A part-container or mixed-lot green coffee order means buying less than a full container, or combining more than one lot or origin in one shipment, and the buyer should compare it with a full container on delivered cost, not on the price per kilo alone. Freight, handling, documents and risk are shared differently when lots are combined. Ask the supplier in writing how the order will be packed, documented and priced before you commit.
What is a part-container or mixed-lot order?
A part-container order fills only some of a container, so the buyer shares it with other cargo or other lots. A mixed-lot order combines different lots, origins or grades in one shipment. Both can suit a roastery or café group that does not need a full container of one coffee, but each one adds questions about packing, marks, documents and who is responsible if one lot has a problem.
Why compare delivered cost, not only the coffee price?
A StoneX CoffeeNetwork analysis from April 2026 points out that cheaper futures do not automatically mean cheaper delivered coffee, because freight and insurance can offset much of the saving. The same logic applies to order size. A smaller order may carry freight and handling costs that are spread over fewer bags, so ask for a quotation that shows each cost line separately and compare it with a full-container quotation.
What should you ask the supplier about a mixed shipment?
Ask how each lot will be marked and documented, whether each lot gets its own sample and quality description, and how the lots will be kept separate in the container. Ask what happens to the rest of the order if one lot is delayed, and whether the shipment can be split. Request the answers in the quotation or contract, not in a chat message.
How should you match order size to your use?
Start from your roasting plan, storage space and the time the coffee will sit before use, then work back to an order size. A larger order is not better if the coffee waits too long in storage, and a smaller order is not cheaper if delivered cost per kilo rises. Ask for both options on the same delivery terms so that the comparison is fair.
Frequently asked questions
Is a part-container order always more expensive per kilo?
Not necessarily, and Atlas does not assume it. The answer depends on the quotation, so ask for delivered cost on the same terms for both options.
Can I mix origins in one shipment?
It depends on the supplier and the agreed terms. Ask how each origin will be marked, documented and kept separate, and confirm it in writing.
What should I check before approving a mixed-lot quotation?
Check the cost lines, the marks and documents for each lot, the sample for each lot and what happens if one lot is delayed.
Atlas recommends deciding the order size from your roasting plan and storage first, then asking for both a full-container and a mixed-lot quotation on the same delivery terms. Ask us to set the two side by side; availability and terms are confirmed only in writing.
Read the guide: how to read a green coffee quote before you compare suppliers
StoneX CoffeeNetwork: Logistics costs are rewriting the coffee price story in 2026 (17 Apr 2026)
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