Buying Green Coffee Beans in Bulk: MOQ, Bags and Containers Explained

Moving from a sample box to a bulk order raises practical questions that don't come up when you're cupping 200 grams at a time. Here's what typically matters when you buy raw coffee beans at wholesale volume.

Understanding MOQ

Minimum order quantity varies widely by supplier. A full container load (usually a 20-foot container, roughly 19,200kg in 60kg bags) is the standard bulk unit for most exporters, though many will accommodate smaller trial wholesale quantities — often a pallet or a few hundred kilograms — for qualified roasteries building toward a full container.

Packaging Formats

Traditional 60kg jute bags remain the export standard and are well suited to sea freight over shorter transit times. For longer transit or more sensitive lots, a GrainPro or similar barrier liner inside the jute bag protects against moisture and pest ingress. Vacuum-packed green coffee beans in smaller units (1–25kg) are common for sample orders and smaller wholesale runs where freshness retention matters more than shipping efficiency.

Container Load Basics

A standard 20-foot container typically holds around 320 bags of 60kg green coffee, or roughly 19 metric tons. Buyers ordering less than a full container can often consolidate with LCL (less-than-container-load) shipping, at a higher per-kilogram freight cost.

Planning Your First Bulk Order

Start with a sample cupping, confirm your target volume and packaging format, and ask your supplier for a landed-cost estimate that includes freight, insurance and destination-port handling — not just the FOB unit price.

Ready to scope a bulk order? Contact our export team for current MOQ and container pricing.