How to export specialty coffee to Europe

We have been producing coffee for many years now, and like many coffee producers, we wanted to become specialty coffee exporters to avoid selling it to middlemen in Colombia. We now want to share with you how we have found a way to export our coffee beans to Europe.

We are sure that you have read many blogs or web pages, such as the CBI, that explain all the requirements and laws in regard to importing coffee to Europe. But they do not give you clear, step-by-step guidance on how to find clients. 

We imagine that you have googled importers and roasters. You sent them a thousand emails, but you did not get responses. Worse, you called them directly, and they gave you a thousand turns. Some might have asked you for samples, sending which cost a lot of money, and after you waited for weeks, they told you that your coffee is good, but they do not need more providers.

We know that you are frustrated because your coffee is of excellent quality. Yet, you have to sell it in the local market to large companies or intermediaries who take advantage of you not having a direct sales channel and pay you the local market price or lower, taking all the profits.

If you have already gone through all these hurdles, do not give up. We are going to show you how to get results.

Pay close attention, because the world of coffee is changing rapidly, all thanks to technology. Today, roasters make use of platforms that allow direct trade between producers and roasters. These platforms are known as MARKETPLACES.

For those of you unfamiliar with the term, a marketplace is an online platform where products are bought and sold. An example of a marketplace is eBay.com or Alibaba.com.

Although marketplaces have been in use for many years, specialized marketplaces for green coffee are relatively new.

These specialized platforms are being used by a new generation of coffee shops that are appearing in every city in Europe. These platforms are dedicated to specialty coffee and promote sustainability and fair trade. 

So, your goal should be to sell your coffee to these small independent coffee shops through the platforms they use.

We are going to mention a few of these platforms and briefly explain how each of them works, since not all of them work in the same way.

Beyco is a platform created by Progreso Foundation, a non-profit foundation in the Netherlands. The platform’s sole objective is to help coffee growers from all over the planet get customers in Europe. It charges absolutely nothing to sign up and does not charge commission on sales either.

Farmly is a company created in Brazil and has offices in Amsterdam. At the moment, it works with producers from Colombia and Brazil. The company charges the buyer a commission, but it brings more sales than Beyco since it promotes the coffee in an effective way and also takes care of all the logistics.

Algrano is without a doubt the best platform on the market currently. Like Farmly, it charges a commission to the buyer. It is well known by roasters all over Europe. Located in Switzerland, Algrano has warehouses in Germany.

Now, you know how you can find clients in the European market. It is quite simple. You just have to register on the marketplaces specializing in coffee. But you must be patient. Sales are not immediate, and you have to go through the registration and some other processes first.

There are many other platforms out there. You just have to search for “coffee marketplace” on Google, and you will find numerous platforms.

This new type of business is creating a positive change in the world of coffee, since it benefits coffee growers by giving them the opportunity to sell their coffee directly, thus increasing their profit margins.

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