Getting into Coffee Trading

Hi all, I'm a longtime lurker and first time poster. I'm currently a college sophomore.

By the end of this summer I'll have two commodities internships under my belt (One in physical grain and the other in derivatives of a very niche commodity). This whole time I've been trying to get an internship with a coffee trading company as I'd ultimately like to work for a coffee importer after I graduate. I've had zero luck. Even by the standards of the commodity industry it seems like coffee traders are extremely insular and secretive.

I feel like I must be going about this the wrong way.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

8 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Is there anyone at WSO involved with coffee trading (physical, paper/futures, specialty coffee), etc?

I'd suggest to those interested in breaking into green coffee trading to start as Lab Assistant / Quality Assistant at a coffee importer, trader, or mill or at an operations desk. For example spending a few months with a coffee exporter in say Guatemala, Brazil, Kenya, or an importer in Europe.

Compared to other commodities, coffee seems to be controlled by the main 5-7 companies globally, but there are a number of medium and small players where it may be easier to get started.

 

Following

Realized this is an old thread and OP must have just graduated.

 

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