Complete EUDR Guide for Small Coffee Roasters: From Farm GPS to DDS

Why Coffee Is Covered by EUDR

EU Deforestation Regulation targets commodities driving forest conversion. Coffee—grown across sensitive landscapes in Latin America, Africa and Asia—is explicitly listed because land conversion for coffee plantations and associated agricultural expansion contributes to deforestation in numerous origin countries.

For roasters this means: if you place coffee on the EU market (import green beans or export coffee products), you have obligations to demonstrate your products are deforestation-free and legally produced.

Quick Check: Are You an Operator or a Trader?

1. If you import green coffee beans from outside the EU and sell them in the EU, you are likely an operator and must perform full due diligence (collect GPS, risk assessment, DDS).
2. If you buy roasted coffee from an EU importer, you are likely a trader and must collect the supplier's DDS reference number and retain traceability records for 5 years.

Many small roasters act as both operator (for direct imports) and trader (for domestic resales). Treat each transaction independently.

What Small Coffee Roasters Must Collect

Operators must collect a standardized set of information for each batch or shipment. Use the checklist below as a minimum viable data set (MVS).

Collecting GPS from Cooperatives: Practical Approaches

Most specialty roasters source via cooperatives. Expect dozens or hundreds of smallholder farms per lot. Asking cooperatives to provide a single GPS point per farm is ideal but often unrealistic — here are three practical aggregation strategies ranked from most to least strict:

1. Farm-level GPS (Gold Standard)

   Each farmer provides lat/long for their production plot(s). Best for traceability and auditability. Use mobile forms (WhatsApp + Google Form or SMS + short link) to collect coordinates during harvest season.

2. Cooperative Plot Polygons (Recommended)

   Cooperative maps are polygon shapes representing collective growing zones. Provide polygons + a list of member households. Use these with an agreed sampling plan (e.g., verify 10% of members each season).

3. Batch-Level Centroid + Sampling (Accepted with Mitigation)

   Provide a centroid GPS for the batch and documented sampling & verification measures. This is viable where farm-level data collection is cost-prohibitive but must be paired with frequent independent checks.

Whatever method you choose, document it clearly in your risk assessment and mitigation plan. Authorities expect transparent methodologies when farm-level data is incomplete.

How to Work with Suppliers (Scripts & Templates)

Small teams need lightweight, repeatable processes. Below are tested steps and a short supplier message template you can reuse.

Step-by-step engagement

1. Explain the requirement and purpose: EUDR is about demonstrating products are deforestation-free — not policing farmers.
2. Share the supplier data template (Excel/Google Sheets) and a short guide in the supplier's language.
3. Offer help gathering GPS (pay small per-datum stipend, partner with local NGOs, or use mobile forms).
4. Set deadlines and include GPS/data requirements in purchase contracts.
5. Conduct spot checks and accept third-party verification where farm-level data is not possible.

Sample supplier message (copy/paste)

Tools & Techniques for Small Teams

You don't need a data team to comply. Use these low-cost tools:

• Google Forms for GPS collection via mobile (pre-fill lat/long fields with a map question)
• WhatsApp groups for coordinating with cooperative managers
• OpenStreetMap / QGIS to visualize polygons and do quick spot checks
• Spreadsheets (Excel or Google Sheets) as your temporary data store before importing to an internal system
• Third-party verifiers (local NGOs or certifiers) for independent spot checks

Simple Risk Assessment for Coffee Lots

Operators must assess whether a batch is low, standard, or high risk. Use a lightweight matrix focused on:

• Country risk level (EU country risk list)
• Known deforestation hotspots in producer regions
• Supplier reputation and past audits
• Presence of smallholders vs estates

Case Study: Small Roastery in Lisbon

Background: A 6-person specialty roastery in Lisbon imported 10 tonnes of green coffee from a Colombian cooperative. They were concerned that collecting per-farm GPS would break relationships with the cooperative.

Approach: The roastery used cooperative polygons, paid for a local field agent to collect GPS for 15% of members each harvest, and documented their sampling methodology. They updated contracts to include GPS/data requirements and used a one-click import into their spreadsheet system.

Outcome: Within 2 months they submitted a DDS for their first shipment, received a DDS reference number, and retained access to EU wholesale customers. Costs were limited to a small stipend and one local audit trip.

Key takeaway: Transparent methods + sampling + supplier support = compliance without damaging long-term supplier relationships.

Common Challenges & How to Solve Them

• Too many smallholders: Use cooperative aggregation + sampling.
• Incomplete data: Implement a two-stage collection (essential fields now, enrichment later).
• Language barriers: Provide localized templates and short how-to videos.
• Supplier pushback: Offer training, small compensation for data collection, or partner with NGOs.

Practical Checklist & Downloadable Template

Use this quick checklist before you submit a DDS:

1. All supplier contacts recorded and verified
2. Country and region confirmed for each shipment
3. GPS data for farm, plot, or cooperative polygon available and documented
4. Harvest/production dates recorded
5. Risk score documented and mitigation measures noted
6. Records retained for 5 years

Download Coffee Supplier Data Template (Excel) — includes columns for supplier, farm GPS, harvest date, batch ID, and verification notes.

Preparing the Due Diligence Statement (DDS)

Your DDS should summarize the information collected, the risk assessment, and any mitigation measures. For coffee operators, include:

• Batch identification and quantity
• Origin countries and GPS coordinates or polygon IDs
• Harvest dates
• Risk assessment outcome and mitigation steps
• Supplier contact details and verification evidence

Keep exports and separate shipments as distinct DDS entries with unique identifiers.

Free Coffee Supplier Data Template

We created a ready-to-use Coffee Supplier Data Template (Excel) to speed up data collection. It maps directly to fields needed for DDS submissions and is designed for cooperative aggregation.

Get the Template + Start Free Trial

FAQ

Do I need GPS for every smallholder?

No — documented aggregation and sampling strategies are accepted, but you must be transparent and carry out verification measures.

Can I use third-party certifications instead of GPS?

No — certifications help but do not replace the EUDR requirement for geolocation data and a documented risk assessment.

What if my supplier refuses?

Offer support, translate templates, partner with local NGOs, or consider alternative suppliers. Non-compliant suppliers can block your access to the EU market.

Next Steps

1. Download the supplier data template and customize for your cooperative network.
2. Run a pilot collection on your next shipment (sample 10–15% of members).
3. Score the batch with the simple risk matrix above.
4. If high risk, plan mitigation (third-party verification or targeted audits).
5. Submit DDS and store reference numbers with each batch record.

Need help? Contact our team for a free 30-minute onboarding call specific to coffee roasters.