A Good African Story: How a Small Company Built a Global Coffee Brand

by Andrew Rugasira

Rugasira, Andrew

Genres: Nonfiction, Africa, Business, Economics, Politics, Biography, Entrepreneurship

288 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2013

Reviews

[Charles C Matovu · Rating 2 out of 5]

A number of things bothered me as I went through this book, which lead me to posit that this book is not refined enough to present an unbiased and authentic picture of what the average African/Ugandan entrepreneur has to endure in order to establish a sustainable business/enterprise.

Especially how the author fails to appreciate just how privileged his story is. He has an edge and enormous advantages that the vast majority of African/Ugandan entrepreneurs can only dream of.
For example, the author talks about how he went to the home of the governor of the central bank of Uganda( whom he refers to as “a friend of the family”) to solicit favor when his business was in financial trouble. A “childhood friend” at the Ugandan embassy in China drives him around Chinese cities as he goes shopping for equipment for his business. He went to school in the UK at a time when the whole country of Uganda had only a handful of Universities.

Someone who seems to have unabridged access to ministers and gets seamlessly accepted to a loan program in the finance ministry cannot authentically present his case a typical African entrepreneur. Throughout the book, this irony seems lost on him as he name drops all these people left and right.
Not to mention, the questionable ethics of these interactions, or the feasibility of these public-private programs in Uganda. These programs have no well-defined structures or frameworks of operation. The little procedures that govern them, if any, are ignored by ministers and government officials who use the programs to enrich themselves, their families and friends with no repercussions from the law.
The Author defends the programs by pointing out the critical role they played in the growth of the economies of countries like China, South Korea, and Japan. However in a country like Uganda where there seems to be weekly corruption scandals, and due to its unique social political and economic dynamics, they only foster a whole new kind of corruption and nepotism.

I commend the author for embarking on this journey that most would dare not and congratulate him on the success he has had so far. He experiences many challenges as he tries to establish his business and realize his vision. Far more challenges than any western entrepreneur goes through. But his story is still not representative of the story of the vast majority of African and Ugandan entrepreneurs.

It’s always good when inspiring stories of authentic successful African entrepreneurs are published, even ones that push the boundaries like this one. Now also I understand why the most successful African businessmen don’t publish books about their entrepreneurship journey. Because upon reflection on their business exploits and deals over the years, they realize that a published book with a grain of truth would merit them a long stint in jail and enormous public ridicule.

[Ishta Nandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

That last star was only left out because I'm so big on style, and consequently, an ardent fiction fan. Mr. Rugasira's story is non-fiction though, and it gets 4 stars because I felt like my mind grew in size reading it.

I first heard about Good African coffee as a student in the UK, and at that time it was like some sort of urban legend. A Ugandan guy selling Ugandan coffee in British supermarkets? Maybe in that Ugandan supermarket, Owino, in south (or is it east?) London, someone said. And then I read an article about him, and found out that Ugandan coffee was being sold in Tesco and Sainsbury's and Waitrose. I think I even did that hop-skip where you click your heels together that people do in old movies!

Mr. Rugasira's story of how he got there is a passionately eloquent treatise for social enterprises, a call to action for Africans everywhere, and above all an uplifting testimony of the strength and grace that flows out of a person's life when they have an intimate connection with that eternal source; Jesus Christ.

[Mtendere Horea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Good African fills the gaps that so many African entrepreneurs and businessmen leave when they leave their stories untold. The less inspiration the next generation has the less motivation it can be translated into, Andrew encapsulates how entrepreneurs need access to more trading opportunities than aid (a recognition to Dembisa Moyo’s book ‘Dead Aid’).

We ought to create more inclusive economic and political institutions to see prosperity and growth of our nations. “Poor countries are poor because those in lose make choices that create poverty”. The knock on effects have been and are disastrous to entrepreneurs through poor institutional capacity that has led to the poor delivery of services.

Andrew’s determination and drive to get Good Africa running is unparalleled, the immense sacrifice and risks he had to take all taking into account that the early years of founding were the tightest on capital expenditure and funding allocation. It highlights how many entrepreneurs have lack of access to capital regardless of social class (as an Oxford educated and upper-class entrepreneur - he too was subject to the systems bureaucracy). The Andrew’s journey signifies how Africans will make the most of what they have and are given (even the scraps) all in the name of perseverance to do business.

Andrew saw the potential and gaps within the global product value chain as a student in the UK, heaving never seen any products within supermarkets, let alone coffee, manufactured in Africa on supermarket shelves. Andrew’s goal of manufacturing value added coffee also included the transformation of using trade to foster wealth and community development within Uganda.

By investing in not only the business but the communities enabling the production of Coffee in Uganda, it exemplifies the importance of inclusive wealth creation as Good African ultimately changed and transformed communities and livelihoods of beneficiaries within them.

Without community Good African wouldn’t exist, from Andrew’s wife’s support, family, friends to the church and former classmates the success of his entrepreneurial efforts were all through community and collaboration in the efforts to put Ugandan coffee in shelves in SA, UK and the US.

Four words: Perseverance, Faith, Community, Change

[Equal Opportunity Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good African Coffee, founded in 2003, was the first African-owned, grown and processed coffee brand to be sold in US and UK supermarkets. The company achieved this against great odds, keeping the slogan “trade, not aid” at the front of all of their dealings and decisions. ⠀
🍫⠀
If you’re looking for a light-hearted, warm and fuzzy memoir of friendly farmers, lofty bankers and the little businessman that could…this is not it. A Good African Story is kind of a Frankenbook; part Ugandan economics textbook, part case-study, part global economic policy critique, part business development retrospective, with few anecdotes about the actual people involved. It’s crisp, dry, and exceedingly well-researched. The critiques(notably of Fairtrade and ongoing capital access problems in Uganda) are thoughtfully laid out and packed with proof. Rugasira is an economist and it shows–much of the book is spent describing various financial concepts and illustrating how they play out, first in Ugandan business, then in Africa at large. ⠀
🍒⠀
The sheer amount of information shared turns out to be a weakness. The book is so focused on outlining economic principles that it left me with tons of questions about other things only briefly mentioned. The role of Ugandan Asians in economic disparities, the daily workings of coffee farmer collectives, why the brand failed in South Africa, and the life of Rugasira himself are skimmed over but have a huge influence on the company’s genesis. Also, despite the hard work, the Good African story seems to be one of endless cash flow problems and systemic frustrations. It’s spoken of candidly but not very proactively. Tellingly, the company seems to have dropped off the radar entirely around 2013, and I wasn’t able to find out what’s happened to it since. Friends of the UK who were fans of the brand tell me they haven’t seen it in quite a while.
☕⠀
It’s very informative but it really only hints at the heart of the matters it broaches, despite its wonderfully optimistic premise. 3 stars and an interest-free loan to A Good African Story.

If you liked this review, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or check out my blog. Peace, fellow readers!

[Njatha Wanjiku · Rating 4 out of 5]

The failure of establishing an indigenous capitalist group in Africa and Uganda in particular has been explained by Rugasira in his book; A Good African story.
British colonisation sought to establish, nourish and protect the economic interests of the British. Africans, seen as Savage and backward and unable to grasp the fine economic principles and also fearing competition were designated economic activities with the least returns. They were engaged in subsistence farming and cash crop farming with the surplus designated for export markets. No emphasis was placed on value addition.
As a result, Africans didn't get the intellectual and on job training that comes with expanding into processing. This reinforce the earlier belief that they are inherently unprepared for market dynamics.
Andrew delves into the multitude of problems faced by indigenous entrepreneurs in Africa as he works to set up a company that not only works to make a profit but invests in the farmers to ensure they grow the best cofee

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew, in this book, provides a candid story of an entrepreneur with a burning ambition to change how Africa is viewed globally. He wants to do this by selling an African FMCG brand in major UK and US supermarket chains. This involves a lot, as you'll find out from the book.

A key takeaway from the book is that any journey seeking to transform Africa involves a serious battle with structure. This battle is fought on both sides: both by the very people you are seeking to help and established western perceptions. Andrew speaks about his struggles to raise capital, to establish a functioning business model, to find willing supermarket chains to sell his brand, etc. While these seem to be basic business challenges, they are significantly amplified if your goal is to also cause a radical change in thinking about how business should be done in Africa.

Andrew is a great narrator albeit a little verbose. However, his story offers a unique snapshot of what it takes to build a successful business in Africa.

[Muhammad Syed · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a good read, however, I think the author shed more light on how the GDP and other economic and world factors have affected Africa in the past and somehow continues to do so.

I consider that author wrote less on how his journey shaped up. Much of the text focused on what hardships are faced by an African entrepreneur or business concern.

Still I would recommend this read to all as this book highlights the success of an individual who defeated all odds and obstacles to penetrate UK market and give stiff challenge to world renowned coffee brands

[Museveni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative read. Good referenced analysis on uneven trade relationship between Africa the rest of the world in trade, as well lack of indigenous African capital growth.
Describes the start and the struggles of the business in detail, but does not skips out on (arguably the most important) later successes reached.

[David Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Good African Story: How a Small Company Built a Global Coffee Brand ** Read in São Tomé and Príncipe (Dec 2022)

[Chinelo · Rating 5 out of 5]

What are the stumbling blocks keeping African countries as exclusive states, preventing the creation of wealth and keeping us in positions of dependance on foreign (occidental) aid?
Rugasira noticed that we as Africans are often producers of what we do not consume and consumers of what we do not produce, he saw an opportunity which he seized at once. He shares this in a good African story.
It was a very interesting read, even the passages that went into details of history and politics didn’t lose me (surprisingly!). A must read, especially today because Africa needs young entrepreneurs.

[Nikola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall insightful, but somewhat underwhelming. A. Rugasira mostly talks about the past political realities, some personal biography and fewer mentions of the economics surrounding coffee.

This book is about the author's journey and how his business came to be. Coffee itself is not the focus.

[David Ansara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Ugandan entrepreneur who preaches "trade and not aid" as a solution for Africa's development challenges.

[Melkizedek Owuor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring story about tenacity and perseverance. Good African Story indeed!

[Drew Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Good African Story is a well written, thoughtful memoir about the creation and growth of Good African. I loved learning about a brand I have long admired from such an intimate perspective. Andrew’s analysis of the ecosystem that enables enterprise solutions to be successful in the African context was rigorous and insightful. Some opinions read as ad hominem and problematic, but his unapologetic narrative were appreciated nonetheless. The book certainly plays a tributary role to vendors, donors, and helpers along the way which became annoying at points, but was appropriate given the structure of the story.

[Adisudewa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ini adalah buku pertama yang saya ketahui yang ditulis sendiri oleh seorang social entrepreneur dari negara berkembang. Andrew Rugasira adalah orang Uganda asli, walaupun dengan latar belakang pendidikan dari Inggris. Kisah yang ditulisnya adalah pengalamannya sendiri merintis dan mengembangkan usaha ekspor kopi dari Uganda ke Afrika Selatan, Inggris, dan Amerika Serikat.

Ekspor kopi? Apa susahnya? Bukankah sudah ada bermacam-macam kopi yang berasal dari berbagai negara yang telah tersedia di kedai kopi waralaba di mana-mana?

Kopi, seperti komoditas lainnya, sampai di cangkir kita masing-masing melalui proses yang sangat panjang. Banyak tangan yang terlibat dan mendapatkan keuntungan dari situ, dan seringkali hal ini terjadi dengan mengorbankan kepentingan petani kopi yang umumnya berada di negara tropis berkembang seperti Uganda dan Indonesia.

Andrew Rugasira melihat bahwa sistem rantai pasokan kopi yang berat sebelah ini bukanlah sesuatu yang tidak bisa diubah. Ia ingin memindahkan kontrol atas komoditas dari brand ternama dan importir dari negara maju ke tangan kelas menengah dan kalangan petani asli Afrika. “Good African” menjadi merek dagang yang ia pilih dan supermarket-supermarket di Inggris seperti Tesco dan Salisbury menjadi sasaran penjualannya.

Sejak didirikan tahun 2004 hingga tahun 2013 saat buku ini ditulis, Good African dihadapkan pada berbagai rintangan. Mendapatkan product placement di supermarket tanpa memiliki brand ternama dan tidak memiliki kestabilan pasokan menjadi rintangan terberat. Periode siklus kerja yang panjang dari hulu ke hilir pun menyebabkan Good African kesulitan mendapatkan pinjaman bank, yang rata-rata menyediakan kredit ekspor dengan tenor hanya 3-6 bulan. Skeptisisme juga muncul dari petani kopi yang sudah jenuh dengan berbagai “program bantuan” yang sifatnya musiman.

Andrew Rugasira dengan sangat bersemangat mengisahkan bagaimana ia dan timnya harus jatuh bangun menghadapi semua tantangan yang datang sekaligus. Ini adalah sebuah kisah heroik yang ditulis oleh sang hero sendiri, akan tetapi tidak muncul nuansa menyombongkan diri dari si penulis. Hanya kadang-kadang muncul berbagai ‘curhat’ yang tidak relevan terhadap keseluruhan kisah. Opini pribadi terhadap kemiskinan Afrika juga memakan terlalu banyak halaman yang sebenarnya bisa dialokasikan untuk menuliskan hal yang lebih konkrit mengenai bisnis maupun dampak sosial. Oleh karena itu, saya hanya memberikan rating empat bintang dan bukannya lima bintang. Saya merekomendasikan buku ini untuk siapa saja yang tertarik dengan dunia social entrepreneurship, terutama di bidang komoditas seperti kopi, kakao, atau cash crop lainnya.

[Andrew Kirimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book by an African about African entrepreneurial spirit and potential. His account of pre-colonial Africa's socio-economic structures, the distorted and highly stratified form of capitalism during the colonial period and the consequent 'gate-keeper' economic structures of post-independence Africa was most illuminating. So is his testimony on how difficult it is for African products to succeed in the 'not-so-free-and-fair' global market.

Andrew Rugasira takes every opportunity to drive his 'Trade-not-Aid' message home. While my view on the immediate effect of Foreign Aid on African Money/Liquidity Markets differs slightly (probably because we're thinking in different timescales), we do arrive at the same conclusion about inflationary pressures, associated monetary policy decisions, subsequent levels of domestic debt, dependency and miss-placed accountability by politicians.

While Uganda's image was forever tarnished in my mind after the murder of LGBT Activist David Kato and the ridiculously public, short-sighted, savage yet short-lived proposed 'Kill the Gays' Bill, Andrew Rugasira has played a HUGE part in redeeming the country's image. I am in awe of this man and what he has managed to accomplish with the Good African Coffee Co. Uganda should be proud.

[Franklin Bonner · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author obviously researched the subject matter extensively before writing the initial chapters, but the plethora of citations and references to academic theories on development left me feeling more like I was reading another academic study. The best parts of the book were the stories that were told from the perspective of the coffee farmers themselves. Their challenges in trusting a new methodology for doing business, juxtaposed with the author's struggles to bring legitimacy to his business model are the heart of the book.

[Lorettab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book.
Includes two things I'm quite interested in coffee and small business start ups.
Many wonderful ideas. I love the Trade Not Aid message.
Follow up on this book: 16 March 2015: I tried to buy the product online and it seems to be completely unavailable in the U.S
This was a huge disappointment and I haven't been able to find out why it is not available.
I liked the book very much and loved many of the idea's in the book, however from what I can tell they may have failed as a company.
They seem to have a presence in the UK. I just liked their page on Facebook and posted the questions of where to buy the coffee. ~ L

[Fanos · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Good African Story is a book that helped me see vividly how it is to start business in Africa. Being a social enterpruner has its merits and demerits, especially in African context. This book gave me hope, brought those feeling of 'can do' and ' can be' for Africans living in their countries like me. Through this book I learned more about the impacts of colonial and post-colonial eras in the current institutional and social systems in most of the African countries. I loved that Rugasira narrates the story by writing in detail about the challenges he faced at individual, family and social levels. It gave it more of human touch and was so easy to relate to the stories.

[Jeanine Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of a kind

A Good African Story is an outstanding and inspirational memoir of the little known and poorly understood journey of a visionary entrepreneur in Africa. Buttressed by -and often scathing on the mistakes inherent in- contemporary economic thinking, the book is insightful and thought-provoking. Economic development in Africa needs many, many more Good African Stories. This is a must-read for the continent's development planners and practitioners and for African entrepreneurs, an encouraging beacon.

[Phil Spencer · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very simplistic context section that attempts to make conclusions about the entire continent of Africa. The author should have focused on what he knows...his experience in Uganda. In an effort to provide a reader with a historical and political context, the author fails to provide any new ideas from his experience starting a coffee company. I picked up this book hoping to learn about the challenges of an entrepreneur in the food industry in Uganda, however I found a book pushing it's moto of 'trade not aid.'

[Ronald Rajagukguk · Rating 3 out of 5]

good book which will give you a glance idea on how the business currently being done in africa. the author also talks about how he manage to get the business up and runnging, eventhough there were a lot of obstacles. That parts somehow give a good motivation to with people at developing countries who want to starts entering a develop world market.

[Dincy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book should be on the national curriculum. It is such a refreshing change to read a book on business in Africa, by an African. It is inspirational and informative and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and the can-do feeling it inspired in me.

[Tserhapetros tpb2471 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indeed a good African story. This book is an excellent source of education for African business women & men. In addition, admire the author for his selection of quotes and blending it with the story. Finally, the paragraph about inspiration & integrity is uplifting.

[Nick Sowden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant!

Fantastic. A must read for anyone interested in the debate over charity vs business to help people. The book is well written history, well researched economics and mostly a great syory about am incredible business. And also the coffee is delicious!

[Juliet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just the story of a coffee company, but also a short history of Uganda and a compelling argument for trade not aid.

[Bullpost · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story of succeeding against the odds. It contains an interesting critique of the fairtrade movement and convincingly argues the trade not aid position on Africa.