Coffee Glossary · Trade
The C Market (Coffee Futures)
The ICE 'Coffee C' futures contract — washed Arabica, quoted in US cents per pound — coffee's global reference price, alongside London's Robusta futures in USD per tonne. Producers, exporters, and roasters hedge on these markets, and physical contracts price against them via differentials. The C reflects worldwide supply-demand (Brazilian frosts and droughts move it most) rather than any lot's quality; specialty's outright-price movement exists precisely to shield quality-focused farms from its swings.
Related terms
Differentials (Price Basis)
How most coffee is priced: as a premium or discount ('differential') against the futures markets — New York's…
Arabica (Coffea arabica)
The species behind roughly 60% of world coffee and nearly all specialty-grade lots. Arabica evolved in…
Robusta (Coffea canephora)
The second commercial coffee species: higher-yielding, disease-hardy, caffeine-rich, and traditionally traded…
Bill of Lading (B/L)
The ocean shipment's master document, issued by the carrier: simultaneously a receipt for the cargo, evidence…
Cash Against Documents (CAD)
A documentary collection payment method lighter than a letter of credit: the exporter ships, then routes the…
Crop Year / Fresh Crop / Past Crop
Coffee's vintage system: each origin's harvest defines its crop year (Laos: roughly October–September), and…
Reading up before buying? Volcana Coffee exports SGS-inspected specialty Arabica and Fine Robusta from the Bolaven Plateau, Laos — and we're happy to walk new importers through every term on a real offer sheet.
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