Green Coffee Buyer Survey Results

With 150 respondents, confidence is high that our “sample group” reflects the specialty coffee roasting industry as a whole. Using geography as a data test, respondents to our survey align with a database of over 2000 coffee roasters and the results of a Roast Magazine survey conducted in 2021.  This year’s survey was conducted in November 2024.

COVOYA INDEX

Coffee Roasting Industry Indicators from Covoya’s 2024 Green Coffee Buyer Survey

Who responded to the survey

Business is roaster/retailer doing little or no wholesale: 15%

Business is roaster/retailer and wholesaler: 68%

Business is wholesale coffee roaster: 13%

Job is “Green Coffee Buyer and Coffee Roaster”: 19%

Job is “Green Coffee Buyer”: 15%

Job is “Coffee Roaster”: 4%

Job is to “Do It All”: 59%

Roasters using fewer than five green coffee suppliers: 71%

Roasters using five or more green coffee suppliers: 29%

Roasters using 10 or more green coffee suppliers: 4%

Roasters using just one green coffee suppliers: 5%

Respondents who have never purchased from Covoya: 18%

Where are the coffee roasters

Roasters in the Pacific census region: 19%

Roasters in the Mountain census region: 12%

Roasters in the West North Central census region: 9%

Roasters in the West South Central census region: 8%

Roasters in the East North Central census region: 5%

Roasters in the East South Central census region: 5%

Roasters in the Middle Atlantic census region: 10%

Roasters in the New England census region: 4%

Roasters in the South Atlantic census region: 14%

State with the highest proportion of roasters is California: 15%

State with the second highest proportion of roasters is New York: 6%

How roaster buy and how much from all suppliers

Roasters who buy the majority of their green coffee online: 49%

Roasters who buy all of their green coffee online: 28%

Roasters who don’t buy any of their green coffee online: 18%

Roasters who buy the majority of their green coffee direct trade: 12%

Roasters who don’t buy any of their green coffee direct trade: 53%

Roasters who buy some portion of their green coffee forward : 72%

Roasters who buy some portion of their green coffee spot: 98%

Roasters who buy the majority of their green coffee spot: 60%

Roasters who buy all of their green coffee spot: 25%

Roasters who roast two containers or less annually: 79%

Roasters who roast at least 10 containers annually: 5%

When choosing a green coffee supplier

Roasters indicating green coffee quality is very important: 86%

Roasters indicating price is very important: 51%

Roasters indicating consistency of supply is very important: 53%

Roasters indicating customer service is very important: 52%

Roasters indicating sustainability is very important: 43%

Roasters indicating relationships with farmers are very important: 40%

Roasters indicating the relationship with a trader is very important: 39%

Roasters indicating the variety of coffees available is very important: 32%

Roasters indicating reliable deliveries are very important: 30%

Roasters indicating green coffee certifications are very important: 18%