What is a Delivery Order?

Once your green coffee arrives in the UK and clears customs, it sits in a bonded or commercial warehouse waiting to be collected. The Delivery Order - issued by your importer or warehouse operator - is the document that instructs the warehouse to release it to you.

In practice: you buy a lot, the importer issues a DO with the lot reference and quantity, you pass it to your driver or courier, and the warehouse releases the bags. Without a DO, the warehouse won't hand anything over regardless of who turns up.

It sounds purely administrative - and mostly it is. But a delayed DO can hold up your collection, which holds up your production schedule. If you're planning a roast around a specific delivery date, it's worth confirming the DO has been issued before your driver sets off.