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Our Mission Is to Balance the Power Dynamics in the Coffee Supply Chain for a Prosperous Industry

Putting Power in the Hands of Coffee Producers & Roasters

Algrano combines technology and a service approach to importing to make coffee sourcing direct, sustainable and easy. We facilitate relationships between roasters and producers to support a blooming coffee industry.

Away With Traditional Trade: Creating a Shorter Supply Chain


The coffee supply chain has been driven by traders and large multinational roasters since the end of colonial days. These big players still hold most of the decision-making power that shapes how coffee is produced, priced and distributed. This is what Algrano wants to change.

We know some traders and large multinational roasters embrace good sourcing practices and that the supply chain is not split into goodies and baddies. But there is no denying that traditional trade is business as usual. This is why we never wanted to be yet another trading company.

The traditional trading model limits the potential of small and medium farmers and roasters. It reinforces the C-market, which ultimately keeps producers in a vulnerable position as price-takers and alienates roasters and consumers.

Making Direct Trade Democratic 


Algrano is not the first to try to change this. The direct trade movement appeared in the early 2000s and showed that things could be different. Roasters started taking control of their supply chain, negotiating directly with farmers and developing relationships that bypassed traders. 

There was only one problem. As a roaster needs a large buying capacity and importing experience to bring in containers, the model was accessible to a few roasters. Direct trade had the potential to be better than trader trade, but with limited impact. Now, Algrano makes buying directly possible for any and all roasters in Europe. Algrano is like direct trade but on steroids. 

Making Coffee Sourcing Easy With Technology & Automation


Algrano’s solution is based on technology; communication becomes easy, buying becomes accessible and convenient, and automation allows us to streamline complicated operations.

Independence Through Technology

Technology helps us to put power in the hands of producers and roasters, which is essential to our mission. These are the 3 key ways in which tech empowers the supply chain: 

Market Access

Unlike a middleman, Algrano created an interface through which producers upload their offers for any roaster to source. They decide quality, volume and price. They speak to buyers and learn what people like and what they don’t.

Control

The check-out experience means that any roaster can buy coffee at any time directly from any coffee origin, without having to exchange emails with a salesperson. We are always there to help if needed, but roasters have full autonomy and 24/7 overview of their contracts and warehouse stock.

Accountability

One of the biggest barriers in direct sourcing is finding someone you can trust. Algrano not only takes on the risk of shipping coffee, facilitating quality-based cancellations, but also tracks performance data of suppliers and buyers to ensure integrity on both sides.

Why You Should Join Algrano


We know we can’t really call our model direct trade because the financial transaction itself is mediated. But it is also far from being old school. This is why we call our model direct sourcing.

While it remains true to the principles and values of direct trade, it can be adopted by any roaster. With no trader in the middle, roasters and producers can develop relationships as equals.

Four Things We Believe About Direct Coffee Sourcing

It Should Be Easy

Coordinating logistics from multiple countries is a pain. It can kill anyone’s vibe, especially when you have other jobs to do at the roastery. Sourcing online should be as easy as buying anything else online. Our team does the groundwork so you can just check out and chill out.

It Should Be Transparent

In an industry where prices are historically low and middlemen make obscure gains, transparency should be the new normal. Our costs, fees and the FOB price are always public. Why wait for the importer to share the FOB when you can find out at the click of a button?

It Should Be Efficient

Consolidating multiple orders can add up to many costly work hours. Thanks to increased automation and a network of awesome producers and exporters, our small team can coordinate imports from more than 14 countries and scale growth to keep costs low.

It Should Be Fun!

Coffee is a passion and sourcing is a process of discovery. Our team takes care of the paperwork and the boring stuff so you can concentrate on finding new partners at origin, cupping exciting coffees and doing what you do best: roasting!

When sourcing directly, you can sign The Pledge, become a data donor of the Specialty Coffee Transaction Guide and help the industry develop a new benchmark for coffee prices that breaks free from the C-market.