We are all staring into the crystal ball, trying to predict how our industry will look in the aftermath of the curfews and lock downs. Everyone in the specialty coffee value chain is adapting on the fly, and that includes importers. We are working to keep everyone in the value chain in business, which means adjusting our own buying plans for the remainder of the year, and finding ways to help you adapt and plan. 

We’re working to keep you working

We know it is hard to commit to large volumes of coffee right now, so we are offering free shipping for volumes as low as five bags (300kg). See our offers list for details. 

We are also adjusting our discount structure to make it easier for you to access great coffees for less. We’ll let you know the details soon. 

What to expect, origin by origin

We will reduce our volumes of coffees for the remainder of the year, which means our Spot offers list might look a little different than what you are used to. Additionally, restrictions in different origin countries are limiting the volumes of coffee coming out, which means there will be less coffee available in the coming months. Here is a guide to what we know from each origin, to help you plan for the remainder of the year. 

Colombia

Current and incoming stocks:
We have recent arrivals from the late 2019 harvest currently in the warehouse. There will be a new harvest starting soon and we hope to ship more coffee in Autumn. Colombians are good substitutes if you can’t find the Centrals you need. 

Current situation at origin: 
Covid-19 restrictions have slowed down the supply chain. While coffee is considered an essential industry to the country’s economy, and is therefore allowed to continue operating, curfews and a lack of transport have reduced the available manpower. Additionally, the restrictions are limiting the movement of pickers in the country, making it hard for farmers to find necessary labour when the cherries ripen. 

We expect this will reduce both availability and quantity for the next harvest. Additionally, mainly due to the drop in the value of the Colombian peso, the local price of export-quality coffee has increased considerably. This means there is less incentive for farmers to invest in specialty which could further reduce volumes of high quality coffee available which will push prices up. The current value of the USD to the COP will mitigate some of this cost, but we expect that high quality Colombians will be more expensive this year. 

With internal travel restrictions in most origins, farmers are worried they won’t be able to find pickers when harvest begins.


Peru

Current and incoming stocks: 
We have a couple of lots in the warehouse and we’re expecting to receive more in Autumn. Peru coffees are good substitutes if you can’t find the Centrals you need. 

Current situation at origin: 
The harvest in the higher altitudes, where we source our coffees, will begin soon. The country was in a full lockdown but the government recently reopened supply chains for agricultural products. We hope everything will be running smoothly by the time our coffees are ready to ship in August/September. Our export partner is opening more buying stations to limit the number of farmers congregating at each purchase point. 

Brazil

Current and incoming stocks: 
We have good volumes in stock in our warehouse. We are planning new shipments from October.

Current situation at origin: 
Our producers still have some time before they start harvesting again so we’re not worrying yet, however Brazil is currently struggling to find labour for picking. Our partners expect a bumper crop in many places, where everything ripens at once, meaning they need a good workforce to manage. This can challenge the volumes of specialty. Some expect the internal prices will increase.

Uganda

Current and incoming stocks: 
We have some coffees in stock and another container on the water. This is a good option if you are looking for “softer” Africans, both washed and naturals. 

Current situation at origin: 
We have experienced some delays on shipping for the last container, but fortunately it’s now en route. The next harvest approaches and there are some challenges with staffing, cherry collection, and transport due to lock downs and restrictions on the amount of people that can be together at the same time.  

Ethiopia

Current and incoming stocks: 
We have wrapped up our Ethiopian buying for the season and we have good volumes currently in stock and on their way. We have a good range, the coffees are great, and we should be able to cover your needs. 

If you know you will need a bigger lot, we recommend you make decisions sooner rather than later. If you need smaller volumes or a broader range, there is less of a rush.

Current situation at origin: 
The country is in a state of emergency and restrictions on movement and gatherings are very strict. We expect it will be more and more difficult to ship coffees in the coming months due to a lack of containers. 


Kenya

Current and incoming stocks: 
What is currently on our offer list is what we have available for this season and the quality is high. If you know you need Kenyans, you should take a look now as volumes are more limited this year. 

Current situation at origin: 
We expect there will be lower volumes from Kenya available in the market this year. 


Honduras 

Current and incoming stocks: 
What is currently on our offer list is what we have available for this season. We are still able to pre-contract and ship coffees for roasters ready to commit to higher volumes. Ask your sales representative for offers and samples.


El Salvador 

Current and incoming stocks: 
We are expecting a container in late June. Our selection this year is limited, and we will only offer naturals, honeys and special preps. If you can’t find volumes or profiles of washed coffees from Central America, we have good Colombians and Peruvian coffees that could work well as replacements. Offer samples available soon.


Indonesia

Current and incoming stocks: 
We have some lots in stock. We hope to ship more coffees from August/September.

Current situation at origin
The country is in lock down and the government is reassessing the situation every two weeks. The harvest period for our coffees will start soon and the impact of restrictions is unknown for now. We hope to ship coffees from August/September.


Planning your buying for 2020

We know this is hard so please get in touch. We can look at the various options and tailor flexible solutions to ensure you have the coffee you need for the coming months. 

For the next two – eight months, we recommend the following: 

Medium – Large volumes
If you normally buy your main volumes directly from origin or in large spot volumes, but you are not sure you can commit to these volumes this year, we may have some solutions for you. We are working on different pricing structures for larger purchases from a single project, and for earlier commitments. We’ll let you know the details soon. 

Smaller volumes
If you normally buy spot and want to ensure you have a full offering this year, we are happy to make a program together to ensure there are the coffees you need. Free shipping on smaller volumes can also mitigate risk, and help with cash flow and planning. 


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