Coffee

Importing starts with green coffee that is completely processed and ready for export from the origin country. Typically, shipped in 20 foot containers of 275 to 320 bags (70kb or 60kg) or less. It could also be loaded bulk, therefore enabling more beans to be shipped, lowering the shipping costs on a per pound/kilo basis.

From the USA, specialty coffees are most often purchased by importers or individual roasters via an FOB Contract. FOB (Free On Board) means that the price paid by the buyer includes all of the costs in the exporting country, including processing, inland transport, warehousing, dock fees, export fees and loading the container onto the ship. Ownership passes from the seller to the buyer once the container passes over the rail of the ship. The ships captain prepares the Bill of Lading that you will present to your bank to prove the coffee is now on the ship.

The exporter will need a bank that can handle international interbank transactions. Preferably one that is experienced in export document requirements. If not well established at this type of transaction, the exporter will not want to extend credit to any buyer, but will require payment terms: CAD (Cash Against Documents).

A CAD transaction enables the exporter to have payment deposited into his bank account after presenting to the bank the required documents proving that the coffee purchased by the importer (buyer) meets the specifications in the coffee purchase contract/agreement. The exporter’s bank will determine exactly what documents are required.

These documents may include:

- Ocean Bill of Lading (from the freight liner after the coffee is loaded on the ship)
- Weight Notes to identify the exact content and weight of that content
- Certificate of Origin (issued by the government Customs authority in India)
- Certificate of Fumigation (if required by importing country)
- ICO Certificate of Origin (Approved by the ICO: International Coffee Organization)
- Invoice sent to buyer identify the details of the purchase and $Value.
- Packing List from seller as evidence of the product shipped.
- Other agricultural certificates as dictated in your country

Typically, the exporter will use an Export Broker in the origin country who is expert in these matters and can arrange all of the issues involved in preparing the coffee and the documents for export. If a broker is the seller/exporter, then he will handle all of the required export documentation. The buyer/importer arranges for payment, ocean freight and transport insurance. It’s also the importer’s responsibility for acquiring all import documentation and arrangement in his country.

Of course, finding buyers is the key when importing for resell. For information to identify coffee importers, office coffee service providers and specialty gourmet coffee roasters in the United States, you can purchase a membership list from the Specialty Coffee Association of America or from InfoUSA.com. You can use networking sites like, TradeKey as well.

Note: there are always risks associated with importing. Although the importer may have received samples representing the coffee purchased, in most cases the actual coffee received will match the quality grade, type and source, every coffee lot is different, even from the same region and farm.

There are a few ways to lower this risk. One is to be sure you have a “green coffee contract” modeled after the Green Coffee Association Contract Terms & Conditions. Second, be sure to get an export sample taken directly from the contain prior to its being loaded onto the ship, since once the container is on the ship ownership transfers to the importer (FOB contract terms). Finally, when you purchase is large enough, personally knowing who your buying from and even visiting the country to physically select and monitor the export process is an option.

Author, Steve Josephs is CEO of Intellidon Marketing Solutions, whose family office coffee service business, the Great American Coffee Company, http://www.GourmetOfficeCoffee.com, is a premier Specialty coffee roaster and office coffee service provider in the Denver, Colorado metropolitan business community.

Copyright 2009 The Great American Coffee Company and Intellidon Marketing Solutions, Inc.

All rights reserved. Reprints are permissible when this Copyright statement and website link are included.

Author: Steve Josephs
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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A high quality delivered coffee for a business coffee service requires a minimal roast to delivery time frame. Whether the roaster is office coffee provider or just the supplier, the product must be roasted, packaged and delivered within days, not weeks.

The problem with most services available to businesses is that the product delivered for a vending coffee is often quite lengthy. To preserve the characteristics defined in this article, the time from roaster to business consumer must be within two to seven days. This time frame enables a reasonable consumption period where the coffee’s unique taste characteristics are preserved.

For the novice coffee drinker, there are four primary taste profiles described and categorized for Specialty Arabica gourmet office coffee. These include: Acidity, Aroma, Body and Flavor. Flavor can be further broken down into Balance, Range, Complexity, Richness and Finish.

Acidity

The measure of a coffee’s acidity is different from the use of the word typically associated with food products. In coffee acidity is a positive trait that is a measure of the acid content after brewing. A proper level of acidity will give a level of tartness that gives the coffee a pleasant result when in the proper balance with the beans natural sweetness. Because of the consumer’s negative association with the word acidity, this characteristic in coffee is often described using terms that include brightness, sharpness, briskness and dryness.

Aroma

The pleasant aroma that is enjoyed by consumers of high quality gourmet office coffee is a result of the gasses being released during the brewing process. The various aromas are described as spicy, fruity, floral, earthy and herby. It is the combination of characteristics that will enhance the coffee’s ultimate aroma.

Body

This characteristic is a result of the texture as experience in the mouth. You can easily notice the thickness of the body, which can include more undesirable variations that include gritty or oily in the brewed coffee. Because of various preferences, you can find office coffees that have very full, full, medium or light body.
Blends usually result in the best overall quality as highly desirable aromatic coffees can often be light in body, while full bodied coffees can often have more bitter qualities. With the right combinations of roast profiles and quantities, very unique results can be achieved by the master roaster.

Flavor

It is only after the brewed coffee is in the mouth is flavor experienced. This is the true measure of a quality gourmet office coffee. The combination of acidity, body and aroma comes together to give the coffee lover a unique experience for that specific coffee as compared to any other.

Descriptions of a coffee’s flavor vary widely, but the basic terms include: Balance, Complexity, richness and range.

Balance measures the levels of characteristics compared with each other.

Complexity measures or reveals the more unexpected nuances of the sensations and flavor during drinking.

Richness measures the levels of body, aroma and flavor experienced by the consumer.

Range relates to the range of flavors that expose themselves in the mouth.

The aftertaste is what is referred to as “finish” in coffee tasting circles. These are the characteristics that are experienced after the coffee is swallowed. This sensation can be very pleasant as when there is a fruity, spicy or chocolaty aftertaste, or very unpleasant when there is a bitter taste or what is called in the industry a “cow shed” taste.

The Master Roaster is much like a chef who must account for all of the possible characteristics that will please the consumer of the product. A high quality office coffee service roaster is just as critical to providing high quality business coffee to our nation’s business community.

Author, Steve Josephs is a marketing consultant and CEO of Intellidon Marketing Solutions, whose family office coffee service business, the Great American Coffee Company, http://www.GourmetOfficeCoffee.com, is a premier Specialty coffee roaster and office coffee service provider in the Denver, Colorado metropolitan business community.

Copyright 2009 The Great American Coffee Company and Intellidon Marketing Solutions, Inc.

All rights reserved. Reprints are permissible when this Copyright statement and website link are included.

Author: Steve Josephs
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Electric Pressure Cooker