Since our beginnings in 2016, our purpose has been clear: to grow coffee in a way that uplifts people, protects the land, and builds lasting futures in the Mount Elgon region. For us, coffee isn’t just about flavour. It’s about resilience, opportunity, and impact — together.
We're always on your side: keeping our loyal customers happy is our top priority and number one goal.
We’re not just about coffee. we’re about people, community, and a sustainable future.
Coffee Wisdom
We are the heirs of our great-great-great-grandmothers' coffee wisdom; who spoke coffee first and inherited seed by seed, cherry by cherry, bean by bean of their coffee knowledge from generation to generation in countless chapters to us. It is our mission to keep this tradition alive.
A Lasting Legacy
Carico Coffee was founded by Mwambu, a son of Bugisu with coffee in his veins. Third generation coffee farmer, during every visit to his ancestral home he saw his family and community tend the land with care and pride. Yet, they still lived in poverty.
Coffee is more than a livelihood. Mwambu created Carico Coffee to honour the heritage of coffee as a purpose, and to build a future where farmers and land can thrive together.
The Carico Story
1950s–60s — A legacy rooted in coffee
Mwambu’s father helped establish coffee cooperatives in Bugisu, earning a scholarship to study in the United States before returning to Uganda’s Coffee Marketing Board.
2015 — The question that began Carico
Returning to his ancestral home, Mwambu saw that coffee-growing communities remained in poverty. Remembering what coffee had enabled for his family, he asked: “What can I do?”
2018–19 — From idea to export
Carico began working directly with farmers in 2018 and exported its first container. The following year, its pioneering use of blockchain brought international attention.
2021–22 — Investing at origin
Carico planted 12,000 indigenous agroforestry seedlings and established a Ugandan manufacturing line for fully home-compostable specialty-coffee capsules.
2023–25 — Quality recognised internationally
Carico became the first Ugandan coffee to receive a Great Taste Gold Star, before showcasing its work at major coffee festivals across Europe.
Our Mountain
Mount Elgon is more than the source of our coffee. This ancient volcano and UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve is a biodiversity hotspot—and home to the Bugisu farmers who have cultivated its slopes for generations.
Across its rich volcanic soils, family-tended gardens grow coffee alongside food and other crops. The high altitude, warm days and cool nights allow the cherries to ripen slowly before being carefully hand-picked.
Carico works with farmers to regenerate this precious landscape through indigenous tree planting and agroforestry—supporting livelihoods, protecting habitats and safeguarding the mountain for future generations.
We exist to support our farmers, preserve
our land, and improve livelihoods for
future generations.
From soil to soul, we are dedicated to sustainable actions that benefit both the ecosystem of Mount Elgon and the Bugisu farmers who rely on the land. Every drop of our coffee helps save habitats, secure fairer livelihoods and safeguard our mountain for future generations. Drink our coffee. Fuel the movement.
Go beyond the taste.
