Indonesian Coffee SNI vs SCA Grading: 2025 Buyer’s Guide

A practical crosswalk for buyers who negotiate in SNI (Mutu) but need SCA-grade results. Use this to write clean specs, avoid mismatches, and verify quality before shipment.

If you’ve ever bought Indonesian coffee on SNI terms and then cupped below 80 back home, you’re not alone. We’ve seen buyers pay premiums for Mutu 1 only to learn that SNI’s “defect points” don’t translate one-to-one to SCA’s “primary/secondary defects” and 80+ scoring. The good news is you don’t need to gamble. In this guide, we’ll show you how to map SNI to SCA, draft a hybrid 2025 purchase spec, and verify quality before the container sails.

The 3 pillars of a clean SNI-to-SCA spec

Here’s the system we use with global buyers who want Indonesian lots graded locally under SNI but sold to SCA expectations.

Defect-language crosswalk. SNI Mutu uses weighted defect points across categories like black beans, sour beans, broken, shells, stones and sticks. SCA uses primary and secondary defect counts per 350 g. We translate SNI’s categories to SCA’s primary/secondary buckets during sampling. This removes ambiguity later.
Physical metrics alignment. Screen size, moisture and water activity govern roast behavior and shelf life. SNI typically allows up to 12.5–13% moisture. SCA buyers usually want 10.0–12.0% moisture and ≤0.70 aw water activity. We specify both so local grading passes and your QC lab passes too.
Cup quality alignment. SNI is a physical standard. It doesn’t guarantee cup quality. So we add SCA cupping score and uniformity/cleanliness clauses. When a supplier says “Mutu 1,” we say “Great. And 80+ SCA, zero cup faults.” Now everyone’s talking about the same outcome.

Practical takeaway: Always write defect, physical and cup requirements together. One without the others creates gaps where quality can slip through.

Step 1–2: Map standards and vet the source

Week 1–2 is about clarity. Ask your supplier for their SNI grading sheet and defect point definitions. In our experience, 3 out of 5 misunderstandings start with different internal counting practices. Then run a cross-check with SCA’s Green Arabica Classification on a 350 g sample.

Rules-of-thumb we use when buyers ask “What does Mutu mean in SCA terms?”

Arabica Mutu 1. Often aligns with SCA Grade 1–2 if screen 16 up, moisture 10–12%, and very low black/sour presence. But Mutu 1 alone doesn’t guarantee 80+.
Arabica Mutu 2. Typically maps to SCA Grade 2–3. You can cup 78–83 depending on lot, process and seasonality.
Robusta Mutu 1–2. Clean commercial to fine-commercial. If you need “Fine Robusta” in the CQI sense, add SCA-style defect limits plus 80+ R-Grader cup.

Want a feel for outcomes? Lots like our Sumatra Mandheling Green Coffee Beans are graded locally and routinely cup 83–84 under SCA. That’s the combination you’re aiming for: local compliance plus SCA-confirmed results.

Practical takeaway: Treat Mutu as a starting point. Ask for a 350 g SCA-style defect audit and a small roast cup score before you move to contract.

Step 3–6: Draft the hybrid spec and test it with samples

Now write a one-page spec that a farmer group, mill and importer can all execute. Here’s a compact format buyers keep on file.

Sample hybrid spec language you can adapt:

Grade and defects. SNI Arabica Mutu 1 or better. SCA Green Arabica Classification: 0 primary defects, ≤5 secondary defects per 350 g sample.
Screen size. Screen 17/18, with max 5% below screen 16. Define “screen 18” as retention on 18/64 inch sieve for clarity.
Moisture and water activity. Moisture 10.0–12.0% (ISO 6673 or equivalent). Water activity ≤0.70 aw (we target 0.65–0.68 for Indonesia-bound containers).
Cup quality. SCA cupping score 80+ by Q Grader, no cup faults, uniformity ≥8/10, clean aftertaste.
Process and origin. State process and region to control variability. For example, “Wet-hulled Mandheling, North Sumatra” or “Fully washed Bali Kintamani.”
Acceptance. Pre-shipment sample must meet spec. Load port inspection on random sacks. Buyer reserves right to downgrade or reject if independent lab reports variance beyond tolerance.

Two quick examples in practice:

If you need big-bean roaster behavior, specify 17/18 screens. We commonly recommend Jumbo Eighteen Plus Green Coffee Beans when a buyer’s profile is built around screen 18.
If you want bright, clean washed profiles with a clear path to 80+, lots like Arabica Bali Kintamani Grade 1 Green Coffee Beans fit the spec well.

Need help tailoring that spec to your plant, roast system or climate? We’re happy to review it and share sample language we actually use with forward contracts. You can Contact us on whatsapp.

Step 7–12: Scale and optimize your vendor program

Once the spec works on a trial lot, scale it.

Lock in pre-shipment verification. Ask for duplicate sealed samples from the lot, one to you and one to a third-party lab. We see issues drop sharply when everyone shares the same sealed reference.
Tighten allowances post-harvest. Indonesian humidity can push aw up during transit. In late 2024 we saw more buyers tighten to ≤0.68 aw for maritime routes longer than 21 days.
Track per-lot variance. Seasonality and wet-hulling can swing body and cleanliness. Commit to small, frequent lots at first, then consolidate when you see stability.

Practical takeaway: The spec is a living document. Review it each season against what actually arrived and how it roasted.

The 5 mistakes that quietly kill SNI-to-SCA deals

Assuming Mutu 1 guarantees 80+. It doesn’t. SNI is physical-only. Always add SCA cup score.
Ignoring water activity. Moisture can be fine at 12%, while aw is 0.75 and mold risk climbs. Add aw to the contract.
Vague screen language. “Large beans” means different things across mills. Write “Screen 17/18, max 5% below 16.”
Mixing processes under one spec. Wet-hulled and fully washed won’t behave the same in-roaster. Split specs or state process explicitly.
Verifying too late. If your first true check is arrival QC, you’ve already paid freight. Pre-shipment sampling plus an at-origin inspection saves time and margin.

Practical FAQs buyers ask us

Does SNI Mutu 1 guarantee an 80+ SCA cup score?

No. Mutu 1 means low physical defects by SNI’s point system. SCA “specialty” requires 80+ cup score and strict defect counts. We’ve cupped Mutu 1 lots at 78–84. Add a cup-score clause to be safe.

How do SNI defect categories map to SCA primary and secondary defects?

Think of black and sour beans as SCA primary defects. Broken, chipped, insect-damaged, and shells are typically secondary. Foreign matter like stones or sticks count as primary per SCA. Because SNI uses weighted points and SCA uses discrete counts, the only reliable approach is to run a 350 g SCA audit on your SNI-graded sample. We do this on every export lot.

If an offer says Arabica Mutu 2, what SCA grade should I expect?

Usually SCA Grade 2–3 potential, with cup scores 78–83 depending on process and season. If you need 80+, write it down and request a pre-shipment SCA cupping.

What screen size spec should I use if I need SCA Grade 1?

There’s no universal screen rule in SCA, but most specialty buyers ask for Screen 17/18 or 16 up, with tight allowances below 16. Define the sieve: “18/64 inch” equals screen 18. If your profile needs tight development, go 17/18. Our Jumbo Eighteen Plus Green Coffee Beans is a typical match.

Can I buy on SNI terms but still require an SCA cupping score?

Yes, and we recommend it. Use dual language: SNI Mutu 1 or 2 for local compliance, plus “SCA 80+ by Q Grader, 0 primary and ≤5 secondary defects per 350 g.” That keeps both sides aligned.

What moisture and water activity limits align with both SNI and SCA?

Set moisture at 10.0–12.0% and water activity at ≤0.70 aw. In tropical shipping, ≤0.68 aw adds a safety margin. SNI allowances can be wider, but this range protects cup and shelf life.

How can I verify a supplier’s SNI grade before paying the balance?

Request a pre-shipment sample marked with lot ID and bag numbers. Have the seller send a duplicate sealed sample to a third-party lab.
Ask for an SCA 350 g defect report and a Q Grader cupping form.
Commission a load-port inspection. We often do random-sack checks, quick aw/moisture tests, and on-camera sampling during stuffing.
For larger buys, add a “condition on arrival” clause tied to an independent lab if the container was sealed and chain of custody is intact.

Resources and next steps

If you want a clean starting point, copy this acceptance block into your next PO and adjust numbers for your risk tolerance:

SNI: Arabica Mutu 1. SCA: 0 primary, ≤5 secondary defects per 350 g. Cup ≥80 by Q Grader.
Screen: 17/18, max 5% below 16. Moisture 10.0–12.0%. Water activity ≤0.70 aw.
Pre-shipment sample must match shipment within ±0.2% moisture and ±0.02 aw. Seller provides duplicate sealed sample and load-port inspection report.

If you’re building a product shortlist that already fits these specs, browse our current origins and sizes here: View our products. And if you need a quick sanity check on a supplier’s “Mutu” claim or a draft spec reviewed, just Contact us on whatsapp. In our experience, a 10-minute review now saves weeks of back-and-forth later.

Final thought. SNI vs SCA doesn’t have to be confusing. When you pin down defects, physical metrics and cup score in one page, you turn local grading into global predictability. That’s how we’ve kept containers consistent across Bali, Java and Sumatra, whether the buyer roasts a clean washed like Arabica Bali Kintamani Grade 1 Green Coffee Beans or builds chocolate-forward blends with Robusta Lampung Green Coffee Beans (ELB & Grades 2–4).