Coffee sourcing & export

Prepare a brief the supplier can answer

List the coffee type, intended application, key physical criteria and expected purchasing context. If a particular origin or supporting document is essential, include it from the start. Separate fixed requirements from preferences that could be discussed after a sample trial. Avoid leaving a broad term such as quality to carry several unstated expectations. Explain how your team plans to evaluate the material and identify the person responsible for technical questions. A structured brief helps the supplier answer in the same format and reduces the need to repeat basic information during each exchange.

Compare specifications before comparing offers

Put the product descriptions into a shared comparison table. Screen requirements, moisture, foreign matter and defect limits should retain their original labels and units. Where suppliers use different grade names, ask what each name includes rather than assuming they are equivalent. Mark any missing information for follow-up. Add the date and reference of each offer so your team can recognise an updated version. This creates a clearer foundation for the commercial discussion and helps prevent a later decision from being based on a specification that has already changed.

Give every sample a traceable evaluation record

When a sample arrives, record its identity, condition and relationship to the product under discussion. Keep the receiving notes, physical checks and roast trial results together. If the sample raises a concern, describe the observation and the conditions in which it appeared. The green coffee sample evaluation guide provides a practical sequence for this work. A sample assessment should help determine the next action: further testing, clarification, another sample or a discussion of revised criteria. It should also leave a record that another buyer or technical colleague can understand.

Review supplier and product records separately

Supplier due diligence helps establish who will be involved in the transaction and which documents support the discussion. Product review asks a different set of questions about the coffee and proposed lot. Keep these parts connected without treating one as a substitute for the other. A company presentation or event report may provide background, while the purchasing team still needs the records relevant to its enquiry. Record the source and date of each document, identify inconsistencies and send a consolidated question list to the responsible contact for clarification.

Confirm delivery assumptions and documentation

As an enquiry progresses, clarify packaging, the proposed delivery arrangements, timing and the documents required by the parties. These details depend on the transaction and should be recorded in the agreed commercial documents. Do not infer a shipment commitment from a general website description or an older export story. Where a condition is still being discussed, keep its status visible in the enquiry record. Before proceeding, make sure the latest product requirement, sample reference and commercial understanding are the versions being used by everyone involved.

Use export news as context for the conversation

Export-related articles can help you understand the activities a company has reported and the topics being discussed in the industry. Check when an event happened and what the article actually covers. For a current product enquiry, move from that context to specific questions about the coffee you need. Browse the green coffee products and send a focused brief to Vinh Hiep with the records and sample information you want to review. Keeping the request concrete allows the next exchange to address the purchasing decision rather than repeating general company information.