Australian retail giant Cotton On is not just about business - it has also been busy building the Cotton On Foundation.
The Foundation has officially launched its largest sustainability project, Mannya Trading Co.
Mannya Trading Co is a specialty coffee blend that is grown in plantations located in the Southern and Western regions of Uganda.
Coffee plants are harvested twice a year by local farmers, who are involved in every step of the crop to cup process.
The 250g bags of high-quality Robusta and Arabica coffee beans will be available to purchase online and at selected Cotton On Australia stores for $9.95.
All profits from the sale of Mannya Trading Co. coffee will be reinvested back into the initiative to improve processing facilities and provide coffee growing education to Ugandan farmers.
Mannya Trading Co manager Ross Burrage said the majority of the Ugandan population living below the poverty line, on $1.25 a day.
The initiative will aim to break the cycle of poverty, he said.
“Uganda is a great climate for growing coffee, so what we’re really doing is setting farmers up with facilities and equipping them with the ‘know-‐how’ in best-‐practice coffee farming.
“We trade directly with the farmers and purchase the coffee off them for around 20 per cent above market value.
“Our aim is to provide them with a sustainable income generating project that will see better education, healthcare and infrastructure in their villages for many years to come.”
The entire process is undertaken by hand- from picking, to drying, hulling and roasting.
Available in ground and whole bean, Mannya Trading Co. coffee offers five different flavours in Arabica blends.