What does a green coffee buyer do, part 4: pre-contracting

May 29, 2019

There are many steps to making a purchase decision and flavour is just the beginning. The value chain has many checkpoints and several things can happen along the way. We’re dealing with a fresh moving product after all. It is crucial I understand what a sample represents, and how much of a commitment I must make to secure the lot.

What does a green coffee buyer do – part 3: first selections

May 22, 2019

Ethiopian coffees are renowned for needing some time to open up. One of the key skills a coffee buyer must hone is cupping fresh coffees. Buyers need to be able to taste beyond the astringency and muted flavours, to the coffee it will become.

Part 3 in a series first published on our Tropiq blog: What does a green coffee buyer do?

What does a green coffee buyer do – part 2: reporting

May 16, 2019

Reporting from origin means taking copious notes to capture both the technical details, and the emotions that run high when meeting the people who produce these coffees.

Part 2 in a series first published on our Tropiq blog: What does a green coffee buyer do?

What does a green coffee buyer do – part 1: planning

May 13, 2019

Many coffee professionals hear a coffee buyer talk about travel to exotic countries, and dream of doing the same one day. It is a fantastic job and I feel so privileged to be able to do this work, but there are many misconceptions about the life of a green coffee buyer.

Part 1 in a series first published on our Tropiq blog: What does a green coffee buyer do?