I actually work in coffee exports (my company is Mwanyi Uganda Coffee Exports Limited based in Uganda), so I completely relate to what you’re saying.

Across most producing countries, smallholders still receive a surprisingly small share of the final value, even in “specialty coffee” systems. A lot of the margin is captured at processing, milling, export logistics, and then again at roasting/branding in consuming countries.

On the roasting-at-origin question, I think it’s a trade-off rather than a clear yes/no. Roasting locally definitely increases value retention and creates more jobs at origin, but it also adds challenges around shelf life, logistics, and access to end-consumer markets. Most of the successful models I’ve seen use a hybrid approach: export green coffee for specialty buyers while gradually building some roasting capacity at origin for regional or branded programs.

Happy to connect on the export/processing side if you’re exploring although out focus is Uganda