What is NANS (No Approval, No Sale) in green coffee contracts?

NANS - No Approval, No Sale - is a specific SAS (Subject to Approval of Sample) clause that means if a buyer rejects the pre-shipment sample, the contract is cancelled outright. There's no obligation on either party to proceed.

It's the cleaner of the two main SAS variants. The alternative - Replace or Repeat - requires the seller to offer a new sample in place of the rejected one, which can extend the timeline and create further negotiation. NANS draws a clear line: sample rejected, deal off.

For buyers, NANS provides a straightforward exit from a forward commitment if the coffee doesn't arrive at the agreed quality level. For sellers, it's a higher-risk term - a single rejected sample ends the transaction. Which variant appears in a contract is worth paying attention to when reviewing terms, particularly on higher-value or harder-to-replace lots.