turning, monitoring, tasting, carries care, intention, and collaboration, reflecting the shared expertise of partners, experts, and farmers.

We invest a lot of time in training, testing, tasting, and calibrating to define the quality profiles that make a real difference for flavour, forests, farmers, and the future. The result is a line-up of specialty cacaos, each with its own identity, shaped by where, how, and by whom it was grown.

And the journey continues. Each season, farming and post-harvest practices evolve, flavours deepen, and Ugandan cacao unfolds further -a living testament to the dedication, collaboration, and craft that have transformed it from ‘some some’ into a story of taste and discovery.

FORESTS
FROM MONOCULTURE TO LIVING ECOSYSTEMS

Change doesn’t stop at flavour -it grows from the ground up. In Uganda, smallholder farmers organised in cooperatives are leading a quiet transformation. Bwamba Cooperative Union and Semuliki Cooperative Union, which had never exported directly before, now help nurture both land and livelihoods.

Cacao is becoming a catalyst for regeneration: former monoculture plots are being transformed into thriving agroforests. Farms are enriched with native tree species that provide shade, improve soil fertility, and restore biodiversity. Partnering with Flanders G-STIC, these practices contribute to broader forest restoration and ecological balance.

Today, each cacao tree grows under a protective canopy, creating a living ecosystem that captures carbon, shelters wildlife, and sustains life. This transformation shows that healthy forests and thriving communities can grow together, rooted in careful stewardship of both land and people.

FARMERS
STRENGTH IN COMMUNITY

Lasting change starts with people. In Uganda, smallholder farmers are driving their own growth, organising in cooperatives and taking control of their cacao futures. When we began working with Bwamba and Semuliki Cooperative Union, they had never exported directly. Together, we’ve opened new opportunities and strengthened farmers’ skills.

By providing access to training, guidance, finance, and specialty markets, every family benefits directly from the work. Improved quality leads to better prices -and pride in every harvest. Farmers gain confidence, independence, and leadership, while cooperatives grow stronger and more resilient. Together, these communities show that collaboration and empowerment are the backbone of sustainable cacao.

FUTURE
A SHARED PATH FORWARD

Transformation isn’t easy. Building trust, strengthening cooperatives, improving quality systems, and navigating the journey from Bundibugyo to Antwerp has taken patience, effort, and learning along the way. Every container that arrives carries hundreds of hands, hopes, and lessons learned.

For the farmers of Bwamba and Semuliki Cooperative Union, cacao is more than a crop -it is a pathway to stability, pride, and a sustainable future for their families.

The journey so far has been long, with many milestones achieved, yet there is still work to do. In the coming years, the goal is for the cooperatives to become more autonomous, with their own financing, strong governance, and daily support that truly benefits their member farmers. Each year we move closer to this vision, step by step, learning and adapting -a reminder that transformation is ongoing, humble, and built together.

BEHIND THE SCENES
HONOURING OUR LOCAL HEROES

Producing specialty cacao in Uganda is no small feat. It requires patience, skill, and a commitment to improve step by step. Cooperatives with no prior export experience face challenges in accessing loans and micro-finance, while transporting cacao from Bundibugyo to Antwerp demands careful coordination and reliable partners.

At the heart of this journey are the people who make it possible. From Gerald, manager of Bwamba Cooperative Union, to Costa, the post-harvest maestro, and Edrisa, the local coordinator bringing people and processes together seamlessly, their expertise ensures that every batch isn’t just good, it’s meaningful. Each bean carries the story of communities, craft, and collaboration, brought to life by the dedication of Uganda’s true local heroes.

7 UGANDA SPECIALTY CACAO STARS IN THE (ANTWERP WARE) HOUSE

A fresh crop of seven Ugandan specialty cacaos has just arrived at our Antwerp warehouse –four EU Organic Certified, and three in process for EU Organic certification

All of our Uganda cacao “line-up” shares a few things in common:

• Region: Bundibugyo
• Genetics: local blend of Forastero & Trinitario types
• Production systems: agroforestry with native shade trees and climate-smart farming
• Source: smallholder farmers organised in cooperatives

The real magic lies in the care, skill, and attention poured into every step -from harvest to fermentation to drying, turning these beans into something remarkable.

The bonus? By choosing any of these cacaos, you are supporting the Bwamba & Semuliki Cooperative Union, helping communities thrive alongside their cacao, and celebrating the shared journey that brought these beans from Uganda to your chocolate creations.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN ★★★★★★★
UGANDAN SPECIALTY CACAO LINE-UP

Uganda Sente • Fair Trade • EU Organic Certified
Fermentation: pre-drainage, 6 days in wooden boxes, 2 turns
Drying: sun-drying on concrete floors
Certification: EU Organic Certified
Flavour identity: yellow fruits, roasted hazelnut, sesame, toffee, dates, umami note.
➟ ‘Sente’ means ‘fair’ in Luganda -a tribute to fair compensation for the smallholder farmers in the cooperatives.

Uganda Mwena • EU Organic Certified
Fermentation: controlled heap 7 days, 3 turns
Drying: 14h pre-drying, natural sun drying on plastic
Certification: EU Organic Certified
Flavour identity: dry cherry, nutty, creamy, eucalyptus wood, vanilla, subtle spice.
➟ ‘Mwena’ means ‘heap’ in Lubwisi, reflecting the traditional fermentation method used to shape its character.

Uganda Sanduku • EU Organic Certified
Fermentation: 7 days in wooden boxes, 3 turns
Drying: 24h pre-drying, natural sun drying on plastic
Certification: EU Organic Certified
Flavour identity: pecan nuts, menthol, amber wine, toasted bread.
➟ ‘Sanduku’ means ‘box’ in Lubwisi, celebrating the traditional wooden box fermentation technique.

Uganda Mukali  • In the process of obtaining EU Organic certification
Fermentation: controlled heap 7 days, 3 turns
Drying: 48h pre-drying, natural sun drying on plastic
Certification: In the process of becoming EU Organic certified
Flavour identity: melon, cashew, spices, herbs, rosewater.
Produced exclusively by women farmers, this ‘girl power’ cacao embodies empowerment through craftsmanship.
➟ ‘Mukali’ means ‘woman’ in Lubwisi — a celebration of female leadership and expertise in cacao.

Uganda Mpinduka • In the process of obtaining EU Organic certification
Fermentation: 7 days horizontal boxes, 3 turns
Drying: sun-dried on converted tables with papyrus mats
Certification: In the process of becoming EU Organic certified
Flavour identity: corn, nutty, cola, fresh wood, lavender, breadfruit.
➟ ‘Mpinduka’ means ‘climate’ in Luganda, highlighting farmers’ adaptability and the role of climate in shaping flavour.

Uganda Hinduka  • In the process of obtaining EU Organic certification
Fermentation: 7 days horizontal boxes, 3 turns
Drying: sundrying on covered tables with papyrus mats
Certification: In the process of becoming EU Organic certified
Flavour identity: tea, sweet spice, olive oil, wood, tobacco, rosehip.
Another Bwamba micro-lot experimenting with box fermentation.
➟ ‘Hinduka’ means ‘change’ in Luganda, reflecting the transformative journey of the beans as fermentation and sun-drying reveal their full flavour potential.

Uganda Bundibugyo Signature • EU Organic Certified
Fermentation: controlled heap, 5 days, 2 turns
Drying: 24h pre-drying, natural sun drying on plastic
Certification: EU Organic certified
Flavour identity: walnut, dried banana, woody, orange peel, creamy.
➟ Bundibugyo literally means ‘the end of the road’ in the local language -nestled on the western edge of Uganda, past the Rwenzori Mountains, just 5 km from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

NOTES, KUDO’S, CREDITS & INSPO

SILVA CACAO – Uganda – Launching a brand new cacao origin
SILVA CACAO – Let’s plant the Future together – Nature & Cacao Revival in Uganda
SILVA CACAO – To Organic or not to Organic

International Trade Center – MARKUP –  Uganda Cocoa