The trade lane, in full.
Green coffee moves through a specific route with specific timing. Here's what to expect, before you ask.
Burundi → East African port → Jebel Ali.
Every shipment moves under the same trade lane. Green coffee leaves the warehouse in Burundi by road, transits through a coastal East African port, and arrives at Jebel Ali Port in Dubai by sea.
Two coastal transit options operate on this lane: Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, and Mombasa in Kenya. We route each shipment through whichever port has the best current turnaround, based on export documentation queues and vessel availability.
All quotes are structured on FOB (Free on Board) at the East African port of departure. From that point onward, ocean freight, arrival, and destination clearance follow the schedule below.
Twenty-five to forty days, warehouse to port.
Total transit from Burundi warehouse departure to arrival at Jebel Ali Port typically runs between 25 and 40 days. Three phases:
Delays can extend timelines — port congestion, vessel schedule changes, and seasonal weather. We flag known risks when a booking window opens and adjust the plan in writing before you commit.
Two shipping modes are available on this lane. Which one you use is a function of volume and how much shared handling you're willing to accept.
LCL for pilot orders. FCL at container volume.
Sample first. Sign off. Then ship.
Every buyer relationship works through the same five-step sequence. No exceptions — including for repeat orders where a new grade is being added.
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01
Grade & volume selected
You choose which grade(s) you want to cup — Natural Grade 1, Specialty FW 15+, TT Grade FW, or a flight of two — and give us a rough volume window. We confirm current availability and quote against it.
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02
Samples dispatched
200 g green samples ship to your address under standard NDA, together with the ICO Certificate of Origin, phytosanitary release, and cupping report for each grade. Typical dispatch: 1–3 business days from confirmation.
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03
Cup and evaluate
You cup at your roastery, compare against your reference lots, and confirm the quality matches the documentation. Ask for additional data if you need it — moisture readings, water activity, cupping calibration notes — all available on request.
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04
Quality sign-off
Formal sign-off in writing — email is fine. Approval names the grade, the volume band, and the shipping window. From this point the coffee is committed to your allocation.
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05
Invoice & booking sequence
Cash invoice is issued against your sign-off. Payment initiates the booking sequence — export documentation, container consolidation (LCL) or dedicated booking (FCL), and departure scheduling. You receive the shipment tracking on load-out.
Inclusive to FOB. Buyer's account from there.
- Inland trucking from Burundi warehouse to East African port
- Export documentation and ODECA clearance
- Port handling and container loading
- Ocean freight to Jebel Ali Port
- ICO Certificate, phytosanitary release, cupping report
- Physical sample dispatch under NDA
- Destination customs clearance at Jebel Ali
- UAE import duties
- Warehousing at Jebel Ali if required
- Last-mile delivery from port to roastery
- Local storage insurance beyond arrival
- Any buyer-specific inspection or lab testing
Every quote we issue reflects current market conditions — coffee futures pricing, ocean freight rates, and current export documentation queues. Because those variables move, our quotes carry a validity window.
Standard quote validity is fourteen days from issue. Beyond that window, we re-quote against current market data. Repeat buyers on standing supply arrangements are quoted on their own schedule.
Trade references available on request.
Ready to discuss volumes and grades?