Not all coffees are available to pre-contract. Producers are quoting prices only for the larger consistent lots, either regional or washing station blends, which are more predictable in terms of production and demand. When you click “Pre-contract” on a lot page, you will be redirected to your inbox to start chatting with the seller. This is only the first step. You will also need to get in touch with Algrano so we can confirm the price. The platform is not set up for roasters to do this autonomously because all FOB quotes need to be validated.

You can request samples of these coffees but you have probably tried them already. What we have in stock is from the previous harvest. If a particular lot is new to you and you wish to pre-contract,  we can assure you that we have worked with these coffees for a number of years and have a good track record for them. We can also provide the profile analysis for all years in which that coffee was listed upon request.

Is pre-contracting available for new sellers & first-time buyers?
No. An existing relationship between the green buyer, Algrano and the seller is important to ensure consistency and accountability. This doesn't mean roasters shouldn't start searching for coffee earlier. From the producer's perspective, it's hard to deny that most small and medium buyers order coffee late. Both late in the harvest and when compared to traders, importers and commercial roasters. This has been the norm for an industry built around Spot and became a habit. Now that roasters are sourcing directly more and more, this habit needs to change. 

Roasters who are new to sourcing tend to think about an origin only its harvest is well underway. But as green buyers, they can do with exploring all options available to secure the coffees they need. To get ahead of the sourcing game, they need to plan before the harvest and order at the prime time for producers to sell. And timing is not only a matter of habit for farmers: they need credit to finance their production crops and banks will grant them credit based on contracts. 

In Costa Rica, for example, 50% of all forecasted production is sold months before samples are ready for cupping. This year the percentage is even higher. This is the case for commodity coffee but we often see it for specialty too. In seasons of smaller production such as this, good quality producers sell out quickly. The roasters who did pre-contract also usually get to choose micro-lots first. If you haven’t even started thinking about it you get to choose from what is left, if it’s left.