Green coffee sample is one of the most important packages in the coffee industry. It is indicative of a representation of what to expect from the consignment. Not only are green coffee samples important in quality control, but they are also essential for estimating the quantities expected. Good sampling habits are very important to a coffee buyer or a roaster. Good sampling habits will ensure the buyer has access to only the intended qualities of the coffee bought.
Knowing the cup characteristics of the expected shipment is crucial in determining the value a buyer is willing to pay for that particular coffee. This will also help roasters in forecasting the coffee roast types to offer. Coffee samples are drawn throughout the whole coffee value chain. This is to ensure the freshness and quality consistency of the coffee. It is the only way to keep a keen eye on the state of the green coffee.
Types of green coffee samples
These differ depending on the country of origin or the importing country but the principles of sampling remain relatively universal. It is important to note, however, that sampling involves the entire coffee species, cultivars, and varieties.
Spot Sample: The most common green coffee samples are referred to as Spot Samples. These are a representation of coffee found in warehouses of importers in the country in which the roaster operates. The roaster orders it from the coffee trader who sends it to the roaster for analysis and valuation. With spot samples, the coffee they represent is the coffee the roaster gets. It does not take long for the shipment to arrive at the roasters’ doorstep.
Forward contracts: Coffee buyers also have the option of acquiring coffee samples for future coffee shipments in the origin countries. These are for forward contracts, for coffee that will arrive in the future. An agreement is usually in place between the producers or suppliers and the buyer. There are several green coffee samples involved in forward contracts such as Offer Samples. Offer samples are sent by the producers, cooperatives, coffee traders, or suppliers in the origin countries to the destination country to inform the buyer of the available green coffee lots. Offer samples are drawn from each bag in the lot to make up one composite sample that will be shipped to prospective buyers.
Type samples: Type samples represent the types of coffees that have not been processed yet. They are drawn from parchment on the drying tables and hulled using sample hullers. They are almost speculative as they indicate what the quality of the ongoing harvest might be and sometimes arrive at the roasters long before the harvesting is completed.
Pre-shipment sample: Pre-shipment sample is sent to the coffee buyer after a contract has been agreed upon. This will represent the coffee that is about to be shipped. The buyer analyses this sample against the approval sample that was sent earlier. They form the basis of the decision-making process of the buyers.
Approval samples: Approval samples are green coffee samples that have been approved by the buyer. Signals the beginning of the shipping process. The seller retains an approval sample for arbitration and confirmation processes.
Shipment sample: Shipment sample accompanies the actual green coffee that has already been loaded onto the ship and headed for the destination port. This will indicate the quality of the coffee to be expected on the ship.
Arrival samples: Arrival samples are drawn from the coffee that has just arrived at the destination port of the buyer and taken to the quality labs for analysis and quality evaluation. They indicate the quality of the coffee the buyer has bought.
Other types of green coffee samples include the SAS (subject to approval samples) sent by the supplier. The SAS samples will form the basis of future shipments depending on the quality and quantity demands that need to be met. Subject to approval samples do not represent any particular coffee and can be used to draw up contracts for coffee from present, future or past crops. The buyer will only approve the coffee if it meets the same quality requirements in the contract.
Depending on the relationships and agreements between sellers and buyers of green coffee, there may be other green coffee sample types that are shipped for particular purposes.
Handling Green Coffee Samples
It’s absolutely important for coffee roasters and buyers to understand how to handle the green coffee samples. From how they are acquired, handled, stored, and transported. Green coffee is very sensitive to a lot of conditions that it is exposed to.
For instance, green coffee is sensitive to water and humidity, heat, odors, storage conditions, and temperature. Therefore, the buyer should take every caution to ensure the quality of the samples is not compromised.
The samples should be wrapped in airtight bags to maintain the moisture content, which is vital for quality control. During transportation, the samples should be placed in dry areas away from any fluids or odors that may contaminate the beans.
Proper labeling of the samples is key to good sample handling. All relevant information should be included in the packaging. Information such as coffee type, variety, harvest period, and other relevant information should be included.
Knowing the intended use of the coffee samples is very crucial. For instance, single-origin coffee samples should be carefully selected as they are prone to mishandling. Single-origin micro-lots are generally of higher quality than blends and bulks and should be carefully selected to make a 300-gram sample.
Understanding the logistics of green coffee samples is important to roasters and buyers. Information such as how many samples the buyer should order and who pays for air freight and which courier to use is very crucial. Green coffee samples can be anywhere between 300 grams to 1 kilo, depending on the agreement in place between the seller and the buyer.
Agreements are also put in place to ensure that the samples arrive at the roasters’ doorstep as soon as possible to ensure the samples are analyzed as soon as possible. The analysis consists of firstly, the physical appearance.
The samples should have consistent color, be free of any odors, and be visibly appealing. The samples should be checked for defects which will determine if the roaster accepts or rejects them or gives instructions to the seller to do hand picking to reduce the amount of defective Green coffee.
Every roaster should have sample roasting protocols. These will enable them to roast the samples in such a way that the samples will give the required quality characteristics such as body, acidity, flavor, and flavor notes. Roasters should also experiment with various roasting levels such as light-medium, medium or medium-dark roasts.
Finally, cupping the sample roasts will give the overall quality and help in valuation and understanding the potential uses of that particular shipment. For instance, the roasters will know the coffees to blend or the ones to offer as espressos for filters. Cupping scores will also assist in determining the value of the coffee. Higher scores will fetch higher prices and vice versa.
Roasters should carefully analyze the samples and should understand the time difference between when the coffee was drawn and the cupping time. Green coffee changes quality over time and this should be put into consideration.
Also, learn more about Green Coffee Cupping
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