Green coffee
Specialty Green Coffee
- Separation
- Station · day lot
- Basis of contract
- Sample approval
- Reported
- Moisture · aW · screen
Specialty Coffee from six East African origins
- TanzaniaFully washed · NaturalAA · A · ABJune–October in the south; July–December in the north
- UgandaNatural (Robusta) · Washed Arabica (WUGAR)Screen 18 · Screen 17 · Screen 15Robusta main crop November–February with a fly crop April–July; Elgon Arabica October–February
- KenyaFully washed with soak · Mbuni (natural)E · AA · ABMain crop October–December; early (fly) crop May–July
- EthiopiaFully washed · Natural (sun-dried)Grade 1 · Grade 2 · Grade 3October–January, varying by region and altitude
- RwandaFully washed · Natural (growing)Grade 1 (fully washed) · Grade 2 · Screen 15+March–July, with the peak in April and May
- BurundiFully washed with soak · Natural (limited)Grade A · Grade B · Screen 15+March–July
Quick answer
Specialty separations are defined by how tightly the coffee is kept apart: station or factory level as standard, with delivery-period and day-lot separations available in smaller volumes. Every lot is offered with its physical analysis and is contracted against an approved sample.
Separation is the product
| Level | Identity | Typical parcel | Cost driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regional | Region plus grade | Container scale | Minimal |
| Station / factory | Named station or factory, outturn where applicable | Tens of bags upwards | Separate milling runs |
| Delivery period | Station plus harvest week | Small parcels | Separate drying and milling |
| Day lot / micro-lot | A single day’s cherry, processed separately | A few bags | Dedicated tank, bed and mill run |
What each origin gives you natively differs — Kenya’s factory-and-outturn system provides granular identity as a by-product of how it already works, while Ugandan Robusta’s dispersed dry processing makes station-level identity harder. See coffee traceability.
What comes with a specialty offer
Offer contents
- Lot identity
- Origin, region, station or factory, outturn or batch reference
- Process detail
- Preparation, fermentation style, drying substrate
- Physical analysis
- Moisture, water activity, screen analysis, defect count, density on request
- Cup
- Tasting notes and, where cupped, a score with the protocol stated
- Crop
- Crop year and harvest period
- Quantity
- Bags available, and whether the parcel can be split
- Packaging
- Bag format and liner
- Sample
- Availability and dispatch timing
On scores
A cupping score is a measured figure against a stated protocol, or it is nothing. We do not publish estimated scores, and we do not quote a score for a lot that has not been cupped. Ask which protocol and how many cups.
By origin
| Origin | Specialty lots come from | Identified at | Typical cup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tanzania | AMCOS and central pulperies in the northern and southern belts, plus peaberry | AMCOS or central pulpery, with delivery period available | Northern lots lean bright and structured — blackcurrant, citrus, cocoa. Southern lots are typically sweeter and rounder, with stone fruit, brown sugar and softer acidity. |
| Uganda | Washed Bugisu from Mount Elgon; washing stations in Kigezi and the Rwenzori | Washing station for Arabica; collection area for Robusta | Robusta ranges from neutral, heavy-bodied commercial cups to clean, sweet, low-rubber screen-graded lots. Elgon Arabica is typically winey and full-bodied; DRUGAR shows dried-fruit and spice character. |
| Kenya | Cooperative factories — AA, AB and PB by outturn | Cooperative factory plus dry-mill outturn number | At its most typical: blackcurrant and tomato-leaf aromatics, high malic/citric acidity, dense body and a long, savoury-sweet finish. |
| Ethiopia | Washing stations in Yirgacheffe, Sidama, Guji and Limu; washed and natural | Washing station, within woreda and kebele | Washed lots: jasmine, bergamot, citrus, tea-like body. Naturals: blueberry, strawberry, tropical fruit, heavier sweetness. Regional character is pronounced and consistent enough to specify by name. |
| Rwanda | Coffee washing stations; Bourbon-dominant washed lots | Coffee washing station, with sector and delivery week available | Orange and red apple acidity, floral top notes, caramel sweetness and a silky body. Well-separated lots can be highly structured. |
| Burundi | Hillside washing stations reporting by colline | Washing station, with the colline recorded | Black tea, citrus and stone fruit with a juicy, sometimes delicate body. Cleanly processed lots are bright without being sharp. |
Specialty enquiries
Tell us the separation level, profile and volume. We will confirm what the current crop supports, with the lot identity and physical analysis stated.
Request Current Crop OfferCurrent crop
Current Specialty Lots
Availability is confirmed on enquiry
We do not publish a standing stock list for specialty coffee. What can be offered depends on the harvest in progress, what has been milled and what is already committed, so each offer is confirmed against the current crop when you ask — with the lot’s specification and the date its position was checked.
For when each origin typically ships, see the coffee crop calendar.
Processing
Specialty Coffee by processing method
The largest lever available at origin, and the one a buyer can specify most directly.
Quality
How we evaluate specialty coffee
Every parcel is assessed on the same sequence before it is offered, and again before it is loaded. What is reported for a given lot depends on what the buyer specifies.
- 01Physical gradePreparation class against the origin’s own system
- 02Screen distributionRetention plus the percentage passing
- 03Defect analysisFull defects per 300 g on a stated weighting table
- 04MoistureRange plus the measurement method and instrument
- 05Water activityWhere the buyer specifies it, for storage stability
- 06DensityBulk density in g/L, for roast planning
- 07Sample roastTo a cupping profile, not a commercial roast
- 08CuppingMultiple cups, against the approved sample
- 09Buyer approvalThe retained sample the shipment is measured against
Export
Packaging and export
Packaging is specified at contract stage rather than requested afterwards, because it changes both the price and the container arithmetic. Four of our six origins are landlocked, which makes the inland leg the largest single source of schedule variance — shipment windows are built around port arrival, not mill readiness.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the smallest specialty lot you can supply?
Can I get the same station again next season?
Do all specialty lots come with a cupping score?
How far in advance should I book specialty lots?
Keep reading
Related technical guides
The reference material behind the specification fields on this page.
Request an offer
Tell us the specialty coffee you need
Origin, region, process, grade, screen, moisture, defect tolerance, crop year and packaging. Send what you know and we will confirm what each origin realistically supports for the current crop.