Equatorial Traders

No rest for the wicked! Following a great weekend in Dublin cupping some of our lots soon to be available on the island, the gang are going up to Glasgow this coming weekend to do it all over again! Come and see us in the cupping rooms at 12:00pm on Sunday the 19th!

We are coming back to Dublin Coffee Festival! Come and cup with us on Saturday at 12:15, some of our coffees from Peru, Ethiopia and Brazil that will shortly be stored @theroastworks in Belfast! Just another step to make life easier for our Irish roasting clients! See you then!

Equatorial Traders has had a brand refresh!!

Fresh Arrivals from Limu 🇪🇹 Cupping some new crop washed Limus this morning from the first of this year’s harvest! Floral, sweet and just what a good washed Ethiopian should taste like. If you have a custom sourcing requirement or want to chat to the team about our work in Ethiopia, just reach out!

November saw the price of coffee starting to ease below the 400 c/lb level after the lifting of tariffs in the USA and the high probability of a further 12-month delay to EUDR. Brazil has had strong physical interest but producers are holding back - potentially waiting till next year to avoid income taxes . Weather concerns have been minimal with rainfall totals being close to normal averages and flower fixation has been strong. In Ethiopia, the current crop is coming to an end. New lots of washed coffee are expected to arrive in the coming weeks. This new crop is an off-cycle harvest, and the share of washed coffee is anticipated to be smaller. The postponement of EUDR is positive news for Ethiopia; however, the removal of tariffs on Brazilian coffees has diverted a significant share of interest from American buyers away from other origins Globally, with the sharp volatility in the futures markets, business has remained limited. The deals that are taking place—and the interest being shown—are shifting more strongly toward Robusta coffees, with solid interest in certified as well.

October saw a spike in the arabica market that came close to the highs of February 25 which were diminished by improving weather conditions in Brazil. During the beginning of the month farmers sold in small volumes keeping the market tight. As the middle of the month approached the signs of flowering looked better and while there were discussions around the below-average rainfall expectations remain positive for the upcoming crop. Despite a positive meeting between Lula and Trump, existing tariffs remain unchanged. Ethiopia at the beginning of the month started offering new crop washed coffees and while there has been some interest price discovery continues to be challenging. The country last week released its minimum prices for the new crop revealing a sharp gap around 50c/lb compared with current crop prices. Global market sentiment is mixed with buyers looking ahead for coverage from Q2 onwards – others are focused on securing nearby coffee. Inquiries for shipments from May onward have proven challenging due to the persistent tightness in spreads – the certified stock levels remain very low.

Come join us for a cupping at MCF on Saturday the 15th at 12:15pm! We will be cupping a whole host of new crop and in-store offerings, from Peru, Ethiopia and Brazil! Come along and taste some of the best coffees around!

New Crop Peru! Our Peru offering this year has been finalised and is in the mill being prepped for transit as we speak by the wonderful team @chacracoffee Quality this year is astoundingly good across the board, and we are bringing some fantastic Washed and Natural lots that will work well for any roaster! Get in touch now to secure Pre-shipment samples and availability

During the middle of September arabica coffee futures sharply tumbled driven by a variety of factors including a technical correction and news that U.S. lawmakers plan to introduce a bipartisan bill exempting coffee imports from post-January 19 tariffs. However, this has been marked with extreme volatility near the end of the month marked by uncertainty around a potential further delay to EUDR and the U.S. tariffs lacking clear direction. Weather developments are offering a more positive narrative with rains having arrived on time across the Brazillian coffee belt. While it is still early, the start is promising and has lifted expectations for next year. In Ethiopia, there are minimal volumes available at origin and activity has been very limited. There has been some interest in naturals from U.S. buyers, but uncertainty continues to stall deal closures. There are concerns over the quality of the remaining current crop stocks which is prompting a focus on new crop coffees. Globally, the historically low certified stocks continue to support the market though overall business remains quiet.

Recently, our Specialty Sales Manager, Pablo, visited Jaén, Peru, to meet with our export partner @chacracoffee , cup new crop coffees, connect with producers and visit farms in the north. Trips like these are invaluable—not just for understanding how coffee is bought and sold at origin (every producing country does it a little differently), but also for putting faces to the names of the producers we work with. Specialty coffee is about more than just quality. It’s about the relationships we build at every stage of the supply chain—relationships that help us offer a healthy and diverse range of coffees to UK roasters. Next time you’re roasting a coffee from Peru, think of the journey it’s taken—from 2,000 metres above sea level, down winding mountain roads to Jaén, where it’s cupped, milled, and sent hundreds of miles across the ocean to the UK. The journey of a coffee bean is nothing short of a miracle—of farming skill and logistical know-how. In a time when the C-market is more volatile than ever, it’s worth remembering why careful, ethical, and sustainable sourcing matters.

The end of August has been marked by a significant rise in coffee futures. Markets remain volatile due to a compounding of factors including low certified stocks and erratic weather patterns. The price of reais has risen sharply as farmers appear reluctant to sell into the current strength. Conilon shipments continue to decline while domestic demand is heavily conilon-focused. Some regions are reporting light rainfall—likely sufficient to trigger flowering but still requiring consistent precipitation afterwards to ensure proper fixation. In Ethiopia, minimum prices remain unchanged but are largely irrelevant given the scarcity of the supply at origin. Record shipment figures for East African coffee confirms little remains from this crop. Throughout the month, there has been heavy demand for Grade 4 and naturals though options are increasingly limited, especially for certified coffees. European buyers have had to move and approve shipments to ensure non-compliant coffees arrive before EUDR comes into effect. Globally, there is increasing interest in lower grades and robusta though overall trade remains sporadic.

Market Summary – July 25 Concerns over Brazil’s 26/25 crop intensified in July due to adverse weather impacting yield and quality. Fine cups are scarce, widening premiums over lower grades. Farmers nearing harvest completion reported lower-than-expected yields. The U.S. announced a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports, excluding coffee from exemptions. Although implementation was delayed to August 6, the move introduced market uncertainty. According to ABIC, negotiations are ongoing to exempt coffee. Seizing the opportunity, China announced on August 2 the authorization of 183 Brazilian companies to export coffee to its market, as confirmed by the Chinese embassy via social media. Ethiopia’s market remained quiet. Origin prices were slow to respond to NY declines, and firm minimums kept differentials very firm. European demand weakened amid EUDR uncertainty, though some buyers expedited shipments ahead of compliance deadlines. Early indicators suggest a strong next crop, but Q4 2025 may be subdued, with most current-crop coffees already sold. For now, caution dominates strategy.