Mpanga Tea Growers Factory LtdKabarole District, Uganda

Incorporated in 1995 Mpanga Tea Growers Factory grows tea on four tea estates as well as buying tea from individual farmers.

The factory is owned by around 460 farmer smallholders and they supply both the export and local markets including Cafedirects’ Everyday Tea.

Flora Kabakali, Mpanga Tea Growers Factory Ltd. Source: Cafedirect (www.cafedirect.co.uk)

Mpanga Tea Growers Factory LtdKabarole District, UgandaIn 2007 Mpanga Tea

Growers took out a loan of £156,000 with Shared Interest to enable them to buy a nearby tea estate which had formerly been owned by the government.

The purchase of this tea estate helped increase their production of tea, a percentage of which is sold as fair trade (1.6%)

Nakimera, Mpanga Tea Growers Factory Ltd. Source: Cafedirect (www.cafedirect.co.uk)

Mpanga Tea Growers Factory LtdKabarole District, Uganda

In July 2007 ten employees attended the Shared Interest Foundation’s first business training course specifically for commodity producers.

The week-long course covered businessplanning, marketing and management, among other topics.

Mpanga Tea Growers Factory LtdKabarole District, Uganda

The combination of the loan, from Shared Interest Society, and the business training, by Shared Interest Foundation, is helping to make Mpanga a stronger and more sustainablebusiness. Source: Cafedirect

(www.cafedirect.co.uk)