Buying Green Coffee
NEW TO ATLAS?
First things first, let’s get to know each other! A little about us: we sell coffee in full-sized bags (132-154 lbs) to businesses located within North America. If you meet those criteria, the next step is to fill out our intake form to start the onboarding process.
Payment is required in advance for the first three orders in the form of cash, credit card, ACH, or wire transfer. Established businesses with good credit references may apply for credit terms on subsequent orders. A monthly finance charge of 1.5% will be applied to any delinquent accounts.
Once the paperwork is done, it generally takes 2 days from placing your first order until it is ready to leave the warehouse. Subsequent orders will usually go out next day if received before our order cut-off deadline, though this can vary by order size, freight requirements, and warehouse location. Ask you customer service representative for details.
AVAILABILITY
We carry a large inventory of “Spot” coffee–this means coffee is in the warehouse and ready to ship or pick up immediately. We also have contracts for delivery in the future. Coffee that has not arrived will show the estimated month of availability on our offer lists.
PRICING
Our offer list pricing is updated constantly. There are three primary factors that determine the price of coffee –
Commodity Market Level + Differential + Delivery Basis = Price
COMMODITY OR “C” MARKET
The commodity or “C” price is the abstract indicator of the supply and demand balance for coffee as a commodity. It is driven up and down by weather in the major producing countries, currency rates, speculation about production levels, and some mysterious factors we may never understand. Since we primarily sell against replacement prices (what we will have to pay to replace the bag of coffee you buy today), when the market goes up, so do coffee prices; when the market goes down, coffee prices follow suit.
DIFFERENTIALS (Quality Premium)
Differentials are based on availability and quality for specific origins, regions, and lots.
DELIVERY BASIS (aka Incoterms)
FOT (Free on Truck) – This is our standard which means your shipment is on a pallet, strapped, and loaded onto a truck by the warehouse. You arrange and pay for any shipment costs from the warehouse to your location. Even if Atlas is coordinating your freight, the ownership of the coffee transfers from Atlas to you as soon as it is loaded onto a truck. Please also read RECEIVING YOUR COFFEE below.
***Atlas can make arrangements for shipment to your facility if requested.
EWH (Ex-warehouse) – We can transfer ownership to you at the warehouse. To do this, you need to have an account with the warehouse to pay them for load out and storage of your shipments.
See our Coffee Glossary for a full explanation of Incoterms.
MINIMUM PURCHASE
1 full bag ranging from 132-154 lbs. However, to optimize shipping costs, we suggest ordering in full-pallet increments.
Shipping Your Coffee
Before your first order is processed, we will need to understand your preferences on how to prepare and transport your orders. Our Outbound Logistics team maintains a profile for each roaster so that these details can be referenced anytime an order is placed. Contact Outbound.Atlas@nkg.coffee for additional information.
ORDER PREP
Orders are prepared either as hand load or palletized.
HAND LOAD: Will call orders are prepared as hand load unless palletization is requested. Bags are loose/not palletized.
PALLETIZED: All non-will call orders must be palletized. Coffee is stacked on a wooden pallet and secured with two straps. The sides are protected with plastic pallet wrap. To maintain pallet integrity and stability we direct warehouses to stack bags and boxes on separate pallets. Additionally, we established a maximum bag to pallet ratio of: 8 bags/pallet with 70Kg bags, 9 bags/pallet with PNG coffee, and 10 bags/pallet for all other coffees.
UPGRADES: Some warehouses offer pallet preparation upgrades. Additional fees may apply.
- Block Pallet, Cross-Strap and Wrap: Coffee is stacked on a wood block pallet and secured with four straps which cross each other in two directions. The sides are protected by plastic pallet wrap. This upgrade increases stability.
- Extra Wrap: Additional wrap covers the top of the pallet to aid in protection from the elements. It does not provide stability to a shipment.
- Machine Wrap: Instead of hand wrapping, the warehouse uses a machine to wrap. The result is an evenly applied pressure/application of wrap to the shipment.
- Gaylord Box: A cardboard sleeve used in tandem with a pallet; used to provide stability to the load.
TRANSPORTATION
Your coffee can be made available for pick up by you or your carrier. Or, if you prefer, Atlas can coordinate delivery. Please note that for any coffee moving as freight, most carriers offer transit time estimates but reserve the right to take longer.
WILL CALL: Customers may pick up at the warehouse. Hours may vary per location. See Warehouse locations for more information.
CUSTOMER COORDINATED FREIGHT: Customers work directly with a transportation provider; freight coordination and payment of freight services will be handled directly between the roaster and vendor. Roasters located outside the 48 contiguous States or Canada – or who combine orders from multiple vendors – must either use this option or Will Call.
ATLAS ARRANGED FREIGHT: Atlas can arrange full trailer and less-than-trailer freight transportation of our coffees from our warehouse partner facilities to locations in the 48 contiguous States and Canada. We will coordinate with vendors on behalf of our roasters and include the freight service fee on our invoice.
- Pallet Rates are available for some shipping lanes. These are negotiated annually by our freight broker. Regardless of whether your pallet will have 1 bag or 10, the base rate is the same on the included lanes. Pricing varies only based on national fuel costs and any necessary delivery requirements (lift-gate, appointments, zoning, etc.)
- Spot Quotes are available for loads shipping outside the pallet rate lanes. Quotes are secured based on the order size and the delivery requirements.
DELIVERY
Standard freight service includes delivery to a commercial facility during standard business hours via 53′ trailer. Upon arrival, the driver will move the order to the trailer door and the receiver is responsible for moving the coffee off the equipment. Please let us know if your facility is non-commercial, requires special equipment, or if you require a call prior to delivery. Knowing your requirements will allow us to set up your orders more successfully.
- Location Type: Generally, carriers categorize location type by neighborhood. Customers whose facilities are off-route, or located in a rural or residential zone will be considered non-commercial.
- Hours: Carriers need to know if you allow delivery during standard business hours (M-F: 8a-5p), if you have alternative hours, or if you require the carrier to call prior to delivery.
- Additional Services: If your facility does not have a trailer-height dock or a forklift, carriers may provide a lift-gate for a fee. Driver assistance in moving your coffee off their equipment and/or into your facility may be available for a fee as well.
RECEIVING YOUR COFFEE
Shipments leave the warehouse in good condition, with bags intact, securely strapped to the pallet and wrapped in plastic wrap. Inspect your delivery and note issues on the Delivery Receipt. Make sure anyone accepting your deliveries knows to do this as well. By signing the Delivery Receipt, you accept ownership of the freight as-is. Help us to help you! When issues are clearly documented on a Delivery Receipt, carriers process claims more quickly and the likelihood of a settlement is increased. Please see CLAIMS for more information on inspecting your shipment and filing a claim.
WAREHOUSE LOCATIONS
The Offer List specifies which city or metro-area each coffee is in. Each Delivery Order created will specify where each order will originate. Though we may use additional locations, our primary warehouse partners are:
THE GREEN ROOM | Washington
1302 29th St. NW Auburn, WA 98001 | Phone: 253.735.4470 | Hours: Will Call: 7:30am-2pm | LTL: 2pm-4pm
CONTINENTAL TERMINALS | New Jersey
200 Middlesex Ave. Carteret, NJ 07008 | Hours: Will Call and LTL: 2pm-4pm
THE ANNEX | California
300 Mitchell Ave. Alameda, CA 94501 | Phone: 510.746.1100 | Hours: Will Call: 7:30am-12pm | LTL: 1pm-3pm