Transparency Report
Coffee is a world commodity, with two types of quality: commodity and specialty. We source specialty coffee. This type of coffee requires more attention to detail from the farm all the way to your cup. Every hand that touches it plays a vital role in ensuring the quality of the beans. Specialty coffees are all about quality over quantity, typically grown in small quantities by craftsmen and craftswomen farmers.
The cost for most coffee farmers – just to break even – is $1.20/lb. However, in 2019, the global commodity price of coffee dropped as low as $0.90/lb. Under those conditions, many coffee farmers operate at a loss. Factors such as geo political issues, climate change, shortages and surpluses of supply, all influence the price of beans. Often, the farmer is at the mercy of the market.
What we do differently
The coffees we buy at Vigilante Coffee cost well above this commodity price. We seek the best beans out there for our coffee. Our coffees demand a higher premium which rewards the care and attention to detail that specialty coffee farmers put into their product. Additionally, we aim to work as closely with the producer as possible. If we’re working with importers, which we most definitely are, many of our partners are Certified B corps. We’re just aiming to do business the best way, where all parties benefit and sustain long and fruitful relationships.
Our transparency report shows you the exact price we paid as well as the cupping score and how long we’ve been purchasing coffee from this particular producer. These higher prices not only benefit the community around our farmers but benefit our customers who get the best coffee in the world.
We strive to bring more transparency and understanding to coffee. This is just one small step in that direction. Should you have questions about this information, reach out to us at beans@vigilantecoffee.com
Transparent Pricing
Coffee Origin |
Lot |
Vigilante's FOB price |
Total lbs |
Purchase History |
Cup Score |
| Colombia | Fuego | $3.75 | 14,000 | 2016 | 85 |
| Colombia | Serriana Decaf | $3.80 | 15,000 | 2014 | 85 |
| Colombia | La Serriana Decaf Grd1 | $5.65 | 2,128 | 2015 | 86.5 |
| Colombia | La Falda | $4.90 | 24,640 | 2015 | 86.5 |
| Colombia | Norbey Quimbayo | $8.00 | 780 | 2021 | 88 |
| Colombia | Madre Laura | $3.95 | 6160 | 2018 | 86 |
| Mexico | Mazateca Blend | $5.50 | 3300 | 2020 | 86.5 |
| Mexico | Sierra Norte | $4.60 | 2000 | 2020 | 86 |
| Mexico | Gloria | $28.00 | 150 | 2017 | 93.5 |
| Mexico | Las Cotorras | $3.68 | 4564 | 2019 | 86.5 |
| Ecuador | Alambi | $4.28 | 5000 | 2018 | 87 |
| El Salvador | El Izotal | $6.75 | 600 | 2019 | 87.5 |
| El Salvador | Las Veraneras | $5.65 | 150 | 2019 | 87 |
| El Salvador | San Andres | $7.50 | 792 | 2021 | 88 |
| Peru | Tabaconas | $4.20 | 6080 | 2018 | 87 |
| Peru | Clever | $8.00 | 770 | 2019 | 87.5 |
| Peru | Fidel Huancas Mezcla | $3.80 | 1386 | 2019 | 87 |
| Peru | Servando Neira Julca | $4.25 | 396 | 2021 | 87 |
| Yemen | Mokha Route | $23 | 250 | 2019 | 89 |
| Nicargua | El Lovo | $3.60 | 5280 | 2017 | 86.5 |
| Nicargua | El Barril (COE winner) | $7.80 | 770 | 2015 | 87.5 |
| Brazil | Capim Seco | $3.75 | 45600 | 2017 | 86 |
| Kenya | Kiunyu AA | $6.25 | 700 | 2021 | 88 |
| Burundi | Rugori | $3.30 | 750 | 2019 | 88 |
| Burundi | Butegana | $3.40 | 750 | 2019 | 87.5 |
| Rwanda | Gasharu | 4.00 | 1320 | 2022 | 89 |
| Indonesia | Java Hendra | $5.82 | 396 | 2021 | 86 |
| Indonesia | Kerinci | $4.02 | 32900 | 2018 | 86 |
| Ethiopia | Natty Cheffe | 6000 | 2018 | 87 | |
| Ethiopia | Dumerso | 1980 | 2019 | 88 | |
| Ethiopia | 1980 | 2019 | 87 | ||
| Ethiopia | Uraga | $3.50 | 529 | 2020 | 87 |
| Guatemala | Dank 4.0 | $7.00 | 2022 | ||
| Guatemala | La Senda | $5.00 | 1064 | 2018 | 88 |
| Guatemala | Hydro Natural | $5.75 | 308 | 2019 | 89 |
| Hawaii | Onila | $29.00 | 250 | 2022 | |
| Hawaii | Maui Grown Yellow Caturra | $9.15 | 400 | 2021 | 86.5 |
| Bolivia | Sol De La Manana | $3.80 | 1,980 | 2022 | |
| Bolivia | Waikiki | $5.80 | 300 | 2022 |
FOB = "Free on Board Shipping Point." The term means that the buyer takes delivery of goods being shipped to it by a supplier once the goods leave the supplier's shipping dock
The Difference
Let's focus on our Colombian Caturrita coffee. The Caturra varietal, is an old growth variety with a really sweet and chocolate forward profile. La Caturrita is a unique blend, created from several small scale producers located in Huila and Tolima. This coffee unites the best lots of our farm partners, made up mostly of small peaberries and smaller grading size beans.
Typically, producers would have to sell this smaller screen size coffee to the local co-op at a lower price, barely breaking even, however this coffee is purchased directly from small producers, allowing them to sell us ALL of their coffee and gain top dollar for the quality they grow.
The FOB on these coffees is a result of the screen size of the bean. These are very tiny beans that are the ones typically separated from our highest quality lots. We just began using them for different purposes and are able to buy both the top tier our producers harvest as well as the smaller screen size bean for a 84-85 cupping score.