Receiving Coffee

Everything You Need to Know

Shipping Your Coffee

Before we process your first order, we’ll need to know your preferences regarding how to prepare and transport your orders. Our Outbound Logistics team maintains a profile for each customer so that these details can be referenced when an order is placed.

To change these details, share new ones or ask questions, please contact the Outbound Logistics team at: logistics-outbound.iacus@nkg.coffee.

Here are a few things it’s important to understand:

ORDER PREP

Orders are prepared either as hand load or palletized.

  • Hand Load: Will call orders are prepared as hand load unless palletization is requested. Bags are loose/not palletized.
  • Palletized: All non–will call orders must be palletized. Coffee is stacked on a wooden pallet and secured with two straps. The sides are protected with plastic pallet wrap. To maintain pallet integrity and stability, we direct warehouses to stack bags and boxes on separate pallets. Additionally, we established a maximum bag-to-pallet ratio of 8 bags/pallet with 70Kg bags, 9 bags/pallet with PNG coffee and 10 bags/pallet for all other coffees.
UPGRADES

Some warehouses offer pallet preparation upgrades, for which additional fees may apply. These include:

  • Block Pallet, Cross-Strap and Wrap: Coffee is stacked on a wood block pallet and secured with four straps that cross each other in two directions. The sides are protected with plastic pallet wrap. This upgrade increases stability.
  • Extra Wrap: Additional wrap covers the top of the pallet to aid in protection from the elements. It does not provide stability to a shipment.
  • Machine Wrap: Instead of hand wrapping, the warehouse uses a machine to wrap. The result is an evenly applied pressure/application of wrap to the shipment.
  • Gaylord Box: A cardboard sleeve used in tandem with a pallet; this is used to provide stability to the load.
TRANSPORTATION

Your coffee can be made available for pick up by you or your carrier. Or, if you prefer, InterAmerican can coordinate delivery. Please note that for any coffee moving as freight, most carriers offer transit time estimates but reserve the right to take longer.

WILL CALL

Customers may pick up at the warehouse. Hours may vary per location. See Warehouse locations for more information.

CUSTOMER COORDINATED FREIGHT

Customers work directly with a transportation provider; freight coordination and payment of freight services will be handled directly between the roaster and vendor. Roasters located outside the 48 contiguous United States or Canada — or that combine orders from multiple vendors — must either use this option or Will Call.

ARRANGED FREIGHT

InterAmerican can arrange full trailer and less-than-trailer freight transportation of our coffees from our warehouse partner facilities to locations in the 48 contiguous United States and Canada. We will coordinate with vendors on behalf of our roasters and include the freight service fee on our invoice.

  • Pallet Rates: These are available for some shipping lanes. These are negotiated annually by our freight broker. Regardless of whether your pallet will have 1 bag or 10, the base rate is the same on the included lanes. Pricing varies only based on national fuel costs and any necessary delivery requirements (lift-gate, appointments, zoning, etc.)
  • Spot Quotes: These are available for loads shipping outside the pallet rate lanes. Quotes are secured based on the order size and the delivery requirements.
DELIVERY

Standard freight service includes delivery to a commercial facility during standard business hours via 53-foot trailer. Upon arrival, the driver will move the order to the trailer door and the receiver is responsible for moving the coffee off the equipment. Please let us know if your facility is non-commercial, requires special equipment, or if you require a call prior to delivery.  Knowing your requirements will allow us to set up your orders more successfully.

  • Location Type: Generally, carriers categorize location type by neighborhood. Customers whose facilities are off-route, or are located in a rural or residential zone, will be considered non-commercial.
  • Hours: Carriers need to know if you allow delivery during standard business hours (M-F: 8a–5p), if you have alternative hours, or if you require the carrier to call prior to delivery.
  • Additional Services: If your facility does not have a trailer-height dock or a forklift, carriers may provide a lift-gate for a fee. Driver assistance in moving your coffee off their equipment and/or into your facility may be available for a fee as well.
DELIVERY RECEIPT IMPORTANCE!

Shipments leave the warehouse in good condition, with bags intact, securely strapped to the pallet and wrapped in plastic wrap. Inspect your delivery and please, please, please note any issues directly on the Delivery Receipt. Make sure that everyone in your company who may accept deliveries knows to do this as well.

We can’t say this enough: If you sign the Delivery Receipt as-is, you are accepting ownership of the freight as-is. Help us to help you! If you clearly document issues on the Delivery Receipt, carriers will process the claims more quickly and the likelihood of a settlement is increased.

Claims and Returns

Shipments leave the warehouse in good condition. Bags are intact and securely strapped to the pallet before being wrapped with plastic. The warehouses and carriers we work with are experts. In a perfect world, every bag will arrive in pristine condition and you will never read this page. Unfortunately, problems may occasionally occur.

We strongly recommend that you inspect every delivery thoroughly before signing the Delivery Receipt (POD) and allowing a driver to leave. By signing the POD, you accept ownership of the freight as-is. Carriers are not likely to offer settlement on claims when damage is not noted on the delivery receipt at the time of delivery.

THIS IS HOW TO INSPECT A SHIPMENT
  • Review the Delivery Receipt (POD) and any pallet tags to confirm your company name is listed correctly.
  • Compare the POD and shipment with the Delivery Order provided to you by the InterAmerican Coffee Outbound Logistics team, to verify that the number of pallets and bags match.
  • Check the truck for loose beans.
  • Determine if the pallets are intact and that there are no broken straps or boards.
  • Make sure the wrap is clean and moisture-free.
  • Confirm that each bag is free of rips or holes.

If you discover a problem, don’t panic. We can help! Please do not reject your shipment unless advised to do so by our Outbound Logistics team. It is far easier to resolve an issue if the goods are in your possession, versus the carriers’. While the driver is still on site, please call us if any of the following occur:

  • You believe you’ve been shipped the wrong coffee.
  • Your shipment is missing a bag or bags.
  • You discover damage to a bag.
FILING A CLAIM

Customers who coordinate their own freight should move forward in filing a claim with their freight vendors. Customers who have InterAmerican arrange their freight services should contact our Outbound Logistics team at logistics-outbound.iacus@nkg.coffee and we will initiate a claim on your behalf. To initiate a claim for you, we will require the following:

  • Color photographs of the damage, including images of the vehicle’s interior if there are spilled beans or a tipped pallet.
  • A copy of the driver-signed Delivery Receipt showing detailed notes of the loss or damage.
  • The weight of any bag(s) that appear to have lost beans.
  • A completed Claim Form.

Carriers have 30 days to confirm receipt of a claim and 180 days to review and offer a settlement. Reimbursement for damages or loss may be contingent upon the carrier settlement.

RETURNS

If you believe that the wrong coffee is being delivered, please contact our logistics team for assistance. Return requests are reviewed and handled on a case-by-case basis. If a return request is approved, our team will walk you through the required process and provide an official Return Authorization.

Reimbursement for returns will only be processed once the warehouse vendor provides InterAmerican Coffee with a warehouse receipt and weight certificate.

Still have questions? Please contact the Outbound Logistics team at logistics-outbound.iacus@nkg.coffee.