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AfricAn success stories The brand constantly emphasises its African roots and the direct benefts it brings to rural farmers in Uganda target markets you The branding aspect secured a deal with uK’s waitrose understand had to be top-notch supermarket chain before getting his Having obtained his Master’s degree roast, ground and freeze-dried ranges from Oxford university, rugasira felt his listed in both sainsbury’s and in more than connections within the uK offered the 600 Tescos outlets in the uK – constraints best global launch pad for the business. tackle challenges head on around capital saw the product delisted He worked to allay concerns around Having bedded down production from waitrose and sainsbury’s just a few consistency of supply from africa by operation and quality control, good years later in 2012. it was a bitter blow to focusing on developing trust and building african Coffee’s challenges are now the young brand. relationships with both retailers and shifting. “The real challenge becomes: producers. He also delivered on his how do i scale up?” rugasira told Cnn in Always set new goals promises to deliver sustainably grown, June 2013. “That is where we are today; despite this setback, he is now looking to quality products. how do we scale this so that we are not take good african Coffee into countries Then, backing up his brand promise, just here and in the uK, but are globally like the Czech republic and Poland in he established himself as a self-appointed available. That takes capital; it takes eastern europe, as well as singapore proponent of africa and african business. skilled labour; it takes know-how.” and australia. He also has his sights set Journalist Tim adams noted in Britain’s Like everything else rugasira has on the us$20-billion american market, The Guardian newspaper: “i have seen achieved, these challenges, too, will where he has set up an online store as rugasira from time to time when he has require strategy, application and diligence. a way of entering that market. been over in Britain, on his never-ending as he explained in his book A Good “it’s different skills in the business storytelling mission for contracts and African Story: How a Small Company Built that we have to grapple with. so the capital. Those one-man trade delegations a Global Coffee Brand: “in order to grow challenges shift from the farming side into have sometimes appeared full of hope.” you [need] to have a long-term market the commercial theatre and the capital that expectation, but you have no access to we need. The challenges are still there,” Harness the power long-term capital. i had african banks he says. “[But] it is great fun to be in a of social media asking me for letters of credit from Tesco. business that impacts the lives of people. The ugandan businessman is not shy i had to explain that is not really how it That is a fantastic part of it and makes me to punt his product on social media works… with (British supermarket chain) want to come to work every day.” platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, waitrose, we were just unable to meet its Of course, as the brand grows so PHOTOS: GETTY/GALLO IMAGES, SuppLIEd YouTube and My space. He also uses his rate of sales; we didn’t have the resources too do rugasira’s ambitions: “i want to and his farmers’ stories to give meaning to do the promotion and marketing become a multinational like nestlé,” to the brand and frequently engages with needed to expand.” he said in an interview with Canada’s the media to ensure exposure for both his while 2005 was a red-letter year for The Globe and Mail newspaper. company and the Trade not aid initiative. good african Coffee – when rugasira watch this space. 26 strategicmarketingafrica Second quarter 2014