What does preparation mean in green coffee?

Preparation refers to the dry milling and grading steps that prepare green coffee for export - specifically the level of sorting, screen sizing, and defect removal that has been applied to a lot. It's communicated through grade designations, screen specifications, and preparation descriptions on green coffee offer sheets.

Different markets have historically specified different preparation standards. European buyers have required higher levels of hand-sorting than other markets - hence the European Preparation (EP) designation for lots that have received additional manual defect removal after machine sorting.

Preparation doesn't describe the flavour of the coffee or the quality of the cherry, but it affects the consistency and cleanliness of what arrives at the roastery. A poorly prepared lot with a high defect count will produce inferior roasted results compared to a well-prepared lot from the same farm. When preparation standard is part of the price justification, it's worth understanding exactly what it involved.