Most people know that coffee farmers often get a raw deal in terms of purchase price of their beans. They typically see penies on the dollar when comparing their margins to those of the major roasters.

I am looking to start a small roasting company some time early next year, and hope to do things a bit differently, by paying farmers a higher purchase price for their coffee. Its not completely altruistic, as I think their is a true demand for products that are produced and purchased in fair and just ways, and I hope to take advantage of that. My question to you all is, does anyone have any suggestions for buying direct from farmers here in the US?

I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua, and have some personal connections with a handful of growers there (I am even looking to bring in 2500 pounds of their beans in March). But I would like to bring in some other Origins. I have found the following sites, which look promising, but the prices are a bit high and im not entirely sure how much they are paying the farmers:

http://thrivefarmers.com/the-thrive-story/
https://www.javabeanplus.com
http://www.coffeebeandirect.com/

Anybody out there have any direct connections and would like to sell green coffee? Are there other sources online?

Thanks,
Blake

Blakethomas wrote:...

I am looking to start a small roasting company some time early next year, and hope to do things a bit differently, by paying farmers a higher purchase price for their coffee. Its not completely altruistic, as I think their is a true demand for products that are produced and purchased in fair and just ways, and I hope to take advantage of that. My question to you all is, does anyone have any suggestions for buying direct from farmers here in the US?

...

Talk with Melanee (Peace Coffee, http://www.peacecoffee.com/about-us/our-crew.php). Peace is one of about 25-30 shops that work as a consortium buying FTO greens directly from farmers on a variety of continents. I am sure there are strict purchasing agreements you must enter into rather than an occasional buy, now and then. You can't just grab a bag.

I'll take a look. Thank you.

Blakethomas wrote: My question to you all is, does anyone have any suggestions for buying direct from farmers here in the US?

Blake, "buying direct" means different things to different people. One wide misconception is that a roaster can simply bypass all the middle people, place an order with a farmer and have it arrive on his loading dock. Importing coffee is never a two-party transaction. It requires transport, storage, customs and duty expertise at a minimum, all of which must be paid for.

You also need to know exactly what farm, variety, processing method and grade of coffee you are buying and have a way to compare what is delivered with what you thought you were buying (and a way to resolve disputes when they don't match).

You also need a relationship that will insure loyalty on both sides when prices suddenly rise or fall. Otherwise your precious coffee may suddenly become "unavailable."

The best place to start reading is Andi Trindle Mersch's Roast Magazine article here: http://www.roastmagazine.com/resources/ ... ection.pdf.

And if you are coming to the SCAA Expo in Seattle in April, Andi and I are giving our third presentation on direct trade. The previous programs were packed with farmers eager to meet direct trade importers. So, I highly recommend it for you.

Take a flight to Hawaii, go see a farmer, go buy his coffee. Probably would be best to give him a call prior to buying your ticket. Or you could ask him to send them to you by mail.

If you want to buy from other countries, I believe it depends on how much you plan to buy as to if you'll need an importer license. It may also depend on if you plan to sell the coffee. But if you're buying for personal use you may have different or less restrictions on importing coffee. You'll have to check the USDA rules. Green coffee is really a seed, although I think they don't classify it as such since it won't grow naturally (in ground outdoors) anywhere in the US except Hawaii or Caribbean territories.

As Marshall mentioned, a lot of the expense comes from the freight and import related hassles.

Alternative to the real direct method, you could buy from sweetmarias. From what I can tell, they seem to travel the world to find the best coffees and buy either direct or through cooperatives. They only buy what they feel is great coffee, so personally I've grown to trust both their cupper's taste buds, as well as the notion that everything available on their site does turn out great for me.

Thank you for your replies. Im in talks with a broker/import company now. Definitely a lot of work involved, but im hoping it will be worth it.

Blake