Step 1 — Enquiry
Say what you need in trade terms: species (Robusta or Arabica), grade (Screen 18, Screen 15, Bugisu AA and so on), quantity (bags, tonnes or containers), destination port, shipment window and any certification or traceability requirement. If you are not sure which grade fits, describe the use — espresso blend component, soluble, single origin — and ask. Our quote form is structured around exactly these fields.
Step 2 — Specification and offer
A serious offer states the price basis, the Incoterm, the shipment month, the payment terms, the packaging and the documents included. Uganda Robusta is normally priced as a differential to the London (ICE Europe) Robusta contract and Arabica against the New York “C” contract, FOB Mombasa; specialty lots may be priced outright. Compare offers on the same basis — an FOB price and a landed price are not comparable until freight, insurance, clearance and inland delivery are added.
Step 3 — Evaluation sample
Ask for a 300 g sample of the actual lot or of the grade on offer. Run a green analysis — screen retention, moisture, defect count per 300 g — and roast and cup it. For Robusta, cup on the fine-Robusta protocol if you are buying specialty; for blends, cup in your blend at the intended percentage. Keep part of the sample for comparison with the pre-shipment sample.
Step 4 — Contract
The contract fixes quantity, grade and specification, price basis and how and when the price is fixed, Incoterm, shipment window, packaging (60 kg jute; hermetic liners if required), payment terms, sampling and weighing procedure, and the arbitration rules. European trade normally uses the European Contract for Coffee (ECF); US trade uses the Green Coffee Association (GCA) contract.
Step 5 — Pre-shipment sample
The supplier prepares the export lot at the grading factory and draws a pre-shipment sample (PSS) from the finished bags. You approve it against the evaluation sample and specification before stuffing. Reject or discuss if it does not match; this is the point at which quality is controlled, not on arrival.
Step 6 — Shipment
Bags are weighed, marked, inspected by the coffee authority for the quality certificate, stuffed into the container (usually at the grading factory or an inland container depot in Kampala), sealed and trucked to Mombasa — two to three days by road, or by rail. The shipping line issues the bill of lading when the container is loaded. Typical ocean transit from Mombasa: 18–24 days to Genoa or Trieste, four to five weeks to Antwerp, Hamburg or UK ports, 28–35 days to the US East Coast, and longer to the West Coast or Australia via trans-shipment.
Step 7 — Documents and arrival
The document set is the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, ICO certificate of origin, quality certificate and phytosanitary certificate, plus any certification documents. Under a letter of credit the documents are presented through the banks; otherwise originals are couriered and copies emailed as they are issued. Your customs broker clears the coffee — duty on green coffee is zero into the EU, UK and USA — and you draw an arrival sample and compare it with the PSS.
Incoterms in one paragraph
FOB Mombasa: the seller delivers the container on board the vessel at Mombasa; you arrange and pay ocean freight, insurance and everything after. It is the standard for Uganda coffee. FCA Kampala: the seller hands the loaded container to your carrier in Kampala; you handle transit to Mombasa. CFR / CIF: the seller also pays ocean freight (and insurance for CIF) to your port; useful if you do not have a freight forwarder. Whatever the term, import clearance, duty and inland delivery at destination are yours or your importer's.
Payment terms
For a first shipment, a documentary letter of credit at sight, or a telegraphic transfer with a deposit (commonly around 30 percent) and the balance against copies of shipping documents. Cash against documents and open-account terms come with an established relationship. An LC costs bank fees but protects both sides; a deposit reduces the seller's working-capital need and is often reflected in the price.
Timelines
Sample to contract: one to three weeks, depending on your cupping schedule. Contract to shipment for available coffee: two to four weeks including PSS approval and vessel booking. Fresh-crop shipments are timed to the harvest calendar. Add transit and clearance to reach roastery arrival — plan four to eight weeks from shipment for most destinations.
Country notes
- Importing green coffee from Uganda to the United States — FDA registration and prior notice, duty, routing.
- Importing green coffee from Uganda to the United Kingdom — EORI, duty and VAT, port health, routing.
- European Union — zero duty; EUDR due diligence from 30 December 2026 for large and medium operators; Antwerp is the main green coffee port.
- Gulf — Jebel Ali receives Uganda coffee for the Gulf and re-export; documents are standard, transit short.
- Australia and Canada — reached via trans-shipment; both import Uganda coffee mainly through specialty importers.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to import a container of coffee from Uganda?
The coffee itself (FOB price × 19.2 t) plus ocean freight and insurance to your port, destination terminal and clearance charges, inland delivery, and any import VAT. Duty on green coffee is zero into the EU, UK and USA. A freight forwarder can quote the logistics leg; we quote the coffee FOB Mombasa.
How long does shipping from Uganda take?
Two to three days from Kampala to Mombasa by road, then roughly 18–24 days to Mediterranean ports, four to five weeks to northern Europe and the UK, and 28–35 days to the US East Coast, plus vessel waiting time.
What documents do I need to import green coffee?
From the exporter: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, ICO certificate of origin, quality certificate and phytosanitary certificate. On your side: an importer registration (EORI in the UK/EU, FDA prior notice in the US), a customs broker and, for the EU from 30 December 2026, an EUDR due diligence statement filed by the first operator placing the coffee on the market.
Can a small roaster import directly from Uganda?
Yes, but a full container is 19.2 tonnes, so most small roasters buy Uganda coffee through an importer who consolidates, or share a container. We are happy to ship FOB to your importer's consolidation.
Is there import duty on Uganda coffee?
Green coffee enters the EU, UK and USA at zero customs duty. Import VAT may apply depending on the country (the UK treats coffee as zero-rated food; most EU states apply a reduced rate). Roasted coffee is treated differently.
What is a pre-shipment sample?
A sample drawn from the finished export lot after grading and bagging, sent to the buyer for approval before the container is stuffed. It is the buyer's control point for quality; retained samples are kept so any arrival discrepancy can be checked.