The journey that coffee travels from farms to cafés, shops, hotels and offices involves intricate global supply chains. For coffee wholesalers and distributors, managing logistics is vital to timely, affordable deliveries with quality intact.
Below, we break down the critical aspects of planning and optimising wholesale coffee distribution - from procurement partnerships to storage solutions, shipping practices and regulations.
Building Coffee Grower and Supplier Relationships
Quality wholesale coffee logistics begins by forging ethical, mutually beneficial relationships with growers, cooperatives and exporters in producing countries. These partnerships allow you to directly coordinate crop availability, harvesting practices and shipping timelines to meet demand.
Rave’s Sustainable Coffee Sourcing
We source only the finest beans, paying a premium to ensure both exceptional quality and fair compensation for the farmers who cultivate them. These dedicated producers are committed to responsible practices, preserving their land and empowering their communities, making every sip a celebration of ethical excellence.
Optimising Transportation Channels for Coffee Beans
Efficient transportation is crucial for preserving freshness over long distances in the global coffee supply chain. While sea freight is most common for coffee because it costs less, wholesalers must also leverage faster air and road freight depending on lead times and destinations.
An agile, multi-modal transport mix allows you to make the best of delivery timeframes, flexibility and costs. Plus, if you partner with a reputable shipping company specialising in coffee, you’ll be assured that they regulate temperature and moisture, preserving the coffee over long distances.
Implementing Storage Best Practices
Proper coffee storage solutions are equally important between transport legs. Roasters require climate-controlled warehousing to stop roasted beans from getting exposed to air, light, moisture or pests. Warehouses should also follow FIFO (first-in, first-out) inventory management, meaning older coffee stock gets shipped out first while newer roast batches go to the back. This FIFO rotation maintains freshness and prevents waste from expired coffee.
Streamlining Supply Chain Administration
Wholesale coffee distribution requires a lot of admin. That’s why adopting digital platforms and EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) integrations is essential.
-
Inventory management software centralises stock levels, order tracking, expiry dates, and routing.
-
CRM systems organise customer data and enable B2B e-commerce.
-
EDI automates procurement, shipping notifications, invoicing and payments with suppliers and buyers.
This comprehensive digitisation enhances supply chain visibility, agility and forecasting while eliminating mountains of paperwork.
Understanding Regulations
Navigating regulations around coffee importing and exporting is also key. Importers deal with customs clearance, certifications, taxes and duties, while exporters handle inspections, licensing and more.
Requirements vary by country - for example, the EU enforces strict standards for coffee entering its markets. Wholesalers must comply with health, labelling and sustainability regulations to clear trade barriers.
Implementing Sustainable Practices
As climate change threatens coffee farming, wholesalers must prioritise sustainability across the supply chain - from ethical sourcing to eco-friendly shipping and packaging.
Raving About Sustainability
Beyond brewing exceptional coffee, we're passionate about supporting the planet. We donate 1% of all sales to environmental causes through 1% for the Planet , ensuring every cup makes a difference. Plus, our commitment to quality coffees goes hand-in-hand with sustainability: we source responsibly and use 100% compostable Nespresso pods and recyclable packaging.
Simplifying Wholesale Coffee Distribution Logistics
By investing time to understand the global coffee supply chain, wholesalers can implement smarter logistics and technology systems for affordable, sustainable coffee procurement and distribution at scale.
Rave Coffee’s Wholesale Services
Here at Rave, we prioritise coffee quality and sustainability by leveraging long-term grower relationships and distribution partnerships to deliver exceptional wholesale coffee. Get in touch today to discuss how we can become your specialty coffee partner!