Algrano’s interface is the marketplace, where roasters and producers connect. But this kind of matchmaking is not the only service the company provides. Once a relationship starts - or if a buyer and a seller already have an ongoing partnership before they join -, the platform is there to help it grow. One way to do that is through the shipping service when a roaster only hires Algrano’s logistics to deliver the coffee and pays a cheaper fee.  

With the shipping service, independent producers of all sizes can get their coffee delivered to a roastery with all the logistics taken care of, regardless of the volume: Algrano ships full containers or just a few bags in shared shipments. This way, both producer and roaster can focus on the coffee and their partnership knowing that the coffee will get to where it needs to be. 

Barcelona-based roastery Nomad Coffee first ordered coffee from Finca Las Brisas in El Salvador, owned by Carlos Pola, through the Algrano marketplace in 2021: 10 bags of a Black Honey Anaerobic lot and 12 of a Semi-natural Black Honey. This time around, the roasters have discussed their needs directly and decided to manage quality control themselves. Algrano is still involved, but just to facilitate shipping, financing and delivery. 

Finca Las Brisas is a family farm in El Salvador producing innovative handcrafted coffees. Carlos first began working with Algrano four years ago to receive support with the logistics side of the business. "Our expertise is in farming and in producing coffee," explains Carlos Andres Pola, Carlos Pola’s son. "Importing and exporting along with completing all the necessary paperwork requires a whole other set of skills. We are very happy to let Algrano take care of that side of things for us."

Francisco Tomas Gonzalez has been working with Nomad Coffee since 2014 and is responsible for both sourcing green beans and building relationships with coffee producers. He discovered Finca Las Brisas through the Algrano platform in 2021, appreciating the opportunity to make connections with farmers directly and the price transparency.  

As Carlos Andres is currently living in Barcelona, he was able to visit Francisco to talk about the farm and deliver new samples after Nomad Coffee received its first order from Finca Las Brisas. "After Nomad Coffee had ordered through Algrano, I got to know them and their logistics, and we developed a sense of trust and friendship," he explains. Based on the confidence that was developed between them, they agreed to use Algrano’s services only for shipping in 2022 rather than on a sourcing basis as the Algrano fee is cheaper for this service. 

Algrano's shipping service enables farm and roastery to set a clear and transparent price for shipping. As matchmaking and quality assurance are not needed, the final price for the roaster is cheaper. The process is easy to follow and starts by submitting a request for an instant non-binding quote. Once the order goes through, roasters get access to live shipment tracking and all the other regular features of Algrano, such as the online warehouse management tool and a one-click transport release feature for road transport. 

If the shipment requested by the roaster has more than 100 bags of green coffee, Algrano can help the roaster contract a dedicated container, making delivery dates more flexible according to the needs of the buyer. For smaller lots, the platform’s team helps coordinate shared shipments by liaising with exporting services partners. 

The service also supports roasters with financing options and by enabling the roastery to warehouse coffee until they are ready to receive it - same as with orders on the marketplace. The big difference is that the roastery is responsible for quality assurance, which is why the service works best when there is already an established commercial relationship between producer and roaster. 

This year, Nomad Coffee will be receiving three different lots from Finca Las Brisas, including a Honey Farm Blend, which will form the body of the Session Espresso signature espresso blend, sold in-house and to other roasteries. The last two, the winey and tropical Paraneima Natural and the honey and vanilla-like Honey Pacamara, are micro-lots that will be used for filter coffee to be sold across Nomad's coffee shops in Barcelona. 

The last order left El Salvador in July and is scheduled to arrive in Barcelona in August. It will reach Nomad Coffee's stores and customers in the autumn. Harvested and processed this year, it will hit the shelves as fresh as it gets. "We always try to get the best out of each coffee, and work hard every day to improve the consistency of every roast," says Francisco. "Algrano is a great option for sourcing high-quality beans, and the quality and price of Finca Las Brisas are a great fit for our menus."

After growing the farm’s production by 30% in the last harvest, Carlos Andres is planning to develop similar relationships with more roasteries in the year ahead. "We'd like to expand the range of roasteries we're supplying, both small and big, and work with them to understand their approach and their customers," he says. "Algrano makes working directly really easy, as they can provide support with the shipping, warehousing and financing, so we can be confident in delivering end-to-end." 

Carlos Andres also hopes that the relationship with Francisco and the rest of the Nomad Coffee team will continue to develop further. "Hopefully Nomad Coffee will be able to come and visit the farm to see what we're doing and enjoy spending some time in the area." The farm is located in the town of Juayua in the Apaneca Ilamatepec mountain range. Francisco agrees. "I'd love to continue buying from Finca Las Brisas every year and continue working with Algrano. It's great not having to worry about shipping and other practical concerns." 

"Nomad Coffee are experts in satisfying their customers, and we're experts in growing the coffee. So with Algrano taking care of the logistics, it's a perfect synergy," concludes Carlos Andres.