Learning how to import green coffee beans from Indonesia comes down to eight steps: find a supplier, cup samples, confirm grade, sign a contract, arrange payment, clear export documentation, ship, and receive. This guide walks roasters, importers, and distributors through each stage, with the grading specs, Incoterms, customs documents, and price tiers you need to place a confident first order directly from origin.
Last updated: June 2026
Why Source Green Coffee Beans Directly from Indonesia
Indonesia is the world’s fourth-largest coffee producer by volume, according to the International Coffee Organization (ICO). For buyers, that scale comes with breadth: Gayo from Aceh, Bali Kintamani, Toraja, Flores, Java, Mandheling, Lintong, and Lampung Robusta, each with a distinct cup. Most Sumatran and Sulawesi lots are wet-hulled (Giling Basah), the Step 2 hulling method that gives these coffees their heavy body and low acidity.
Buying direct from an Indonesian exporter removes the importer’s margin and puts you closer to the farm-level grading decisions that determine quality. For context on where rates sit today, see our guide to the Indonesia green coffee market price. Green coffee also enters most markets duty-free, including the United States under HTS heading 0901, so importing from origin rarely carries a tariff penalty.
Step-by-Step: How to Import Green Coffee Beans from Indonesia
The process to import green coffee beans from Indonesia is the same whether you order a single 60 kg microlot or a full container. The eight steps below follow the order a first-time buyer works through them, from supplier vetting to final delivery. Each step names the document, specification, or decision that moves your order forward, so you can brief your freight forwarder and customs broker accurately before the beans leave Belawan.
Step 1: Find and Vet a Supplier
Selecting the supplier is the decision that shapes every step after it. A reliable Indonesian exporter gives you accurate grading, consistent moisture control, correct export paperwork, and clear communication across time zones. Ask any prospective supplier three things: which origins and grades they actually hold in stock, whether they ship FOB Belawan or arrange CIF to your port, and whether they can produce a phytosanitary certificate and commercial invoice that match your purchase order. A supplier who answers these precisely is one who has shipped to importers before.
Step 2: Request Samples and Cup Them
Never commit to a container on a description alone. Request a 1 kg sample of each lot you are considering and cup it against SCA protocol before you sign anything. Samples let you confirm the cup score, check the moisture and defect level in the physical beans, and brief your roast profile. At Indonesia Specialty Coffee, sample orders are available to new buyers for exactly this reason. Build two weeks into your timeline for samples to ship, clear, and reach your cupping table.
Need current pricing while you evaluate samples? See our wholesale pricelist or contact our team for a quote on the origins you are cupping.
Step 3: Confirm Grade and Quality Specs
Indonesian green coffee is graded under SNI 01-2907-2008, the national grading standard that assigns a defect value to each lot. Grade 1 Specialty carries a defect value of 11 or lower, a moisture content at or below 12.5%, and an SCA cupping score of 82 to 88 points. Grade 2 Commercial allows a higher defect value and scores 79 to 81. Off-grade lots fail on excess defects, high moisture, or inconsistent screen size. The table below shows how the two grades compare on the specs that decide your price and your roast.
| Specification | Grade 1 Specialty | Grade 2 Commercial |
|---|---|---|
| Defect value | 11 or lower | Up to 25 |
| SCA cupping score | 82 to 88 points | 79 to 81 points |
| Moisture content | 12.5% or lower | Up to 13% |
Confirm the grade, moisture, and screen size in writing before you contract, because an ungraded or regraded lot can shift these numbers between samples and shipment.
Step 4: Agree the Contract and Incoterms
The contract fixes quantity, grade, price, and the Incoterm that decides where the seller’s responsibility ends. Under FOB Belawan, the seller clears the coffee for export and loads it onto your nominated vessel, after which risk transfers to you. Under CIF, the seller arranges and pays freight and insurance to your destination port. Many specialty contracts price against the ICE C Arabica futures Second Nearby month plus an origin differential, though fixed-price contracts are common for Indonesian single origins. Name the HS code, the port, and the shipment window in the contract itself.
Step 5: Arrange Payment
Most Indonesian coffee exporters accept two payment methods: telegraphic transfer (TT) and letter of credit (L/C). A common structure splits payment into a deposit on contract signing and the balance against the Bill of Lading, the document that proves the coffee is on board. Letters of credit add bank-level security for larger container orders, while TT is faster and simpler for microlots and first samples. Agree the split, the currency, and the triggering document before you transfer any funds.
Step 6: Export Documentation and Customs
Green coffee is an agricultural product, so it travels with a specific document set. The Indonesian exporter obtains a phytosanitary certificate from Karantina, typically issued in three to seven days through the IQFAST e-phyto system, alongside the commercial invoice, packing list, and Bill of Lading. Your commercial invoice must carry the correct HS code: 0901.11 for unroasted, non-decaffeinated beans. Importers into the United States also file an FDA Prior Notice (at least 8 hours before an ocean shipment arrives) and import from an FDA-registered food facility. Brief your customs broker early so nothing stalls at the port.
Step 7: Shipping and Freight
Once documents are cleared, your coffee ships in 60 kg jute bags, often with a GrainPro or vacuum liner to protect it in transit. Ocean transit from Belawan typically runs 30 to 45 days depending on your destination port and routing. If you bought FOB, you book the freight and marine insurance; if you bought CIF, the supplier has already arranged both. Track the vessel and confirm your broker has the full document set in hand before arrival.
Step 8: Delivery and Receiving
On arrival, your customs broker clears the shipment using the documents prepared at origin. Inspect the coffee on receipt: check the bag count, weigh a sample of bags, and pull green samples to confirm the moisture and grade match the contract and the pre-shipment sample you approved. Catching a discrepancy at receiving, rather than after roasting, protects your next order and gives you a documented basis for any claim with the supplier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to import green coffee beans from Indonesia, and is there a duty?
Yes. Green coffee imports are legal and enter most markets duty-free, including the United States under HTS heading 0901. A Merchandise Processing Fee and Harbor Maintenance Fee still apply at US ports, and US importers must file FDA Prior Notice before arrival.
What is the minimum order to import coffee from Indonesia?
Minimums vary by supplier. Indonesia Specialty Coffee offers 1 kg samples for cupping, 60 kg microlots, 350 kg standard wholesale orders, and full container loads from 9 metric tons. Sample orders let new buyers evaluate quality before committing to a larger wholesale shipment.
What documents do I need to import Indonesian green coffee?
You need a commercial invoice, packing list, Bill of Lading, and a phytosanitary certificate from Indonesian Karantina, all showing HS code 0901.11. US importers also file FDA Prior Notice and import from an FDA-registered facility. Your supplier prepares the export-side documents.
How long does it take to import coffee from Indonesia?
Plan for roughly six to eight weeks end to end. Samples and contracting take two to three weeks, order preparation and export documentation take three to seven days, and ocean transit from Belawan runs 30 to 45 days depending on your destination port.
What is wet-hulling (Giling Basah)?
Wet-hulling is the Step 2 hulling method used across Sumatra and Sulawesi, where the parchment is removed at 35 to 40% moisture rather than after full drying. Paired with a full-washed or semi-washed Step 1 cherry process, it produces the low acidity and heavy body Indonesian coffees are known for.
Import Green Coffee Beans from Indonesia Specialty Coffee
Indonesia Specialty Coffee is a direct exporter of specialty-grade green coffee beans based in Medan, North Sumatra, shipping FOB Belawan to roasters, importers, and distributors worldwide. We ship Grade 1 lots only, cupping at 82 to 88 SCA points under SNI 01-2907-2008, across our full origin range including Gayo, Bali Kintamani, Toraja, Mandheling, and Liberica. All lots are Halal certified, with Organic and Rainforest Alliance available on request.
Start with a 1 kg sample, scale to a 60 kg microlot or 350 kg wholesale order, or request a per-ton quote for 9 MT+ container loads. View current rates on our wholesale pricelist or contact our team to begin your first order.
