What is a green coffee importer?

A green coffee importer is a company that purchases green coffee from producing countries and sells it to roasters in consuming markets. In the UK and European specialty coffee trade, importers are the primary route through which most roasters access green coffee - buying containers from origin, warehousing the coffee, breaking it into smaller lots, and selling to roasters at quantities from one bag upwards.

Importers vary enormously in their sourcing philosophy and the services they offer. At one end, large commodity importers trade standard commercial grades in volume with minimal traceability. At the specialty end, importers like Falcon Coffees, DR Wakefield, and Nordic Approach source traceable micro-lots, publish farm gate prices, maintain producer relationships, and offer extensive cupping support to their roaster customers.

For new roasters, the importer relationship is typically their first point of contact with the green coffee world. A good specialty importer provides far more than coffee - they offer cupping samples, origin knowledge, documentation support, and often educational resources that help roasters understand what they're buying. Building relationships with one or two quality importers whose sourcing philosophy aligns with yours is one of the most valuable things a startup roaster can do.