cost breakdown buying indonesian arabica vs robusta beans

A step-by-step, yield-adjusted calculator to turn Indonesian FOB prices into true per-shot costs. We compare Sumatra/Bali Arabica versus Lampung/Sidikalang Robusta, factoring landed fees, defect sorting, moisture, roast loss, and espresso dosing so you can set prices or build blends with confidence.

Hook: how we shaved five figures off a client’s COGS in 90 days

We helped a mid-volume café-roastery cut monthly coffee COGS by $10,247 in 90 days. The playbook wasn’t magic. It was a disciplined, yield-adjusted cost model comparing Indonesian Arabica and Robusta and then dialing in a sensible blend. If you’ve ever wondered whether Robusta is actually cheaper per cup after shrink, defects, and dosing, this is the calculator and workflow we used.

The 3 pillars of an accurate cost breakdown

Our experience shows that most “cheap vs expensive” debates ignore three things that actually move your cost per cup.

Landed cost math, not list price. FOB vs CIF matters. So do freight, insurance, port, brokerage, and warehouse fees. Small differences compound per kg.
Yield adjustments. You don’t sell green beans. You sell cups. Sorting loss, moisture, and roast loss change your real roasted kg cost.
Brew dose and ratio. Robusta vs Arabica dosing for espresso isn’t always 1:1. Your dose drives cost per shot.

Takeaway: If you don’t model all three, you’re guessing.

Week 1–2: Validate your landed cost (FOB vs CIF)

Here’s the thing. The same coffee can swing 10–20% in “landed” price just based on logistics choices and lot size.

FOB (Free On Board). You buy at origin port. You pay freight, insurance, and destination costs. Good for buyers with forwarders and volume.
CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight). Supplier quotes arrival to your port. You still pay destination charges. Simpler for smaller lots.

Typical US inbound adders we’ve seen in the last 6 months:

Ocean FCL Indonesia to US West Coast: 0.25–0.50 USD/kg all-in. Freight has been volatile with Red Sea reroutes and GRI surcharges. Budget a cushion.
LCL: 0.65–1.20 USD/kg. Small shipments get hammered by minimums.
Insurance: ~0.3% of cargo value.
US Customs MPF: 0.3464% of cargo value. HMF: 0.125% for ocean freight.
Broker + destination port/THC + ISF + drayage + warehouse in/out: often 0.12–0.25 USD/kg on FCL, more for LCL.

Fast formula (estimate): Landed green $/kg = FOB $/kg + freight/insurance $/kg + destination fees $/kg + (MPF+HMF as % of value)

Example (illustrative, not a quote):

Arabica Sumatra G1 (think Sumatra Mandheling Green Coffee Beans) at FOB 12.80 USD/kg.
Robusta Lampung G2–G4 (like Robusta Lampung Green Coffee Beans (ELB & Grades 2–4)) at FOB 5.40 USD/kg.
Add 0.45 USD/kg freight/insurance, 0.15 USD/kg destination fees, and 0.47% MPF+HMF on cargo value.

Resulting landed estimates:

Arabica landed ≈ 12.80 + 0.45 + 0.15 + 0.06 = 13.46 USD/kg.
Robusta landed ≈ 5.40 + 0.45 + 0.15 + 0.03 = 6.03 USD/kg.

Takeaway: FOB price gaps can compress after logistics. Always compare landed.

Do I pay US import duty on green coffee beans?

No duty. Green coffee is duty-free into the US. You’ll still pay MPF, HMF, brokerage, and port/warehouse fees. That’s where most buyers under-budget.

Week 3–6: Measure yield and dial your roast

This is where most cost models fall apart. We recommend test-roasting 2–3 batches and weighing actual losses.

Key adjustments to model:

Defect sorting loss (pre-roast). Expect 0.5–2% for clean Arabica G1 lots. Wet-hulled Arabicas like Sumatra Lintong Green Coffee Beans (Lintong Grade 1) usually live here. For Robusta grades G2–G4, budget 3–8% depending on spec and how aggressive you are with quaker removal. Our Lampung ELB specs show 6–8% max triage as a working ceiling.
Roast loss. In our roastery tests, Indonesian Arabica typically loses 14–16% at City+ to Full City. Washed Bali/Java can be 12–14%. Robusta from Lampung/Sidikalang tends to be 11–13% at medium-dark, 13–15% at darker espresso roasts.
Moisture content. Higher green moisture usually means slightly higher shrink at a given color. Most Indonesian export lots target ≤12.5–13%. If you receive 10.5–11.0% moisture, expect 1–2 points lower roast loss.

Yield-adjusted roasted cost formula: Roasted $/kg = Landed green $/kg ÷ [(1 – defect%) × (1 – roast loss%)]

Worked examples using our landed estimates above:

Arabica: defects 1.5%, roast loss 15% ⇒ yield factor = 0.985 × 0.85 = 0.837. Roasted cost ≈ 13.46 ÷ 0.837 = 16.09 USD/kg.
Robusta: defects 6%, roast loss 13% ⇒ yield factor = 0.94 × 0.87 = 0.818. Roasted cost ≈ 6.03 ÷ 0.818 = 7.37 USD/kg.

Takeaway: Even after higher sorting and similar shrink, Robusta retains a significant roasted cost advantage.

How much does roast loss differ between Indonesian Arabica and Robusta?

Rule of thumb from our logs: Arabica wet-hulled Sumatra 14–16%. Washed Bali/Java 12–14%. Robusta Lampung/Sidikalang 11–13% at medium-dark, 13–15% darker.

What defect rates should I budget?

Arabica G1: 0.5–2% pre-roast hand sort. Robusta G2–G4: 3–8%. If you’re chasing a super-clean espresso, assume the high end.

Week 7–12: Scale and optimize your per-cup cost

Now translate roasted $/kg to cost per cup. Dose matters.

Per-shot cost formula (espresso): Cost per double = roasted $/kg × dose in kg.

Using the roasted costs above:

100% Arabica double at 18 g: 16.09 × 0.018 = 0.29 USD.
100% Robusta double at 18 g: 7.37 × 0.018 = 0.13 USD.

Is Robusta actually cheaper per shot after dosing? Yes, even if you dose up. At 19 g, Robusta double ≈ 7.37 × 0.019 = 0.14 USD. If your house style uses a lower dose for Robusta-heavy blends (say 16–17 g to curb bitterness), your cost drops further.

What blend ratio cuts cost 10–20% without crushing quality?

Our safe starter for cost control is 20–30% Robusta in an espresso base.

80/20 Arabica/Robusta roasted cost ≈ 0.8 × 16.09 + 0.2 × 7.37 = 14.74 USD/kg. At 18 g, that’s 0.27 USD/double. About 10% cheaper than 100% Arabica.
70/30 Arabica/Robusta roasted cost ≈ 13.75 USD/kg. At 18 g, that’s 0.25 USD/double. Around 15–17% cheaper.

Prefer a ready-made price-conscious base? Consider a controlled Arabica/Robusta blend like Sumatra Tiger Grade 3 Special Green Coffee Beans for low-acidity espresso programs. If you want to build your own, pair a classic Sumatra base such as Sumatra Mandheling Green Coffee Beans with a clean Robusta like Robusta Lampung Green Coffee Beans (ELB & Grades 2–4) or Bali Kintamani Robusta ELB 350BC Green Coffee Beans.

Common mistakes that inflate your coffee cost

We see these five traps over and over.

Comparing FOB prices and ignoring freight class and lot size. LCL and air make “cheap” coffees expensive. Always compute landed $/kg.
Using generic roast loss numbers. Wet-hulled Sumatras don’t behave like washed Kintamani. Test-roast and weigh.
Not budgeting for quaker removal. Two hours of sorting per 60 kg bag adds labor cost even if you ignore the yield hit.
Dosing Arabica and Robusta the same without tasting. Many teams can drop Robusta-heavy blends 1–2 g and improve both taste and cost.
Forgetting warehouse in/out and drayage. Those small line items are real dollars on small shipments.

Quick answers buyers ask us

Which landed fees impact per-cup price the most?

Freight class and shipment size. Then destination port/THC and drayage. On small lots, these dominate MPF/HMF and insurance.

How does moisture content affect yield and cost?

Higher green moisture usually raises roast loss by 1–2 points at a given color. That reduces roasted yield, increasing cost per kg. We measure moisture on intake and adjust our roast profile target to protect yield.

How to calculate cost per cup for Indonesian Arabica vs Robusta?

Use this checklist:

Start with FOB or CIF quote.
Add freight, insurance, and destination fees to get landed $/kg.
Subtract expected defect sorting loss.
Apply actual roast loss to get roasted $/kg.
Multiply by dose (kg) to get per-shot cost. For drip, multiply by brew ratio and beverage yield instead.

If you want our spreadsheet template with example values for Sumatra Arabica G1 and Lampung Robusta G2–G4, Contact us on whatsapp and we’ll send it along.

When this advice applies (and when it doesn’t)

Applies: Small roasters and cafés buying 300 kg–1 container, optimizing espresso cost without sacrificing consistency.
Doesn’t apply: Ultra-micro lots or competition coffees where price sensitivity is low. In that case, model yield anyway, but don’t compromise your spec.

Practical next steps

Price a clean Arabica anchor: e.g., Arabica Bali Kintamani Grade 1 Green Coffee Beans or Sumatra Mandheling Green Coffee Beans.
Add a cost-control Robusta candidate: Robusta Lampung Green Coffee Beans (ELB & Grades 2–4) or Robusta Sidikalang Green Coffee Beans (Grade 2).
Test-roast, log moisture and shrink, and run the yield-adjusted math above.
If you need help benchmarking your actual defect and roast loss on our lots, Contact us on email with your target dose and roast style. We’ll suggest a blend and estimate your per-shot cost.

Want to browse current Indonesian lots across both categories? View our products.