Upstream Coffee Imports

29/05/2026

GLOBAL LOGISTICS & COFFEE SUPPLY REPORT⁣

⁣All eyes remain on the Middle East conflict; its impact on shipping cannot be overstated. Which is causing container backlogs and delays due to a shortage of empty units available. Insurance premiums have spiked, fuel costs have risen, and container availability is severely disrupted. Even if resolved tomorrow, supply chain ripple effects will remain for some time.⁣
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IMPACT AT ORIGIN⁣

⁣ETHIOPIA: Approx. 95% of maritime trade passes through the Port of Djibouti. Red Sea rerouting has created acute container shortages, while fuel scarcity causes major inland transport delays.⁣

⁣BRAZIL: Brazil’s massive coffee bumper crop is crashing into a historically unprecedented record grain export season (soybean and corn). This perfect storm of volume is causing terminal saturation, extreme container shortages, and an average container ship rollover rate that has spiked by over 40% in recent months at the Port of Santos.

TRANSIT & ARRIVAL BOTTLENECKS⁣

⁣SINGAPORE TRANSHIPMENT: Most coffee bound for Australia transships through Singapore. As global schedules remain disrupted, Singapore port wait times have jumped from 1 day to 7–10 days, plus a 1–2 week transshipment transfer.

AUSTRALIAN QUARANTINE: Upon arrival, rigid biosecurity enforcement from the Department of Agriculture is adding further delays, with container inspections routinely extending release times by 2–3 weeks.⁣

⁣STRATEGIC SOLUTIONS FOR ROASTERS⁣
⁣Price volatility has encouraged many roasters and producers to trade “hand-to-mouth” to secure the best possible price. In the current shipping environment, this is incredibly risky.⁣

Here is how we suggest navigating the season:⁣

LOOK CLOSE TO HOME: Consider Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste. While not immune to global disruptions, shorter shipping routes help bypass major geopolitical bottlenecks.⁣

⁣PAD YOUR INVENTORY: We strongly recommend increasing inventory buffers this year, particularly for origins such as Ethiopia and Brazil.⁣
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If a 4–6 week delay will leave you short, reach out to our team now. We can help bridge the gap with strategic spot coffee options.⁣
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28/04/2026

We’re popping up at the 𝐀𝐒𝐂𝐀 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 this weekend, hosted by the team at Veneziano Coffee Roasters.

Come through to taste some of our latest offers hitting the market, no tickets or bookings needed. Just swing by, grab a spoon, and join us!

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄: Veneziano (369 Montague Rd, West End, QLD)
𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍: Saturday
𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄: 11 am - Upstream Session

See you at the table. ✌️

02/04/2026

24/03/2026

The 2025 Specialty Coffee Transaction Guide just dropped. Now in its 9th year, the Transaction Guide summarises almost 139,000 contracts covering more than 2.5 billion pounds of green coffee and provides valuable insights into specialty coffee price trends.

This year's findings noted the continuing uptrend in median FOB price for green specialty coffees, at $4.39 (USD) per pound. The market volatility we all experienced is captured in the dramatic range of prices paid last year, 50% of the prices in the sample covered a range of $1.80 (from $3.70 to $5.50 USD/LB FOB).

While the research undertaken and the breadth of information is impressive, the impetus is on us, the stakeholders in the coffee supply chain, to constructively utilise the data in our operations and relationships. We encourage our partners to download the guide, dig into the data, and discuss with your customers, suppliers and teams.

This is Upstream’s seventh year contributing to the guide. A big thanks to Goizueta Business School for their continued work on this project.

Check out for more information.⁣

19/03/2026

☕️ We’re heading to MICE, and we’re bringing a decade of coffee passion with us!⁣
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This month, Upstream is hitting the floor at Australia’s biggest coffee event, and we are incredibly proud to be celebrating our 10-year anniversary while we’re there. It’s a massive milestone for the Upstream family, and we can’t wait to celebrate with the roasters, partners, and friends who’ve been with us every step of the way.⁣
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Come find us at 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐄𝟏𝟐 to sip on freshly dropped microlots (and some trusty blenders), talk shop, and connect over all things green coffee. Swing by early to grab your Upstream swag and say hello!⁣
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Plus, don’t miss “𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧.” 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝟑:𝟏𝟓 𝐩𝐦. This dedicated space is designed to connect directly with the coffee-producing nations, farmers, and traders at the very heart of our industry. Catch us there on Friday for the cupping.⁣
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And before the expo kicks off, join us for something really special.⁣
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Our own Nadia Fernandes, one of our directors, will be on the panel at a breakfast discussion exploring equity for women in coffee, diving into structural barriers, economic pressures, and what genuine change could look like. She’ll be joined by Kabi Kuguru (Mount Kenya Coffee) and Betty Leiva (Vides58) for what’s sure to be a powerful conversation. Women contribute 70% of the labour that brings coffee from farm to cup; it’s time their voices led the room.⁣
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𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟐𝟔 | 𝟕:𝟎𝟎 𝐚𝐦 Padre Coffee @ 16-18 St David Dairy, Fitzroy, Vic⁣
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Who’s going to be in Melbourne? Let us know in the comments so we can look out for you!⁣
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06/03/2026

💫 Ethiopia is a cornerstone producer of specialty coffee, but this season it’s under strain.⁣
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Since the Birr was floated in July 2024, the currency has depreciated sharply. Local freight and input costs have surged, leaving exporters caught between elevated farmgate prices and the recently implemented government minimum export price.⁣
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For Australian roasters, Ethiopian prices are unlikely to ease to the same extent that we have seen elsewhere. A Plan B is never a bad idea.⁣
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We cupped a handful of African coffees alongside Ethiopia to explore options. Burundi Dusangirijambo Coop and Kenya Kimani AB brought lively acidity, syrupy body and layered citrus and florals that would energise any house blend.⁣
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Uganda Bugisu AA may be the closest washed G2 alternative this season, showing subtle lavender aromatics, balanced acidity and clean white grape sweetness in the cup.⁣
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If Ethiopia anchors your range, let’s talk through smart alternatives before the market tightens further.⁣
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CoffeeTrade CoffeeSupply KenyaCoffee BurundiCoffee UgandaCoffee CoffeeMarket CoffeeImporters UpstreamImports coffeefarm coffeecommunity farmtocup

04/03/2026

𝐁𝐮𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐮 & 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝, 𝐔𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚: 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚

On the eastern slopes of Mt Elgon, Bugisu is one of Uganda’s key highland Arabica regions, centred around Mbale and Kapchorwa. Volcanic soils, consistent rainfall and a cool mountain climate support clean, structured coffees. Production is smallholder-based, with family farms delivering ripe cherries to community washing stations where coffee is pulped, fermented, washed and sun-dried on patios or raised beds. Harvest typically runs as a main crop (Aug–Dec) and a fly crop (Mar–May).

Alongside Bugisu sits Uganda’s native Robusta, grown across western regions and around Lake Victoria. Also produced by smallholders, it follows a natural process, with cherries sun-dried whole before hulling, grading and export. Harvest typically runs from October to February, with a fly crop from April to August.

𝐔𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐀𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐁𝐮𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐮 𝐀𝐀 - 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 // 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘦 • 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵 • 𝘊𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘰 𝘕𝘪𝘣𝘴 • 𝘗𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘰
𝐔𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐀𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐁𝐮𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐮 𝐀𝐁 - 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 // 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘦 • 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴 • 𝘙𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 • 𝘑𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘺
𝐔𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚 - 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 // 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 • 𝘉𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 • 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴

19/11/2025

Meet James, our surf-chasing, coffee-slinging account manager who somehow went from child actor to Q-Grader ☕. Originally from Southern California, he’s spent years bouncing between Seattle and Queensland, with a stop in New Zealand, where café shifts funded his surf trips and kicked off a long career in coffee, despite holding a Psychology degree.

After five years in roasting operations and sales, James moved into green coffee in 2019 and hasn’t looked back since. A chat with Vince at a café earlier this year led him to Upstream, where the values and vision really resonated, and the role came together very organically.

James says:
“𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘦, 𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥.”

When he’s off the clock, you’ll find him in the ocean, at a gig, or hanging with his cocker spaniel Maple 🐾.

Current favourite tune: Mangetout by Wet Leg.

Dream superpower: Fly, no more middle seats. 🤔

09/10/2025

🇰🇪 𝐊𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢, 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐚: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐩

Kimani, a name of Kikuyu origin, carries connotations of strength and legacy, qualities deeply rooted in Kenya’s coffee tradition. Grown in the country’s Central Province, this lot thrives in high altitudes, red volcanic soils and a temperate climate that together create some of the world’s most celebrated coffees.

Sourced from Nyeri and Kirinyaga counties, cherries are hand-picked at peak ripeness during either the fly crop (May to June) or the main crop (November to December). They are delivered the same day to cooperative wet mills within a network of 70 societies, where pulping, fermentation, and careful washing precede slow drying on raised African beds.

The result is a cup alive with bright acidity, juicy body and layered complexity, a reflection of both meticulous process and the enduring heritage of Kenyan coffee.

𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐚 𝐊𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢 𝐀𝐁 - 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 // 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 • 𝘓𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯 • 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵 • 𝘙𝘰𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘏𝘢𝘻𝘦𝘭𝘯𝘶𝘵

01/10/2025

☕ 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲. We celebrate the people and places that shape coffee at its source. One such place is the town of Guayatá, in the Tenza Valley of Colombia’s Boyacá department. Here, impressive Andean landscapes and the natural frontiers of the central and eastern cordilleras create a coffee-growing environment with distinct characteristics and unique flavours.

Coffee is harvested entirely by hand, with only the ripest cherries selected. Processing begins with pulping, followed by a traditional dry fermentation of 18 to 24 hours. The coffee is then triple-washed and dried with meticulous care. Once dried, it undergoes gravity and density sorting, as well as colour sorting to remove defects, preparing it for export.

This coffee is part of our Miraflores Selection, meaning “behold the flowers”, a tribute to the rich diversity of Colombia’s coffee-growing regions. From Boyacá to Antioquia, Risaralda, Nariño and beyond, Miraflores highlights lots shaped by distinct terroirs and seasonal rhythms. By embracing both main and fly-crop harvests, the program ensures the freshest and most vibrant coffees make their way to our roasting partners.

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐚 𝐁𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐜á 𝐆𝐮𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐭á - 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 // 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘣 • 𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 • 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴 • 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴