What is an offer sheet in green coffee?

An offer sheet is the document or listing through which an importer, trader, or exporter presents available green coffee lots for sale. It typically includes for each lot: origin, region, farm or cooperative, processing method, varietal, altitude, harvest date or crop year, cupping score, flavour notes, preparation standard, packaging, quantity available, and price (usually quoted FOB, CIF, or ex-warehouse depending on the seller).

Offer sheets are the primary commercial interface between green coffee sellers and buyers. They range from basic spreadsheets to detailed PDFs with full traceability information and cupping reports. The level of detail on an offer sheet reflects how seriously a supplier has invested in traceability and documentation - a detailed offer sheet with altitude, varietal, and processing specifics tells you more about the supply chain than one that simply lists country and price.

For new roasters, learning to read offer sheets confidently is one of the first practical skills in green coffee buying. The key questions to ask about any lot: what's the landed cost once freight and duty are added, what does the cupping score mean for this importer's scoring methodology, when was it harvested and where in the freshness window does it sit, and is there a sample available before committing to purchase?