Buyer tool / 01
COFFEE BUYER
SPECIFICATION TEMPLATE
Use this checklist to define the coffee, evidence, and supply conditions before requesting a sample, lot list, or wholesale proposal.
Why start here
A clear brief reduces sourcing friction.
A supplier conversation becomes more useful when both sides can distinguish the coffee being requested from the evidence needed to approve it. This template is not a certification or a substitute for sensory and commercial due diligence. It is a compact starting brief for importers, roasters, cafés, hotels, and other professional buyers.
Complete the fields that matter to your use case, then send the brief with your expected timing and delivery location. If a requirement is unknown, mark it as open rather than filling the gap with an assumption.
Specification checklist
Define these seven fields before the first serious quote.
Coffee format
Green, roasted, or both; whole bean or ground; intended market and packaging format.
Use case
Espresso, filter, blend component, retail, hospitality, training, or another defined application.
Target cup profile
Desired sweetness, body, acidity, bitterness, roast range, and acceptable variation.
Lot identity
Origin, production area, processing method, harvest or production timing, and lot reference.
Evidence required
Sample notes, moisture or water activity where available, grading, defects, and supporting documents.
Commercial conditions
Expected volume, delivery location, storage responsibility, price basis, and review timeline.
Approval process
Who cups or tests the sample, what passes, how substitutions are handled, and what happens next.
Sample evaluation
Do not approve a lot from origin language alone.
- Compare the physical sample. Record the sample identity, date received, preparation method, and test conditions.
- Separate facts from interpretation. Mark which claims are documented, which are sensory observations, and which still require confirmation.
- Define the commercial next step. State whether the next action is a second sample, lot review, roast test, price discussion, or supply conversation.