What is HS 090121?
HS 090121 covers roasted, non-decaffeinated coffee — green coffee beans that have been roasted to develop flavour but have not undergone decaffeination. This distinguishes it from HS 090122 (roasted decaffeinated coffee) and from HS 090111–090112, which cover unroasted green coffee. End uses span retail consumer packaged goods, foodservice and HoReCa supply chains, specialty and single-origin coffee shops, and vending and office supply channels. Classification accuracy matters: misclassifying roasted coffee under green coffee headings can trigger duty miscalculations and customs queries, particularly in the EU where the 7.5% MFN rate applies specifically to roasted product.
Top Sourcing Countries for Roasted Coffee (Non-Decaf)
Global export supply for HS 090121 is moderately concentrated, with eight countries accounting for the majority of reported trade flows. Switzerland leads with a 23.9% share across 104 importing markets, driven by large-scale roasting operations and well-established global distribution infrastructure. Italy holds 16.9% and reaches 159 markets — the broadest reach of any single exporter — reflecting its dominant position in espresso-style roasted coffee for both retail and HoReCa. Germany accounts for 14.0% across 127 markets, functioning as a major re-export and contract roasting hub within Europe.
France (6.6%, 132 markets) and the Netherlands (5.9%, 130 markets) round out the core European exporters, both leveraging port infrastructure and established roasting capacity. The US (5.1%, 131 markets) and Canada (3.6%, 72 markets) serve primarily North American demand but also supply niche export markets. Poland (3.9%, 92 markets) has emerged as a cost-competitive European roasting base, increasingly relevant for buyers sourcing within the EU.
The largest single trade corridor in 2024 was US imports from Switzerland at $1.12 billion, followed by French imports from Switzerland at $746.7 million — underscoring Switzerland's outsized role as a global roasting and distribution centre. The DE–IT corridor ($332.2M) and the PL–DE corridor ($280.1M) reflect strong intra-European trade in finished roasted coffee.
Import Duty Rates and Trade Agreements
Within the European Union, the standard MFN import duty on HS 090121 is 7.5%, applied uniformly across all member states including Germany, France, Belgium, and others. For procurement teams sourcing into EU markets, this rate applies to imports from non-preferential origins. Buyers should audit whether their supply chain qualifies for preferential treatment under existing EU free trade agreements or GSP arrangements with origin countries, as duty savings on high-volume coffee imports can be material. Confirm current rules-of-origin requirements carefully, since roasting alone may or may not confer sufficient transformation depending on the FTA in question. For non-EU markets, duty rates vary significantly and should be verified at the 6-digit or national tariff level before finalising supplier agreements.
Cost Drivers and Price Outlook
The primary feedstock for HS 090121 is green (unroasted) coffee beans, priced on ICE futures markets. Green coffee price movements directly determine input costs for roasters and, by extension, the landed cost of roasted product. Climate events — particularly El Niño cycles, frost in Brazil, and drought in Vietnam — have historically triggered sharp green coffee price spikes that take months to work through the roasted coffee supply chain.
Energy costs are a structurally significant input: roasting is energy-intensive, and roasters in Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands are directly exposed to natural gas price movements. With Brent crude at approximately $69.4/bbl and WTI at $64.5/bbl as of early 2026 data, energy input costs remain a live variable for roasting economics. Currency fluctuations in origin countries — particularly the Brazilian real and Colombian peso — also affect the cost of green coffee denominated in USD or EUR. Procurement managers should monitor ICE arabica and robusta futures alongside energy benchmarks when forecasting landed cost.
Compliance and Sourcing Considerations
Transshipment risk for HS 090121 is rated medium. Switzerland's dominant export position partly reflects re-export and processing activity rather than domestic coffee production, meaning the country of origin of the green bean feedstock and the country of roasting may differ. For buyers where single-origin or specialty designations carry commercial or labelling value, robust COO documentation is essential — both for customs compliance and for marketing accuracy. Verify that certificates of origin align with the declared roasting location and that green bean sourcing documentation is available for audit. EU importers should also be aware of deforestation regulation (EUDR) implications for coffee supply chains, which may require additional due diligence on land-use compliance at origin.
How to Source Roasted Coffee (Non-Decaf) Efficiently
When building or reviewing your sourcing strategy for HS 090121, prioritise the following:
- Confirm HS classification at the national tariff level for each destination market — 090121 is the standard 6-digit code, but national extensions vary.
- Evaluate European roasting hubs (Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Poland) against total landed cost including MFN or preferential duty, freight, and energy-linked price risk.
- Request ICE futures-linked pricing mechanisms from roaster suppliers to improve cost transparency and reduce margin exposure during green coffee price spikes.
- Validate COO documentation rigorously, especially for single-origin or specialty-labelled product where premium pricing depends on origin integrity.
- Monitor intra-EU corridors (DE–PL, IT–DE) as indicators of cost-competitive regional sourcing alternatives to higher-priced Swiss or Italian branded exporters.
- Build EUDR supply chain documentation into your supplier onboarding process now to avoid compliance disruption as enforcement timelines progress.
Get a free sourcing intelligence report for HS 090121 at Logitality.com