Compare green coffee suppliers on the approved lot, the usable coffee you receive and the full delivered cost. A quotation per kilogram is only comparable when quality, quantity, delivery terms and responsibilities are aligned.
First, compare the same product
A cafe buying roasted beans and a roaster buying green beans are making different purchases. Training and espresso-machine support may matter to a cafe; they do not replace a roaster's need for representative green samples, lot specifications and supply clarity.
Ask each supplier to quote the same volume, quality specification and delivery point. State whether you want a coffee for a daily espresso, a filter feature or a blend component. Do not compare a small airfreighted sample with a consolidated sea shipment as though their logistics costs were identical.
Ask for evidence attached to the lot
Request variety, processing description, harvest information, available quantity, packaging and lot identification. Where relevant, ask for moisture, water activity and defect information, together with the method and date of assessment. If a score is advertised, ask who assessed the coffee and whether the result represents the lot being offered.
A producer card can introduce a coffee. An approved sample and a written lot specification make the purchase more concrete. Keep a reference sample so the delivered coffee can be compared with what was agreed.
Taste before committing to volume
Ask whether the sample is representative of the available export lot. Record your sample roast, preparation and sensory observations. Test the roast applications that matter to your customers, then confirm whether quality remains acceptable at the intended price.
A recognisable variety is not a substitute for cupping. Nor should a process description such as "72-hour fermentation" be treated as an automatic quality ranking. Buy the cup and the specification, not only the headline.
Build a delivered-cost comparison
Use: coffee price + origin preparation and transport + export documentation + freight and insurance + destination handling and clearance + storage or delivery + service fees. Keep tax cash flows separate from operating margin and have the responsible importer confirm their treatment.
Illustrative example only: a USD 10/kg coffee with USD 3/kg of allocated logistics costs reaches USD 13/kg before any other charges. Another offer at USD 12/kg including those same services could be cheaper. These figures are arithmetic examples, not current market quotes. Allocate fixed shipment charges over the actual shipment weight.
Put responsibilities in writing: exporter, importer, broker, receiving party and final delivery point. Confirm the Incoterm, named location, payment milestones, inspection arrangements and response if the delivery does not meet the specification. Port arrival is not automatically delivery to your roastery.
For Dubai, ask who will clear the cargo and who is authorised to receive it. For another destination, rebuild the destination section rather than copying UAE assumptions. Freight and regulatory details belong to the actual route and contracting parties.
Three questions before the order
Is the lowest price always best? No; compare the same product and cost scope. Should the supplier promise every support service? Only contracted services count.
How large should the first order be? Enough for the agreed trial or confirmed demand, with a clear plan for using it.
Request QORILUNA's current Peruvian green coffee information, representative samples and a quotation with a clearly defined cost scope.
