Malidadi Site - Uganda

The Site

Malidadi is the name of the street where The Coffee Yard is located in Sironko and also a Kiswahili word meaning smart. It reflects the combination of traditional Bagisu coffee processing with the precision and quality control provided by TCY.

The Coffee Yard sources coffee from the highlands of Mt. Elgon across the districts of Mbale, Sironko, Bududa, Namisindwa, Kapchorwa, and Bulambuli. Coffee is grown at elevations ranging from 1,400 to 2,300 metres above sea level where the combination of fertile volcanic soils and favourable climatic conditions supports the production of high-quality Arabica coffee. The varieties cultivated are Nyasaland, SL14, and SL28.

The Process

Farmers harvest ripe cherries, pulp them at home, and deliver the wet parchment to the yard. From there, TCY oversees fermentation, washing, sorting, and slow drying under controlled conditions.

Slow drying was once the smart, established way of processing coffee, deeply rooted in local traditions. But as the coffee chain began to favour middlemen purchasing unfinished coffee, farmers were pushed to speed up the process, which reduced overall quality. With the yard’s capacity, skilled labour, and consistent oversight, the quality of the coffee is elevated, and the beans are dried slowly. Just as tradition once guided.