# Direct Trade (green beans)



## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

(The 'industry' roasters board seems locked)

When roasters have a DT programme does it become more expensive for them?

Increased costs: travel to farms (some of whom don't make the cut), time away from the roasting site (opportunity cost), import of beans, etc

Versus

Decrease in costs: not paying Mercanta a markup

Seems like a lot of effort. Don't get me wrong... I think DT is great.


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## CoffeeMagic (Aug 7, 2011)

You need to PM Admin to allow posting in that forum.

DT does seem like a lot of extra work and would probably only work for a large outfit. It gives you much more control over what you buy and how you buy it. For instance HB got the grower to separate the yellow and red bourbon beans in the processing, which an importer probably wouldn't bother about.

There is also the problem of how to narrow down your choice of farms. What worries me is that eventually DT will limit the variety and amount of coffee beans on the open market for the likes of small roasters.


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

There's probably an opportunity for a micro-roasters cooperative, to combat large buyers getting the cream of the crop, and to gain economies of scale.


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## cafeco (Jun 15, 2011)

From my point of view it's too much risk. Let the importers earn their cut i say.


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