Pre-contracting helped this roaster secure coffee from Brazil and Costa Rica at the best price
Quarter Horse Coffee in the UK is pre-contracting more and more. By acting fast, they avoided the price rally in 2021 following the Brazilian frost. They also secured one of the few lots available to source directly from Costa Rica in 2022 despite the country’s lower production, which led to most coffees selling out in a heartbeat.



Pre-contract to stay ahead
Join the movement to power up producers

Fixing prices early for the best value beans
Understanding the producer’s side
Cooperatives and other aggregators buy coffee over an extended period of time at different rates and according to their own pricing policies. This means that the prices paid for coffees of different farms that are blended together can vary drastically and this variation is accounted for in the final asking price by averaging the purchase rates.

Securing beans for a signature blendÂ
Quarter Horse was one of a few roasters who managed to secure coffee directly from Costa Rica on Algrano in 2022. Supply was so low and competition so high that only thoseÂ
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The benefits of looking forward
More on direct sourcing
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Case study
Pre-contracting helped this roaster secure coffee at the best price
Quarter Horse Coffee in the UK is pre-contracting more and more. By acting fast, they avoided the price rally in 2021 following the Brazilian frost. They also secured one of the few lots available to source directly from Costa Rica in 2022 despite the country’s lower production, which led to most coffees selling out.
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Trends
Algrano Market Trends Review 2022
The new Algrano Market Review highlights the stabilising effect of long-term relationships on coffee supply and prices with more than 60% of surveyed coffee roasters and producers wanting to invest more in direct trade practices in 2022.
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Trends
Beyond wholesale: three ways to boost your coffee sales
Learn how innovative UK roasters are exploring new sales channels, from paid ads to the shop local movement, to grow their sales. Bonus: three ideas to diversify your offer and how to make your brand stand out online!
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