Light roast
- Drop temperature
- 196–205 °C drop, before or at first crack
- Appearance
- Light brown, no oil on the surface
- Cup
- High acidity, floral and fruit notes, light body — origin character intact
- Best for
- Pour-over, filter, single-origin retail bags
Sourcing coffee and avocado from East African originsContact Us rimallimited@gmail.com +254 740 759 359
Buying guide
How to Choose
Your Coffee.
Species, roast level and grind size are the three decisions that shape every cup you sell. This guide walks through each one, with a green coffee checklist for buyers.
How do you choose the right coffee?
Start with the end use. Choose Arabica when you want acidity, aromatics and cup score; choose Robusta when you want body, crema, caffeine and a lower cost per kilo. Then pick a roast level — light for origin character, medium for balance, dark for intensity — and finally match grind size to your brew method: fine for espresso, medium for filter, coarse for French press and cold brew.
Six decisions
From Purpose
to Purchase.
A repeatable order of decisions that keeps a coffee purchase aligned with the product you actually sell.
- 01PurposeDecide the end use: filter, espresso, blend base or instant.
- 02SpeciesChoose Arabica for clarity, Robusta for body and caffeine.
- 03Origin & gradeMatch origin, screen size and cup score to your market.
- 04Roast levelPick light, medium or dark to suit the flavour you sell.
- 05GrindMatch grind size to the brew method and contact time.
- 06Volume & termsConfirm quantity, packaging, moisture and shipment.
Step 1 · Species
Arabica or
Robusta?
Choose by end use, not by reputation. Many roasters buy both and blend them deliberately.
Choose Arabica if…
- You sell filter, pour-over or single-origin retail coffee
- You compete on cup score, aroma and acidity
- You want lower caffeine and a cleaner, sweeter finish
- You can carry a higher green price per kilo
Choose Robusta if…
- You build espresso blends and need stable crema
- You want heavy body, strength and higher caffeine
- You need volume at a lower, more predictable cost
- You supply instant, ready-to-drink or foodservice
Full species comparison in our Arabica vs Robusta article, or put specific lots side by side in the variety comparison tool.
Step 2 · Roast level
Light, Medium
or Dark.
Roast degree decides how much origin character survives and how much roast flavour takes over.
Medium roast
- Drop temperature
- 210–219 °C drop, after first crack
- Appearance
- Medium brown, dry surface
- Cup
- Balanced acidity and sweetness, caramel and cocoa, rounder body
- Best for
- All-purpose retail, batch brew, milk-based espresso
Medium-dark roast
- Drop temperature
- 220–225 °C drop, start of second crack
- Appearance
- Rich dark brown, faint oil
- Cup
- Lower acidity, bittersweet chocolate, heavy body
- Best for
- Espresso blends, moka pot, strong milk drinks
Dark roast
- Drop temperature
- 226–240 °C drop, into second crack
- Appearance
- Very dark, visibly oily
- Cup
- Minimal acidity, smoky and roast-forward, thick body
- Best for
- Traditional espresso, French press, iced coffee with milk
Step 3 · Grind type
Match the Grind
to the Brew.
Grind size controls extraction speed. Too fine for the method tastes bitter; too coarse tastes thin and sour.
- Extra coarse
- Cold brew and cowboy coffee — 12–24 hour steep, consistency like cracked pepper.
- Coarse
- French press and percolator — 4 minute steep, texture of sea salt.
- Medium-coarse
- Chemex and Café Solo — slower filter brews, 4–5 minutes.
- Medium
- Flat-bottom drip, batch brew and Aeropress — texture of coarse sand.
- Medium-fine
- Cone pour-over such as V60 — 2.5–3.5 minutes total.
- Fine
- Espresso and moka pot — 25–32 second shot, texture of table salt.
- Extra fine
- Turkish coffee — flour-like, brewed directly in water.
Rule of thumb: the shorter the contact time with water, the finer the grind. Grind immediately before brewing and keep whole beans sealed away from light and heat.
Step 4 · Buyer checklist
What to Confirm
Before You Order.
Specify these points in your enquiry and quotations come back accurate the first time.
- Species and variety
- Arabica (SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, Batian, landraces) or Ugandan Robusta.
- Origin and region
- Kenya, Ethiopia or Uganda — altitude and region drive the profile.
- Processing
- Washed for clarity, natural for fruit and body, honey for balance.
- Grade and screen size
- AA, AB, PB and equivalents; confirm defect count.
- Moisture content
- 10–12% for stable shipping and storage.
- Cup score
- Ask for a cupping note or sample before committing volume.
- Packaging
- 60 kg jute with GrainPro liner, or vacuum packs for specialty lots.
- Volume and lead time
- Confirm available tonnage, shipment window and Incoterms.
Grade definitions by origin are listed on our coffee grades page.
Ready to buy?
Send us your specification.
Tell us species, origin, grade, roast intent and volume. We source washed and natural Arabica from Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda, plus Ugandan Robusta.
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