MEET KAILASH NATANI THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF UGACOF UGANDA

It is a warm day in Kampala when we visit Kailash Natani at the UGACOF Offices in Bweyogere along Jinja Road. As usual he is all smiles but says very little. This interview is a rarity his staff tell us. The walls of the UGACOF offices tell the story of two decades of growth, storytelling and trade in Uganda – the birthplace of Robusta and Africa’s largest coffee exporting nation. As we sit in the boardroom he requests that we have what is probably the best single origin Robusta we have ever drank. He is also in a suit, another rarity. Thank you for having us Kailash.

Describe Kailash Natani in three words?

I would describe Kailash Natani as a humble and simple man. I think I have been that way from childhood.

How did you get into coffee?

I worked with a commodity company in the past. The commodity company was based in India and traded Soya. I transferred to Uganda 13 years ago when an opportunity came up with UGACOF Uganda. How different is trading in Uganda now than it was 15 years ago when you joined? In the past, Information Technology (IT) was not really a part of trading. The internet was not as available but today everything is available on the internet, everyone is connected so people know the prices on the international and local markets which has eased the sale and buying of coffee

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