Kintamani coffee has no single legal minimum order quantity — it scales with how you buy. Roasters usually start with 1–5 kg samples, then a trial lot of one 30–60 kg bag. Commercial MOQs run from a few hundred kilograms (part container) up to a full 20-foot container of roughly 18–19.2 tonnes.
What actually sets the MOQ for Kintamani green coffee?
Green (unroasted) coffee from the Kintamani Highlands of Bangli Regency, north-east Bali, does not ship by the kilo like retail beans. It moves in bags, and those bags set your floor. Kintamani Arabica typically leaves Bali or Surabaya ports packed in GrainPro liners inside jute sacks — the GrainPro guards moisture and cup quality, the jute protects the GrainPro.
Two bag formats dominate:
- 60 kg jute bags — the traditional Indonesian export unit.
- 30 kg GrainPro-lined bags — common for specialty and microlots, easier for smaller roasters to buy and store.
So your MOQ is really a question of how many of those bags a supplier will split out of a lot, and whether you are filling part of a container or all of it.
| Order tier | Typical weight | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sample | 100 g – 5 kg | Cupping and approval before any commitment |
| Trial lot | 1 bag (30–60 kg) | First paid order, menu testing |
| Microlot | 1–10 bags (30–600 kg) | Single-origin feature, limited release |
| Part container (LCL) | ~500 kg – 10 tonnes | Growing roasters, shared shipments |
| Full container (FCL) | ~18–19.2 tonnes (20ft) | Established buyers, best per-kg cost |
How small can a first order realistically be?
Most roasters do not commit a container to a coffee they have never cupped. A normal sequence is a sample of 100 g to a few kilograms, an approval cupping, then a trial lot of a single bag. That first paid bag — 30 or 60 kg — is where a working relationship starts, and it is the tier our MOQ for roasters page maps in detail, from single-bag trials up to container planning.
Sampling matters more here than in commodity buying. Because cupping scores and grades come only from a lot’s cupping report or COA — never from a farm name on its own — the sample you approve should be drawn from the actual lot you will receive.
What is a microlot, and why is its MOQ different?
A microlot is a small, separated batch — often from one subak (the Subak Abian farmer group) or a single smallholder — kept apart because its cup profile stands out. Kintamani lots are described as bright and citrus-forward, and some smallholders produce distinct micro-lots specifically for specialty roasters.
The catch is supply. A microlot only exists in the volume that was picked and processed that season. Kintamani’s main harvest runs May to October, so a natural or honey microlot might total only a handful of 30 kg bags. When those sell, they are gone until the next harvest. That scarcity — not a policy — is what sets a microlot MOQ: you buy what exists, sometimes as little as one or two bags, and pre-booking around the harvest window protects your allocation.
Part container or full container — which MOQ fits you?
Once you move past trial bags, the real decision is LCL versus FCL.
- LCL (less than container load) lets you buy part of a container — your bags travel alongside other cargo. It suits a few hundred kilograms up to several tonnes and keeps cash flow manageable, though freight per kilo runs higher.
- FCL (full container load) means the whole box is yours. A 20-foot container holds roughly 18–19.2 tonnes of green coffee — about 300 to 320 jute bags of 60 kg — and delivers the lowest landed cost per kilogram.
| Format | Approx. capacity | Bags (60 kg) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft FCL | ~18–19.2 tonnes | ~300–320 | Lowest freight per kg |
| 40ft FCL | ~24–26 tonnes | ~400+ | Volume buyers; weight-limited, not space-limited |
| LCL / part container | ~0.5–10 tonnes | ~8–160 | Shared shipment, higher per-kg cost |
How does the MOQ change the price?
Smaller MOQs almost always cost more per kilogram, because handling, sampling, GrainPro packing and paperwork spread over fewer kilos. As a reference, indicative FOB prices in 2026 — which move with harvest, quality and cupping score, and are confirmed on grade, score, lot and MOQ — sit around:
- Washed Grade 1 specialty (screen 16+, SCA ~82–84): USD 8–11/kg
- Microlot and natural lots (SCA 84–87+): USD 10–15+/kg
- Commodity-grade: about USD 3.5–6/kg
A one-bag trial of a scarce natural microlot will land near the top of its band; a full container of washed Grade 1 sits nearer the bottom per kilo. These figures are indicative as of 2026 and subject to change.
What comes attached to the MOQ decision?
Choosing a volume also sets your paperwork and timeline. Green coffee export documents typically include a certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, commercial invoice and packing list, plus the HS code for green coffee, with logistics arranged via vetted licensed partners.
Two more planning points:
- Harvest timing. With picking May to October, sampling and container pre-booking cluster around and just after harvest. Larger MOQs need earlier commitment.
- EUDR readiness. Coffee is in-scope of the EU Deforestation Regulation, so EU-bound lots need plot geolocation and due-diligence records. Traceability cues buyers look for include bags specifying Bangli Regency, the Kintamani Geographical Indication designation, and a named subak or cooperative. Preparing that documentation is realistic; certainty on customs or EUDR outcomes is not something any exporter can promise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I combine different Kintamani processes in one minimum order?
Yes. A single trial shipment can hold a few bags each of washed, natural and honey Kintamani, and a part container often mixes processes for roasters testing a range. Each process stays in its own GrainPro-lined bags with its own lot reference, so cupping records and traceability remain separate even inside one order.
Is a full container worth it just for a lower price per kilogram?
Only if you can sell it. A 20-foot full container of Kintamani green coffee runs roughly 18–19.2 tonnes and earns the lowest per-kg cost, but green coffee ages. If your roastery turns under that volume within 9–12 months, part-container buying usually protects freshness and cash flow better than chasing the discount.
How early should I book a Kintamani microlot before harvest?
Kintamani’s main harvest runs May to October, and microlots are limited to what is picked that season. Serious buyers request samples and reserve allocation from around mid-harvest, often two to four months before shipment, because scarce natural and honey lots sell out. Earlier contact secures both the lot and its EUDR-ready paperwork.