Ibrahim Kiganda (pictured above), Uganda’s National Barista Champion, emerged 2nd out of 22 competitors at the recently concluded Africa Barista Championship held in Tanzania during the 21st African Fine Coffees Association conference and exhibition. His win underscores Uganda’s rising prominence in the coffee scene. Baristas are important in the coffee value chain because they brew high quality beverages and act as a link between all the value chain actors and the consumer.
Business Focus held an exclusive interview with Ibrahim Kiganda about his recent win, the upcoming World Barista Championship and other coffee related matters. Below are the excerpts from the interview;
Q: Congratulations upon emerging 2nd in the recently concluded 2025 Africa Barista Championship held in Tanzania. Briefly tell me who Ibrahim Kiganda is.
A: I am a quality and processing Manager at Mountain Harvest Coffee Company based in Mbale, Eastern Region. I’m a barista, trainer, quality controller, CQI processing expert and Biotechnologist by profession.
Q: In your opinion, what are the key factors behind your impressive performance at the Africa Barista Championship?
A: Passion is one of the most key factors that has been a building block towards this achievement. Secondly, support from the team in all the preparations; from finances, coaching and the best coffee to compete with.
Q: What does this win mean for you and Uganda’s coffee sub sector at large?
A: For a barista champion, winning isn’t just about being the best in a single competition—it’s about making a meaningful contribution to the coffee world. This puts Uganda’s coffee at the forefront of the international market.
Q: You’ve participated in many barista competitions. What motivates you to keep going for them?
A: Barista competitions come with a lot of investment and pay back little save for fame and exposure. To me, this is a perfect place for learning, skills growth, career development and connections and that’s what makes me keep chasing for competitions to become a better version of myself.
Q: You’ll represent Uganda at the World Barista Championship later this year. What opportunities does this event present to you and Uganda at large? And how are you preparing yourself for this big event?
A: World Barista Championship comes with a lot of opportunities given the fact that it is a global platform to showcase the best of your skills, connect with different kinds of people and share ideas on how best to elevate the industry and I believe this is the best place for me to elevate the beauty of Uganda’s rich coffee heritage. Our preparations for world championships are ongoing with team building, equipment sourcing and looking for funds to make this happen.
Q: As a senior barista who has tasted coffees from other countries, how do you rate the quality of Uganda’s coffee at the continental and international level?
A: I have tasted different coffees from different countries in Africa and outside Africa, but Uganda coffee stands out for its quality. A few years ago, our coffee was ranked 3rd best in terms of quality in the world. This implies that Ugandan producers are doing what it takes to have exceptional top-quality coffees. Farmers should continue picking only red cherries and practicing proper post-harvest handling. With better planting materials and diversification of varieties we grow, the quality will even get better.
Q: How important are baristas in the coffee value chain?
A: Baristas are the coffee ambassadors and mouthpiece for the coffee industry.
Q: In your opinion, what needs to be done to further improve the quality of Uganda Coffee?
A: To improve on the quality of Uganda coffee, a lot has to be done. There’s need to change the negative perception about coffee. There’s also need to increase on accessibility of information to all farmers, extension officers, processors, roasters and barista on best practices of preserving quality at each and every step of the value chain.
Q: What advice do you have for budding baristas?
A: To any budding barista, learning never ends and growth comes with hard work, passion, patience and discipline.
Q: What does it take to make a good cup of coffee?
A: Making a good cup of coffee doesn’t mean having expensive and fancy gear; identify the best quality coffee and thereafter have basic knowledge and equipment that can guide you through on how to have the best cup ever! You can get quality coffee by getting a freshly roasted pack of coffee; this can either be ground or whole beans. The amount of coffee can be measure according to one’s strength. It’s advisable to add the ground coffee to a cup of hot water that has been boiled up to 90-95 degrees. Thereafter, allow it to brew for about 3-4mins before enjoying the best coffee ever! For those that can access better equipment like AeroPress, French Press, Chemex, V60 or even Moka pots, the better. This is because this gives you an opportunity to explore different taste experience and have the best coffee.
