The North Star Sipi Community A+ Washed Lot

About
Welcome to "The North Star" Sipi Community coffee, a captivating coffee that invites you on a journey through the famed Sipi community, celebrated for its enchanting waterfalls and breathtaking scenery on the Northern slope of Mount Elgon. Over our 5-year partnership with Sipi, this region has become synonymous with excellence in the world of coffee.

Beyond its picturesque landscapes, Sipi stands out for its unique community dynamics. Notably, it boasts an exceptional demographic composition, with an impressive 64% of its farmers being women, a remarkable figure compared to the Mount Elgon average of 34%. These pioneering women are not just coffee producers; they are leading the way in redefining coffee businesses with innovative approaches.

At the heart of Sipi lies a remarkable women's group, centered around Mama Janet's farm near the famous waterfalls. This women-led VSLA (Village Savings and Loan Associations) serves as a hub for financial literacy training, model farming, animal husbandry, and beekeeping. The group's dedication to excellence inspired Mountain Harvest's 2022 microfinance program.

Beyond the pursuit of being recognized as the best Ugandan coffee, these women aspire to global excellence. This aspiration led to the integration of microfinance programs across our work regions, initiated by the Sipi community. With a commitment to consistency, the women deliver microlot-quality coffee each year. In turn, Mountain Harvest shares an even higher premium, empowering these women in their negotiations and enhancing their influence within the coffee trade.

Savor "The North Star" Community Blend and explore its intricate flavor profile featuring floral notes, green apple acidity, hints of dark chocolate, citrus fruits, and a buttery sweetness. It's not just about coffee; it's a narrative of Sipi's natural beauty, community strength, and the transformative power of women leading the way in the world of coffee.

Process
Taking what is traditional and making it exceptional, Mountain Harvest meets smallholder farmers of Uganda where they are in their understanding by increasing farmer access to education and process infrastructure. Traditionally, Ugandan farmers process at the farm or household level, creating the variability that lends itself to inconsistency and a high fade factor. This has created an unfortunate stereotype that Ugandan coffee cannot be stable. To challenge this narrative, Mountain Harvest invested its first three years into understanding the causes behind this inconsistency. Mountain Harvest began building processing education and infrastructure and drastically changing their buying strategies. Through community-led managed processing stations and purchasing coffee at higher moistures, Mountain Harvest can final dry our volume products, creating an incredibly stable washed product that rests within our temperature-controlled warehouse. Now, instead of tired and faded coffee, Mountain Harvest has proven that Ugandan coffee is stable, balanced, and consistent.

Learn more about Mountain Harvest's Work