Why storage of coffee in a warehouse is safe.

With an increasingly high demand for caffeine extracted from the small coffee cherry, be it for freeze dried coffee, pod coffee, coffee concentrate for food services or as an espresso, (75% of caffeine consumed is through coffee consumption)  the number of distributors within this chain has rapidly increased.  

The growth of the coffee distributor is a reflective development alongside the expansion of espresso drinking regions (into the cities of the under-developed coffee growing nations).  Alternate sales options by large fast food chain (McCafe at MacDonalds) and the profit driven, high volume growth of coffee chains such as Starbucks, Tim Hortons, and Dunkin Donuts also contribute.

Throughout the USA, Europe, Asia and Australia the number of merchants is on the rise, only to maintain the demand from big business and the consumer.  Within this expansive period, as farmers also attempt to keep up with demand, it is the merchants who can look to alter best practice regimens.  They can affect such practices like maximum warehouse storage times, as they look to take ahold of as much market share as possible as well protect future profits from fluctuations in the commodity pricing and to disease at the farming level.

So how can you, as a buyer of unroasted green beans be sure the product delivered to you from the merchant warehouses has been stored and taken care of properly?  Fortunately, the expectations have been nicely laid out for you by the specialists at coffeeresearch.org.  This detailed explanation of the best practices that you should, if not demand, be aware of, hold the merchant accountable for the product that they sell.  Read through their website, and you will be fully versed on the modes for coffee processing and dry as well as contributing information that is supported by the governing body of coffee in America the Specialty Coffee Association of America, SCAA.

The role of the SCAA is to uphold a crop to cup commitment to quality and respect for the regions, processes, and peoples involved in the past, present and future of the coffee bean supply chain. 

Most merchants will act as a highly professional business and will support that claim through best practices such as “Rainforest Alliance,” and “Fair Trade.”  That shows that they have a vested interest in the sustainable growth of the coffee farming industry, and as they invest in these modes they improve their stead in a booming market that cannot afford to have sloppy practices allowed to seep in.