Namisuni is a subcounty located in the Mount Elgon region of eastern Uganda. Its high elevations and fertile volcanic soils provide favourable conditions for growing high-quality Arabica coffee.
In the local language, the name Namisuni means “the place of the short throwing sticks.” It refers to the traditional practice of throwing short sticks to bring down ripe fruit growing on branches that are too high to reach.
The Coffee Yard (TCY) is a small company based in Mbale, Uganda. It was established in 2018 by a group of women with the technical and managerial support of Norman Mukuru. TCY believes in a strong vision of empowerment and quality.
Norman has 15 years of experience in the coffee industry, having worked as a quality consultant and sourcing officer for a major company before founding his own business in partnership with a women’s empowerment association. Today, TCY is led by two women directors and a management board made up of 75% women who are committed to inclusive leadership.
TCY works with a network of smallholder farmers, selected for their strong farm management and good agricultural practices. The company sources ripe coffee cherries from these farmers and transports them to its processing station in Sironko—a location in the plains with milder weather conditions that favor a controlled drying process.
Final processing takes place at TCY’s tertiary station in Mbale. Here, a team led by Maria Kirya, a board member and head of quality control, cups and analyzes each lot to develop profiles that meet specific customer preferences. The facility is now equipped with a modern color sorter, allowing TCY to deliver graded, high-quality beans.
