A practical, numbers-first framework to decide if paying the 2025 Screen 18 premium over Screen 16 saves you money after roast loss, defects, and sorting. Includes a simple landed-per-roasted-kg calculator, break-even math, and realistic price spreads.
If you buy Robusta for espresso blends, instant, or industrial formats, the S18 vs S16 decision in 2025 isn’t cosmetic. It decides margin. We’ve saved buyers five figures per container by running a simple break-even test before signing. Here’s our exact playbook.
The hook: how we saved $10,247 on a single container
On a 19.2 MT load in late 2024, we compared Screen 18 at a $120/MT premium to Screen 16. After measuring real roast loss and triage, Screen 18 produced a lower landed cost per roasted kilo. The math showed a $0.031/kg advantage. Over 330 bags, that was $10,247 kept in the buyer’s pocket. The kicker? The green was more expensive. The yield wasn’t.
The three pillars of a good S18 vs S16 decision
- Price spread. What’s the 2025 premium of Screen 18 over Screen 16 for your origin, spec and volume? In our quotes so far this year, we’re seeing a Screen 18 price premium typically in the $80–$160/MT range. Tight supply spikes can push that to $180–$220/MT, but that isn’t the norm.
- Yield and loss. Roast shrink, sorting/triage, and handling losses decide your real cost. We see consistent 1.5–3.0 percentage-point better net yield on S18 versus S16 for Indonesian Robusta when roasted to the same color.
- Operational impact. S16 can slow color sorters by 10–20% due to higher small/broken and pale beans. That extra shift or overtime isn’t in your FOB. It still hits your P&L.
This leads us to the questions we get every week.
How much more does Indonesian Robusta Screen 18 cost than Screen 16 in 2025?
Across Indonesia, our 2025 quotes show S18 carrying an $80–$160/MT premium over S16 on comparable grades and moisture. Outliers above $180/MT happen when large-screen availability tightens. Typical 2025 FOB Indonesia brackets we’re seeing for mainstream grades are wide due to volatility, but S16 commonly sits in the mid-$3,300–$4,200/MT FOB band, with S18 at that number plus the premium above. Always ask for exact spec and photos because grading language can mask real size distribution.
If you need a working CIF number for planning, a realistic CIF Los Angeles for S18 mainstream lots often pencils to S16 CIF plus $0.09–$0.16/kg once you add freight and insurance. Volatility has been high since mid-2024, so treat this as a planning band, not a live quote.
What roast loss should I assume for Screen 18 vs 16 Robusta?
At the same end color:
- Screen 18: 13–15% roast loss on medium-dark profiles.
- Screen 16: 14–17% roast loss on medium-dark profiles.
The biggest lever is moisture. Target 11.5–12.5%. Above 12.8% you’ll often tack on 0.5–1.0% extra shrink and uneven development. In our experience, better bean integrity on S18 (fewer broken and partials) also reduces fines and chaff, helping yield.
Do lower defect rates on S18 offset its higher price?
Often, yes. Typical sorting/triage differences we record after incoming QC and color sorting:
- S18: 1–2% triage loss on clean lots.
- S16: 2–4% triage loss on the same grade and origin.
If you combine that with the 1–1.5% roast-loss advantage, S18 can deliver a 2.5–3.0 point better net yield. That’s where the math flips in S18’s favor even with a triple‑digit $/MT premium. But there’s more to consider.
At what premium does Screen 18 stop making financial sense?
Use this quick break-even formula.
- Landed per roasted kg = Landed green price per kg ÷ Net yield.
- Net yield = 1 − roast loss − triage − handling.
Example with conservative assumptions:
- S16 landed: $4.00/kg, roast loss 15.5%, triage 3.0% ⇒ Yield = 81.5%.
- S18 landed: $4.12/kg (i.e., +$120/MT), roast loss 14.0%, triage 1.5% ⇒ Yield = 84.5%.
Cost per roasted kg:
- S16: 4.00 ÷ 0.815 = $4.908.
- S18: 4.12 ÷ 0.845 = $4.877.
S18 wins by $0.031/kg. What’s the break‑even premium p where both cost the same?
p = L16 × (Yield18/Yield16 − 1) If L16 = $4.00/kg, Yield18 = 0.845, Yield16 = 0.815. Yield ratio = 1.0368. p = 4 × 0.0368 = $0.147/kg ≈ $147/MT.
So with these yields, S18 makes financial sense up to roughly a $147/MT premium. If your yield gap is only 1.0 point, break‑even drops closer to $60–$80/MT. Measure your own numbers before deciding.
How do I calculate landed cost per roasted kilogram for Indonesian Robusta?
Use this five‑line calculator with your real data:
- FOB ($/MT) + Ocean + Insurance + Origin/export + Destination/dray = Landed $/MT.
- Landed $/kg = Landed $/MT ÷ 1000.
- Net yield = 1 − roast loss − triage − handling.
- Cost per roasted kg = Landed $/kg ÷ Net yield.
- Compare S16 vs S18 at the same target roast color.
Quick CIF Los Angeles planning example for S18:
- FOB S18: $3,850/MT.
- Ocean + insurance: $180/MT.
- Export + destination: $120/MT.
- CIF/landed: $4,150/MT = $4.15/kg.
Then divide by your measured yield. Need help tailoring this to your lane and Incoterms? You can Contact us on whatsapp and we’ll run the math with your specs and destinations.
Does screen size change cup quality enough to justify the premium?
Screen size isn’t a quality grade by itself. For Robusta, S18 usually gives you:
- Better crema and reduced fines in espresso prep.
- Slightly cleaner cup when defects are lower.
- More even heat transfer in drum roasters at scale.
But if your use case is instant/soluble extraction or heavy dark blends where size uniformity is less critical, S16 can be the smarter buy when the premium balloons. The right answer is application‑specific.
What are typical moisture and density specs for Indonesian S18 and S16?
What we target and routinely ship:
- Moisture: 11.5–12.5% for both. Max 13.0% for export stability.
- Bulk density: S18 typically 720–760 g/L. S16 typically 700–740 g/L.
Higher density correlates with tighter cell structure and more even development. If you see moisture above 12.8% with low density, expect higher roast loss and color‑sorter rejections.
A practical 12‑week buying workflow we use with serious customers
Weeks 1–2: Market research and validation
- Lock the spread. Request side‑by‑side S16 and S18 quotes on the same grade, moisture and defect spec. Ask for screen distribution photos and sieve sheets.
- Pull samples and COAs. Cup, then sieve and weigh. Record moisture, density, and a 350 g roast‑loss test per profile.
- Decide your price spread tolerance band. We like a pre‑agreed “walk‑away” premium for S18 based on your yield target.
Weeks 3–6: MVP creation and testing
- Pilot roasts. Roast both sizes to the same end color in your target production profile. Measure roast loss to 0.1%.
- Sort and weigh triage. Run a color sorter or manual screen to quantify defect and chaff loss.
- Build your calculator. Plug measured yield to compute landed per roasted kg for each size. Do not use generic numbers.
Weeks 7–12: Scale and optimize
- Contract with options. For volatile quarters, we blend within the container. Example: 60% S16 + 40% S18 to hit a target landed cost per roasted kg and protect throughput.
- Watch operations. If S16 creates a color sorter bottleneck or grinder fines surge, the hidden cost can be 1–2% of roasted output. Note it and adjust your next purchase.
- Refresh the math quarterly. New crops shift density and moisture. So do weather and post‑harvest practices.
The five biggest mistakes that kill margin in S18 vs S16 buys
- Buying on FOB alone. You roast kilos, not MT of green. Always compare cost per roasted kg.
- Ignoring moisture and density. A “cheap” S16 at 12.9% moisture with low density will cost more after shrink.
- Using generic roast loss. Measure. Three out of five roasters we work with revise their shrink assumptions by at least 1 point after a proper test.
- Not screening incoming lots. Screen distribution drift can turn a quoted S16 into S14–15 behavior. That means more fines and triage.
- Forgetting operational drag. If S16 slows your color sorter 15% or forces a coarser grind that hits extraction, it belongs in your calculator.
Where our Indonesian Robusta fits in your decision
If you want clean, large-screen Robusta options with stable moisture and density, we’d point you to:
- Robusta Lampung Green Coffee Beans (ELB & Grades 2–4). Extra Large Beans typically screen 17–19, moisture controlled to ≤13% for uniform roast development.
- Sumatra Robusta Green Coffee Beans. Screen 15–19 range for cost‑effective blending and espresso bases.
- Bali Kintamani Robusta ELB 350BC Green Coffee Beans. ELB 350BC with triage control to 6–8% at processing, useful when you need consistent S18‑leaning distribution.
You can also view our full catalog to build an Arabica‑Robusta blend strategy that hits budget while protecting flavor and throughput. View our products
Bottom line: use the calculator, not your gut
Is Screen 18 worth the premium for Indonesian Robusta in 2025? If your measured S18 yield beats S16 by 2–3 points and the premium is under $150/MT, we usually see S18 win on cost per roasted kilogram. If the premium jumps north of $180/MT and your yield gap shrinks below 1.5 points, S16 is often the rational choice, especially for instant or darker commercial blends.
If you’d like us to run a quick sample plan and cost model with your specs and destination, just drop us a note on WhatsApp. We’ll share a one‑page calculator you can reuse for every shipment. Contact us on whatsapp