LIONESS WEEKENDER COVER STORY
Chiswara, reinventing the coffee supply chain through technology to benefit Kenya’s coffee farmers
Catherine Mahugu is a globally acclaimed entrepreneur. She is a software engineer by profession and change-maker by passion. Catherine is a certified human-centred design expert, a skill she acquired at Stanford University. Currently, she is the founder of Chiswara, a tech-enabled specialty coffee company launched in 2018 that offers an equitable coffee experience for both local farmers and global consumers. Partners committed to the company's growth and impact include Alibaba, UNCTAD, and IFC.
“As you embark on your entrepreneurial journey, define success in your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live.” — Catherine Mahugu
Lioness Weekender spoke to Catherine to find out more about her entrepreneurial journey to launching Chiswara and the impact it is making in the lives of Kenya’s coffee farmers.
What does your company do?
Chiswara is a tech enabled specialty coffee company that offers an equitable coffee experience for both local farmers and global consumers. We cultivate relationships with our farmers from the ground up as we ship Kenya’s finest coffee beans straight to your doorstep.
What inspired you to start your company?
In 2017, I was selected as 1 of the 24 African entrepreneurs by UNCTAD and Alibaba to visit Alibaba’s HQ and learn about the digital economy. My trip led to the birth of my current venture known as Chiswara. I was inspired by the financial and digital inclusion Alibaba has created in the rural parts of China. Chiswara works in favour of the rural coffee farmer by selling specialty Kenyan coffee to the world. Chiswara aims to bring inclusive economic development to coffee farmers in Kenya through our online platform.
What makes your business, service or product special?
The Chiswara story begins in the world's prime terroirs where coffee captures the essence of its environment. Chiswara provides single-origin coffee beans from Kenya with its signature roast. Our ethically sourced, single-origin, hand-picked coffee is grown traditionally, harvested naturally and roasted lovingly. They are the star of every cup! By drinking Chiswara speciality coffee, you participate in an industry-wide movement towards fair compensation, gender equity and a democratic voice. A transformation crucial to the sustainability of coffee & the welfare of the farmers who produce it. Our global consumers create a market for transformative models that seek to remedy broken supply chain systems. And consequently, allowing companies like us to continue to imagine an inclusive and sustainable future for coffee.
Tell us a little about your team
Women have been at the forefront of Chiswara's current progress.Their commitment and relentless drive has been a source of inspiration.They strongly believe that Chiswara can bring social and economic change to the coffee producers who act as the stewards of both quality and productivity. In order to achieve Chiswara's goal, we are looking to hire people who want to rewrite the African narrative. We want the continent to be synonymous with premium and luxury products such as Specialty Kenyan coffee roasted at Origin.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
From a young age, I have always been fascinated by technology and gadgets. I was always tinkering with electronics with an intention of trying to fix them. I considered myself a problem solver. My fascination with technology led to my pursuit of studying computer science as my main degree. I was introduced into the world of Entrepreneurship while pursuing my studies. Entrepreneurship was an uphill battle. Being young, female and in a male-dominated industry did not make it any easier. Raw endurance, perseverance and passion kept me going despite obstacles. Fast forward to my world of today. I’m reaping the fruits of the seeds that I planted several years ago.I successfully founded and built a global brand known as Soko. The brand has contributed over $ 1M in the artisanal network within East Africa. Iconic women such as Michelle Obama, Lupita Nyong’o, Nicole Kidman, Oprah Winfrey and Emma Watson have been styled with Soko's jewellery. As fate would have it, I’m going back to my roots, I may not be a farmer but I come from a generation of coffee farmers and I believe that change-- social and technological change is needed to ensure the sustainability of agriculture. My current venture, Chiswara, aims to revolutionize and digitize the coffee value chain. It is paramount to ensure traceability and sustainability of coffee. The driving power behind our brand is steered by the UBUNTU philosophy – “I am because we are”. Success for us means restoring hope in farmers by improving the lives of coffee farming families and safeguarding the future of coffee. Entrepreneurship is for the long haul. If you don't work on your dream, you end up building and living someone's else dream.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
We believe we can bring a transformation that you can taste. Chiswara is reinventing the coffee supply chain to benefit coffee farmers and drinkers alike. We curate the export of high-cupping specialty coffee. Farmers earn more, we charge less for your premium coffee crafted from farms of the finest coffee varietals delivered straight to your doorstep. Our aim to pay the rural coffee farmers above market price. As a result, they can reinvest in their farms, hire and retain the best workers. Our aspiration is for Chiswara to be synonymous with the finest coffee beans from around the world, sustainability and traceability.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
My vision is to champion new ideas that transform society’s systems, provide benefits for everyone and improve the lives of millions of people. As a change-maker, I believe in disrupting the status quo in order to achieve social justice. A world run by ethical leaders is a place where the most essential needs of communities and nations drive action. I am in service of creating stronger societies and fostering inclusive social change and economic development.
As an African entrepreneur and a champion for the new economy, I'm currently embarking on a journey as a builder and ambassador of the digital transformation in Africa. Today, we have to be smart to make sure we do not miss the opportunity the 4th industrial revolution represents, both as an engine of growth and as a source of inclusiveness. I aspire to use my voice at global forums to re-defining the African narrative. I believe in a new world order where emerging countries are perceived as a nest and a hotbed of innovation.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
As you embark on your entrepreneurial journey, define success in your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live.
Failure is an opportunity in disguise. As your business grows, look at internal failures as opportunities to fix, innovate, and grow.
Find out more about Chiswara
