Diversification of the business with coffee and cocoa

RFCU is located in Kasese town at the valley of the Rwenzori Mountains. In 2005 MVFA (precursor of RFCU) established as an association that supports vanilla growers with trade connections and technical support. For the Vanilla trade there is one buyer called N'dali estate. Since most of the farmers, organized in 13 different cooperation's, also grow other crops like coffee MVFA decides to expand its business with coffee and also cocoa (that have a huge potential). The result of this decision was that MVFA turned into RFCU since the beginning of 2014. Since then RFCU supports the 13 cooperatives with a broad range of quality programs to improve quality and to gather funds from different investors to increase the profit. The reason for RFCU to step into coffee and cocoa is also to spread the risks. RFCU bought 11 acres of land in 2014. The aim with this land is to develop it as a community center with storage capacity. The union makes money by trading products. Because the vanilla margins decreased over the last years the union seek for new crops that resulted in coffee and cocoa. In 2016 RFCU builds a first micro-station (MS) for cocoa fermentation in BundiBugyo to make dry beans ready for export. All is done in a sustainable way with eye for the environment. 1. Market -Training on improving marketing/export skills management (coaching on marketing and sales). By means of a new business plan, new targets with respect to internal and external working capital requirements need to be set. - Insight in (inter) national coffee market, a training given by a local consultant. 2. Organisation -Provide education and training on the accounting system. -Implement a database /spreadsheet for gathering data such as members, production levels, quality issues etc. It is recommended to appoint a senior accountant. 3. Training Training board and/or management in Excel, accounting, financial analysis, business planning, leadership and internal capitalization (action plan)