Coffee Glossary · Trade
Direct Trade
Sourcing built on direct relationships between roasters (or importers) and producers — origin visits, negotiated prices decoupled from the C market, multi-year commitments — rather than anonymous chain purchases. Unlike certifications, direct trade has no single standard or auditor; its substance varies from rigorous published transparency to marketing garnish. At its best it moves real money to quality: prices tied to cup scores, pre-financing, and joint quality investment. It complements rather than replaces the exporter's role in logistics, documents, and risk.
Related terms
Traceability
The documented chain linking a coffee lot back through export, milling, and processing to the farms —…
Fairtrade Certification
The certification system guaranteeing cooperative-organized farmers a minimum price floor (insurance against…
Micro-lot
A small, separately processed and traded parcel of coffee — a single farm's best day-lots, one variety from…
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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