How to Source Coffee Beans for Your Coffee Shop

Running a coffee shop with the best espresso machine and perfect location means nothing if you’re sourcing mediocre coffee beans; your business won’t survive.

Too many passionate owners struggle because they don’t understand how to source coffee beans that balance quality, cost, and consistency. 

New coffee shop owners feel overwhelmed by the complex coffee supply chain, yet your coffee bean supplier relationship directly impacts 30-40% of costs and defines your entire customer experience. 

Here’s what successful coffee businesses understand: Knowing how to source coffee beans—whether green coffee or roasted coffee beans- isn’t just procurement; it’s strategic positioning.

When you build relationships with the right coffee suppliers and develop sourcing strategies prioritizing both the best coffee quality and profitability, you create competitive advantages that competitors can’t replicate. Your beans define everything. 

Ready to source smarter, not just cheaper? 

Learn how to source coffee beans strategically, build strong supplier relationships, and create a sourcing strategy that balances quality and profitability for long-term coffee business success.

What Does It Mean to Source Coffee Beans, and Why Does Your Sourcing Strategy Matter?

Let’s talk about the fundamentals of how to source coffee beans for your business. As a coffee business marketing consultant who blogs about coffee businesses, I’ve watched sourcing decisions make or break coffee shop success stories.

Understanding the Coffee Supply Chain Journey

Sourcing coffee beans involves understanding the entire journey from origin to your espresso machine. Coffee travels through multiple hands before reaching your customers’ cups.

The coffee supply chain path:

• Coffee growers: Farmers in origin countries cultivating and harvesting beans
• Exporters: Companies handling logistics from farms to shipping ports
• Importers: Distributors bringing beans into your country and managing inventory
• Roasters: Processors transforming green beans into roasted coffee you brew
• Your café: Final link serving brewed coffee to customers

Choosing the right partners at each stage determines your coffee quality and consistency.

How Sourcing Coffee beans Impacts Quality, Profitability, and Success

I worked with a coffee shop struggling with inconsistent quality because they bought whatever beans were cheapest weekly.

After establishing a relationship with one quality roaster, their customer complaints dropped 60% and repeat visits increased dramatically.

Sourcing strategy business impact:

• Quality consistency: Reliable partners deliver predictable flavor profiles
• Cost management: Coffee beans represent 15-20% of total revenue
• Customer retention: Quality impacts retention by up to 45%
• Brand positioning: Your beans communicate whether you’re premium or budget

Matching Sourcing Approach to Business Stage

Choosing the right sourcing approach depends on where you are in your coffee shop journey and what the best beans mean for your concept.

Sourcing by business stage:

• Startup phase: Partner with established local roasters for reliability
• Growing business: Negotiate better terms as volume increases
• Established operation: Consider direct trade or custom roasting relationships

Supply chain understanding, strategic partner selection, and stage-appropriate sourcing create coffee programs that deliver consistent quality while protecting profitability.

Should You Buy Green Coffee Beans or Source Pre-Roasted Coffee from a Roaster?

Let’s talk about the roasting decision that impacts how you’ll source coffee beans long-term. This choice affects your startup costs, quality control, and operational complexity significantly when learning how to source coffee beans for your business.

In-House Roasting: Green Bean Sourcing Approach

Buying green beans and roasting yourself offers maximum control and freshly roasted coffee on demand, but requires substantial investment and expertise that many coffee shops don’t have initially.

Green bean roasting advantages:

• Ultimate freshness: Roast exactly what you need when you need it
• Roast profile control: Customize profiles for your specific preferences
• Lower per-pound costs: Green beans cost 30-40% less than roasted beans
• Brand differentiation: Roastery becomes part of your unique story

In-house roasting challenges:

• Equipment investment: $5,000-$50,000 for commercial roasting equipment
• Expertise required: Learning to roast consistently takes months or years
• Time commitment: Roasting, cooling, degassing adds operational complexity
• Minimum volumes: Need consistent volume to justify equipment investment

Partnering With Established Coffee Roasters

Most successful coffee shops start by partnering with quality roasters who handle the technical complexity while you focus on customer experience and high-quality coffee service.

Roasted coffee partnership benefits:

• Lower startup costs: No roasting equipment investment needed
• Professional expertise: Access roasters’ years of experience immediately
• Consistent quality: Established roasters deliver reliable flavor profiles
• Flexible ordering: Smaller minimums (5-10 pounds) vs. green bean bulk
• Support services: Training, equipment maintenance, marketing materials

Hybrid Approach and Transition Strategy

Smart operators start with roaster partnerships, then consider adding in-house roasting only after proving their business model works.

Strategic transition timeline:

• Years 1-2: Partner with roaster, focus on operations and customers
• Years 3-4: Consider roasting if doing 200+ pounds weekly consistently
• Year 5+: Add roasting capacity while maintaining roaster relationships for backup

Decision framework questions:

• Are you consistently using 200+ pounds of roasted coffee weekly?
• Do you have dedicated staff with roasting expertise or training time?
• Can you invest $20,000-$50,000 without impacting critical operations?

Realistic assessment and strategic timing help you source coffee beans through partnerships initially while building toward in-house roasting when volume and expertise justify the investment.

How Do You Find and Evaluate Quality Coffee Suppliers for Your Coffee Shop?

 Finding the right partners determines whether you consistently serve excellent coffee or struggle with unpredictable quality.

Understanding Different Coffee Supplier Types

Every coffee shop needs to understand supplier categories before deciding how to source coffee beans effectively for their specific business model and volume needs.

Coffee supplier categories:

• Local roasters: Small-batch specialty roasters in your region (10-50 pound orders)
• Wholesale distributors: Larger operations serving multiple shops (50+ pound minimums)
• Specialty importers: Direct relationships with origin farms (high quality, higher prices)
• Direct trade connections: Buying directly from coffee industry cooperatives (requires expertise)

Each category serves businesses of different sizes, quality standards, and budgets.

Critical Supplier Evaluation Criteria

I’ve watched coffee shops fail because they chose suppliers based on price alone, ignoring reliability and quality consistency that determine customer satisfaction daily.

Essential vetting criteria:

• Quality consistency: Request samples, cup multiple times, verify batch-to-batch reliability
• Pricing transparency: Clear pricing with no hidden fees or sudden increases
• Minimum orders: Match to your weekly consumption (don’t overstock for minimums)
• Delivery reliability: Consistent schedule, preventing stockouts during busy periods
• Support services: Training, equipment maintenance, troubleshooting assistance

Critical questions to ask suppliers:

• What’s your typical delivery timeline and reliability record?
• Can I visit your roasting facility and meet your team?
• What happens if I receive off-quality beans?
• Do you offer cupping sessions and coffee education?

Building Multi-Supplier Relationships for Security

Relying on a single supplier creates vulnerability when they have quality issues, supply problems, or business changes.

Strategic supplier portfolio:

• Primary supplier: 70-80% of your volume for consistency
• Backup supplier: Established relationship for emergency supply
• Seasonal specialty source: Limited offerings creating variety and excitement

Red flags to avoid:

• Unwilling to provide references from current customers
• Pressure to sign long-term exclusive contracts immediately
• Inconsistent communication or slow response to questions
• Resistance to facility visits or transparency about sourcing

Understanding supplier types, thorough vetting, and diversified relationships creates supply chains that reliably deliver quality beans when you source coffee beans for your coffee industry business.

What Is Direct Trade Coffee Sourcing, and Should Your Coffee Shop Pursue It?

Let’s talk about direct trade sourcing that’s transforming how to source coffee beans in the specialty coffee industry.

This model appeals to mission-driven shops wanting transparency, but it isn’t right for every business stage.

Understanding Direct Trade Coffee Sourcing

Direct trade means buying straight from coffee farmers or cooperatives, eliminating importers and brokers while building personal relationships that impact every cup of coffee you serve.

Direct trade model characteristics:

• Farmer relationships: Personal connections with growers at origin
• Price transparency: Know exactly what farmers receive for their beans
• Quality collaboration: Work directly on processing and cultivar selection
• Story authenticity: First-hand origin stories you can share with customers
• Mutually beneficial: Fair prices for growers, unique lots for your shop

This differs from Fair Trade (certification) or standard importing (multiple intermediaries).

Direct Trade Benefits and Real-World Challenges

Direct trade sounds romantic until you realize the logistics complexity, minimum volumes, and origin travel investments required to make it work sustainably.

Direct trade advantages:

• Better compensation for growers through the elimination of middlemen
• Access to exclusive micro-lots unavailable through importers
• Compelling brand storytelling, customers connect with emotionally
• Control over quality standards and processing methods

Direct trade challenges:

• Minimum volumes: Most farms require 500-1,000-pound commitments
• Logistics complexity: Shipping, customs, quality control responsibilities
• Travel costs: $2,000-5,000 annual origin trips for relationship maintenance
• Payment timing: Often paying months before receiving beans

When Direct Trade Makes Strategic Sense

Direct trade works best for established shops with volume, resources, and mission alignment justifying the investment.

Direct trade viability checklist:

• Using 1,000+ pounds annually of single-origin consistently
• Budget for $5,000-10,000 annual origin relationship investment
• Staff expertise to evaluate green coffee quality
• Brand positioning emphasizing transparency and ethical sourcing
• Customer base willing to pay a premium for a direct trade story

Better alternatives for most shops:

• Partner with importers specializing in direct relationships
• Work with roasters who do direct trade and share stories
• Start with one direct relationship while maintaining importer partnerships

Mission alignment, volume capacity, and resource availability determine whether direct trade sourcing creates mutually beneficial relationships that enhance every cup of coffee you serve.

How Do You Source Specialty Coffee That Differentiates Your Coffee Shop?

Learning how to source coffee beans at specialty grade transforms your coffee shop from a commodity provider to a destination for quality-conscious customers.

Understanding Specialty Coffee Quality Standards

Specialty coffee means beans scoring 80+ points on the Specialty Coffee Association scale, with specific requirements for defects, processing, and flavor complexity when you source coffee beans for premium positioning.

Specialty coffee criteria:

• SCA score: 80-100 point scale (80-84 = very good, 85-89 = excellent, 90+ = outstanding)
• Defect standards: Zero Category 1 defects, maximum 5 Category 2 defects per 350g
• Cupping evaluation: Fragrance, flavor, acidity, body, balance, and aftertaste scored
• Processing transparency: Known origin, variety, processing method, harvest date

These standards ensure consistent quality that justifies premium pricing.

Finding Specialty Coffee Suppliers and Unique Lots

Specialty coffee requires different supplier relationships than commodity beans. You need partners connected to quality-focused farms producing limited micro-lots.

Specialty sourcing channels:

• Specialty importers: Companies like Royal Coffee, Cafe Imports, specializing in high scores
• Direct trade programs: Roasters with established farm relationships
• Micro-lot auctions: Cup of Excellence, Best of Panama competitions
• Regional importers: Specialists focusing on specific origins (Ethiopian, Colombian, etc.)

Seasonal harvest calendar:

• Central America: November-March
• South America: April-September
• East Africa: October-December
• Asia-Pacific: Year-round, depending on the region

Balancing Specialty Costs With Menu Strategy

Specialty beans cost $6-12 per pound vs. $3-5 for commodity, but strategic menu placement maximizes profit while justifying premium pricing.

Specialty coffee menu strategy:

• Signature espresso: Showcase specialty blend as house standard
• Single-origin offerings: Feature 2-3 rotating pour-over options
• Seasonal specials: Limited-time micro-lots creating urgency
• Blends for volume: Use specialty in blends for consistency

Customer education tactics:

• Origin cards describing farm, processing, flavor notes
• Cupping events teaching customers about specialty quality
• Price positioning that explains why beans cost more
• Barista training to communicate value during service

Quality standards knowledge, strategic supplier partnerships, and thoughtful menu placement help you source coffee beans at specialty grade that differentiate your shop and justify the premium pricing customers willingly pay.

What Should You Consider When Sourcing Green Coffee Beans to Roast Yourself?

How to source coffee beans in green form requires different suppliers, knowledge, and infrastructure than buying roasted coffee.

Where to Buy Green Coffee Beans

Green bean suppliers serve roasters differently from cafes. Finding the right partners when you source coffee beans unroasted determines your quality and cost effectiveness.

Green coffee sourcing options:

• Specialty importers: Royal Coffee, Cafe Imports (10-bag minimums)
• Green coffee marketplaces: Sweet Maria’s, Burman Coffee (1-5 pound samples)
• Direct importers: Larger volumes (500+ pound orders)
• Sample programs: Test origins before committing to full bags

Green Coffee Pricing and Storage Requirements

Green beans cost less per pound ($2-8 vs. $8-15 roasted), but require proper storage and larger purchases that change cash flow.

Green coffee financial considerations:

• Pricing by volume: $5-8/lb single bags, $4-6/lb for 5+ bags, $3-5/lb containers
• Minimum orders: Most importers require 1-bag minimums (150 pounds)
• Storage needs: Climate-controlled 60-70°F, 60% humidity
• Shelf life: 6-12 months in proper conditions

Developing Roasting Consistency and Quality Control

Roasting consistently takes months of practice and systematic quality control protocols.

Roasting skill timeline:

• Months 1-3: Learning basics, 20-30% waste expected
• Months 4-6: Developing consistency, 10-15% waste
• Months 7-12: Reliable quality, waste under 10%

Essential quality control:

• Daily cupping of roasted batches
• Detailed roast logs tracking time and temperature
• Customer feedback integration

Cost-effectiveness threshold:

• Profitable at 200+ pounds weekly consumption
• Equipment ROI takes 18-24 months at this volume

Reliable green bean sources, proper storage, and systematic skill development make how to source coffee beans in green form viable for roasting operations.

How Can Coffee Shops Source Ethically and Support Sustainable Coffee Farming Practices?

Learning how to source coffee beans responsibly matters to customers who choose coffee shops based on environmental and social commitments.

Understanding Coffee Certifications and Standards

Certifications provide third-party verification when you source coffee beans ethically, but understanding what they guarantee helps you choose meaningful standards over marketing buzzwords.

Major coffee certifications:

• Fair Trade: Guaranteed minimum prices ($1.40-1.80/lb), community development premiums
• Rainforest Alliance: Environmental sustainability, worker welfare, biodiversity protection
• Organic: No synthetic pesticides/fertilizers, premium pricing ($0.30-0.50/lb higher)
• Direct Trade: No certification, but transparent pricing and farmer relationships

Certification realities:

• Cost to growers: $2,000-10,000 annually for certification audits
• Price premiums: 10-30% higher than conventional beans
• Marketing value: Appeals to values-driven customers willing to pay more

Evaluating Supplier Transparency and Practices

Certifications help, but asking suppliers direct questions about their sourcing reveals whether their practices match your values authentically.

Critical supplier questions:

• What percentage of the retail price reaches coffee growers?
• How do you verify environmental practices at origin?
• Do you have long-term relationships with specific farms?
• Can you provide transparency reports or origin visit documentation?
• What community development programs do your partnerships support?

Communicating Your Sourcing Story Authentically

Time to refill your storytelling approach – customers value transparency over perfection. Share real relationships, acknowledge trade-offs, and avoid generic greenwashing claims.

Authentic communication strategies:

• Origin stories: Share specific farm names, grower photos, relationship details
• Honest trade-offs: Explain why some beans aren’t organic (cost, availability)
• Price transparency: Show how premium pricing supports grower payments
• Visual proof: Display certificates, share origin trip photos, feature grower testimonials

Greenwashing to avoid:

• Vague claims like “ethically sourced” without specifics
• Using sustainability imagery without backing practices
• Claiming “direct trade” when buying through multiple intermediaries

Meaningful certifications, supplier transparency verification, and honest customer communication create ethical sourcing practices when you source coffee beans that build trust with values-driven customers.

What Are the Cost Considerations When Learning How to Source Coffee Beans?

Understanding costs when you source coffee beans determines whether your pricing supports profitability or slowly bleeds your business dry.

Understanding Coffee Pricing Structures

Coffee pricing involves multiple cost layers beyond the per-pound rate. Smart operators understand complete costs when they source coffee beans to budget accurately.

Complete coffee cost breakdown:

• Base price: $4-12/pound depending on quality (commodity vs. specialty)
• Volume discounts: 5-15% savings at 50+ pounds, 15-25% at 200+ pounds
• Freight costs: $0.50-1.50/pound for shipping and handling
• Payment terms: Net 30 typical, COD may cost 2-5% more
• Seasonal fluctuations: Prices vary 10-30% based on harvest timing and supply

Coffee as a percentage of revenue:

• Target 15-20% of total revenue for coffee bean costs
• Example: $10,000 monthly revenue = $1,500-2,000 coffee budget
• Higher percentages squeeze profit margins dangerously

Balancing Quality With Budget Constraints

You can’t serve commodity coffee and charge specialty prices, but you also can’t use $10/pound beans for $3 drip coffee profitably.

Strategic quality allocation:

• Premium beans: Signature espresso, single-origin pour-overs ($8-12/lb)
• Mid-tier quality: House blend, standard drinks ($6-8/lb)
• Budget-conscious: Decaf, cold brew base, high-volume items ($4-6/lb)

Calculate cost per drink: $7/lb beans ÷ 16 cups per pound = $0.44 per cup cost.

Managing Coffee Market Volatility

Global coffee prices fluctuate based on weather, politics, and currency. Planning protects margins when prices spike.

Price volatility strategies:

• Menu pricing buffer: Build a 10-15% cushion into pricing for increases
• Supplier relationships: Lock prices for 3-6 months through contracts
• Communication plan: Transparently explain price increases to customers
• Diversified sourcing: Multiple suppliers prevent single-source price shocks

Negotiation leverage points:

• Consistent volume commitments for better pricing
• Longer payment terms as you build trust
• Bulk purchases during harvest season when prices drop

Complete cost understanding, strategic quality allocation, and volatility planning ensure you source coffee beans at prices supporting sustainable profitability margins.

How Do You Build Long-Term Relationships with Coffee Roasters and Suppliers?

Strong connections when you source coffee beans lead to better pricing, priority access, and problem-solving support that transactional relationships never provide.

Communication Best Practices With Suppliers

Treating suppliers as partners rather than vendors transforms how you source coffee beans into collaborative relationships, benefiting both businesses long-term.

Effective supplier communication:

• Regular check-ins: Monthly calls beyond just placing orders
• Quality feedback: Honest input on batches (positive and constructive)
• Advance planning: Share projected needs 2-3 months ahead for seasonal items
• Payment reliability: Pay invoices on time, building financial trust
• Success sharing: Tell suppliers when customers rave about their beans

Suppliers prioritize responsive, reliable customers with allocation of limited micro-lots.

Growing Together as Your Business Scales

The roaster who supplied your first 20 pounds weekly wants to celebrate when you’re ordering 200 pounds. Your growth creates their growth through a loyal partnership.

Scaling relationship benefits:

• Volume discounts: Negotiate 10-25% better pricing as consumption increases
• Priority access: First dibs on limited seasonal offerings and special lots
• Custom blends: Collaborate on signature roasts unique to your café
• Equipment support: Loaners during repairs, training for new staff
• Marketing collaboration: Co-branded events, social media features, origin trips

Negotiation as you grow:

• Renegotiate pricing annually as volume doubles
• Request extended payment terms (Net 45-60 vs. Net 30)
• Explore consignment inventory for new product testing

Managing Multi-Supplier Portfolio Strategically

Relying entirely on one supplier creates vulnerability. Strategic diversification protects supply while maintaining primary loyalty.

Balanced supplier strategy:

• Primary partner: 70-80% of volume for consistency and relationship depth
• Specialty source: 15-20% for seasonal variety and unique offerings
• Backup supplier: Established relationship for emergency coverage

When to explore new suppliers:

• Consistent quality issues after feedback and resolution attempts
• Pricing becomes uncompetitive without explanation
• Growth exceeds the supplier’s capacity to serve you reliably

Consistent communication, mutual growth celebration, and strategic diversification create partnerships that reliably help you source coffee beans with quality, pricing, and support advantages.

What Common Mistakes Should You Avoid When You Source Coffee Beans?

Learning from common mistakes helps you source coffee beans strategically rather than learning expensive lessons firsthand.

Choosing Beans Based Only on Price

Cheap beans seem like smart budgeting until customers complain about bitter coffee and stop returning.

When you source coffee beans purely by cost, you sacrifice the quality that drives customer loyalty.

Price-only sourcing consequences:

• Inconsistent quality batch-to-batch ruins signature drinks
• Customer complaints increase, retention drops 30-40%
• Barista’s frustration with beans that don’t extract properly
• Reputation damage that takes months to rebuild

Better approach: Calculate total cost including lost customers, not just per-pound pricing.

Committing to Large Orders Without Testing

Buying 300 pounds of beans because the price per pound was great, then discovering customers hate the flavor profile. Always cup samples before bulk commitments.

Testing protocol before bulk ordering:

• Request 1-5 pound samples from potential suppliers
• Cup multiple times across different brewing methods
• Serve to staff and trusted customers for feedback
• Start with small orders (10-20 pounds) before scaling

Ignoring Seasonal Availability and Supply Risks

Coffee harvests follow seasonal patterns. Single-supplier dependency creates vulnerability when supply issues hit.

Supply chain protection strategies:

• Harvest calendar awareness: Know when your origins produce fresh crops
• Backup suppliers: Establish relationships before emergencies happen
• Inventory buffers: Keep 2-4 weeks of safety stock for disruptions
• Diversified origins: Don’t rely entirely on a single country’s harvest

Common supply disruptions:

• Weather affecting harvests (drought, frost, excessive rain)
• Political instability in origin countries
• Shipping delays and port congestion
• Supplier business changes or closures

Recovery when sourcing goes wrong:

• Communicate honestly with customers about temporary changes
• Activate backup supplier relationships immediately
• Offer discounts during transition to maintain goodwill

Quality-first thinking, cautious testing, and supply risk management prevent the costly mistakes that plague coffee shops learning how to source coffee beans effectively.

Key Takeaways: 

• Quality drives retention – Beans impact customer loyalty by 45%, represent 15-20% of revenue
• Start with roasters – Partner initially; in-house roasting needs $20K-50K plus expertise
• Vet suppliers carefully – Evaluate consistency, pricing, minimums, reliability, support
• Direct trade needs scale – Viable at 1,000+ pounds annually with origin trip budget
• Specialty justifies premium – 80+ SCA score beans support higher pricing through quality
• Green beans require skill – 6-12 months to roast consistently; profitable at 200+ pounds weekly
• Ethics attract customers – Certifications and transparency resonate with values-driven buyers
• Manage costs strategically – Target 15-20% of revenue, allocate quality wisely, plan for volatility
• Build relationships – Regular communication, 70-80% primary supplier, maintain backups
• Test before committing – Sample first, start small, plan for seasonal supply issues

Final Thoughts

Learning how to source coffee beans strategically is fundamental to coffee shop success. Consistency and supplier relationships directly impact your customer experience and profitability.

Great coffee shops are built on great sourcing relationships and smart procurement strategies.

Start by partnering with quality roasters, test thoroughly before committing, build strong supplier relationships, and always prioritize consistent quality over the lowest price for sustainable success.

FAQs

Where do coffee shops buy their coffee beans from?

Most coffee shops source beans from local roasters (40%), specialty importers (30%), or wholesale distributors (30%). The choice depends on volume needs, quality standards, and whether roasting is handled in-house.

How much do coffee beans cost for a coffee shop?

Expect to pay $5-8 per pound for quality roasted beans from coffee roasting partners, $3-6 per pound for green beans if roasting yourself, with specialty coffee lots and single-origin coffees commanding $8-15+ per pound roasted for premium coffee offerings.

Should small coffee shops roast their own beans?

Most small coffee shops should begin by partnering with established roasters.

In-house roasting only becomes financially viable after surpassing 200+ pounds weekly and demands a $10,000–50,000 equipment investment plus months of developing roasting expertise.

How do you know if coffee beans are high quality?

Quality coffee beans should have consistent sizing, minimal defects, a fresh roast date within 2–4 weeks, clear origin information, and a pleasant aroma that elevates your brand.

Always request small sample quantities and taste the coffee before committing to larger orders.

What is the minimum order for coffee beans?

Minimum orders vary widely; local roasters may require 5–10 pounds for small-quantity testing, wholesale distributors 25–50 pounds, and specialty importers 50–150 pounds for green coffee.

Higher volumes unlock better per-pound pricing and support a more diverse coffee offering.

What is the 80/20 rule for coffee?

The 80/20 rule suggests using 80% of your budget on reliable core coffee offerings from your primary supplier, while allocating 20% to experimental specialty coffee lots and seasonal varieties that create variety and excitement for your coffee brand.

What is the 15 rule for coffee?

The 15 rule means coffee bean costs should represent approximately 15% of total beverage revenue – if beans cost more than 15-20% of revenue, pricing needs adjustment, or you’re using premium beans where mid-tier quality would work for your coffee offerings.

How often should coffee shops order fresh beans?

Order weekly or bi-weekly to ensure coffee offerings stay fresh, roasted beans peak 7-21 days post-roast. Ordering frequency depends on your volume, storage capacity, and commitment to serving fresh coffee that strengthens your coffee brand reputation.

Can you negotiate better pricing with coffee suppliers?

Yes, as volume grows beyond 50–100 pounds weekly, negotiate 10–25% discounts, extended payment terms, or exclusive access to special coffee lots.

Demonstrate consistent orders, reliable payment, and long-term partnership commitment to support mutual growth.