Duty and VAT
Green (unroasted) coffee enters the United Kingdom at zero customs duty under the UK Global Tariff. Coffee is zero-rated for VAT as a food product in the UK, so import VAT is normally nil on green coffee for roasting; confirm the treatment with your customs broker, as classification and use can matter. Roasted and decaffeinated coffee follow their own tariff lines.
Registrations and declarations
You need a GB EORI number to import; your customs broker or freight forwarder submits the import declaration through the Customs Declaration Service. Green coffee is a plant product but not a regulated high-risk commodity, so a phytosanitary certificate accompanies the shipment and port health checks are documentary in the normal case. The exporter's document set — invoice, packing list, bill of lading, ICO certificate of origin, quality certificate and phytosanitary certificate — covers what the declaration needs. Details are on the documents page.
Routing and transit
Containers from Mombasa reach Felixstowe, London Gateway or Southampton in about four to five weeks, usually via a Mediterranean or northern European hub. Many UK importers land Uganda coffee at Antwerp or Rotterdam and bring it across by short-sea or truck; for a full container direct to a UK roastery, a UK port is simpler. Your forwarder quotes both.
Working with a UK importer versus buying direct
The UK has several green coffee importers with Uganda on their lists, offering bag quantities from warehouses and dealing with clearance. If you roast a few tonnes of Uganda coffee a year, buying spot or forward from an importer is efficient. If you roast a container or more, or want a specific lot and a relationship at origin, buying FOB Mombasa direct saves the importer's margin and gives you the lot you cupped. Many roasters combine both. We ship FOB to importer consolidations and direct to roasters.
Samples
Evaluation samples of 300 g are couriered from Kampala and normally arrive within a week; trade samples of no commercial value clear without a formal entry.
Which grades UK buyers ask for
Screen 18 and washed Robusta for espresso blends, Screen 15 for commercial blends, and Bugisu AA, Rwenzori and Drugar lots for single origins and blend components.
Contracts
UK trade normally follows the European Contract for Coffee (ECF) rules, with the pre-shipment sample discipline described in For importers.
Frequently asked questions
Is there import duty on green coffee into the UK?
No. Green coffee is zero duty under the UK Global Tariff. VAT is normally zero-rated as coffee is treated as food; confirm with your broker.
What do I need to import coffee into the UK?
A GB EORI number, a customs broker or forwarder to submit the declaration, and the exporter's document set including the phytosanitary certificate and ICO certificate of origin.
How long does shipping from Uganda to the UK take?
About four to five weeks from Mombasa to Felixstowe, London Gateway or Southampton, plus inland transit from Kampala and vessel waiting time.
Can I buy a pallet of Uganda coffee in the UK?
Yes, either from a UK importer who holds our coffee or by asking us to ship FOB Mombasa to your importer's consolidation.