Shipping coffee and tea to Russia
Coffee and tea absorb moisture and foreign odours; on the Russian side, the phytosanitary certificate and the certificate of origin decide how smoothly — and at what duty — the goods are cleared.
Shipping coffee and tea to Russia — for suppliers
We ship coffee and tea to Russia from Colombia, Brazil, India, Ethiopia and Vietnam. Humidity control, protection from foreign odours and phytosanitary documents — beans and leaf arrive with their flavour intact.
We organise the whole chain for you: collection from your premises, the EU export declaration if you do not lodge it yourself (with proof of exit for your VAT zero-rating), international freight, customs clearance in Russia and delivery to your customer’s warehouse. Minimum service fee €200, insurance 0.3 % of the cargo value.
At a glance
From 50 kg
Minimum consignment; air freight has no weight limit.
LCL + FCL
Groupage, full containers, road and air.
Turnkey
Customs clearance and certification in Russia.
24/7
Shipment tracking.
How we ship coffee and tea
Humidity control
Moisture-proof packing and ventilated containers — no damp beans or leaf.
Odour protection
Aromatic cargo is kept away from foreign odours in the warehouse and in transit.
Phytosanitary certificate
Phytosanitary documents for plant products.
Packing and securing coffee and tea
Green coffee travels in jute bags of 60–70 kg with a liner, roasted coffee in valve vacuum bags; tea in foil bags in cartons. Both are hygroscopic and absorb foreign odours: do not put them in the same groupage as chemicals, perfume or spices, and use desiccants in the container.
Documents and permits
A declaration under TR CU 021/2011, a phytosanitary certificate for green coffee and tea as plant raw materials, and a document of origin (for countries with tariff preferences a Form A or CT-1 certificate reduces the duty). Tea and coffee in consumer packaging need Russian-language labelling of ingredients.
The costly mistake made most often
Not arranging a certificate of origin for coffee from Ethiopia, Vietnam or Indonesia — the tariff preference is lost and duty is overpaid on the whole consignment. The second mistake is shared groupage with aromatic cargo: a consignment of tea with a foreign smell cannot be sold.
Which mode usually works out best
From countries of origin (Brazil, Vietnam, India, Kenya): FCL, 35–50 days; from Europe (roasters in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands): road groupage via Poland, 7–14 days. Freshly roasted coffee in small lots by air, so the aroma is not lost on the way.
Where coffee and tea usually ship from
- ✓Colombia
- ✓Brazil
- ✓India
- ✓Ethiopia
- ✓Vietnam
- ✓Consignments are collected and consolidated at our warehouses in Vilnius and Warsaw (and in Rotterdam for sea freight).
Services for this cargo
Groupage (LCL)
From 50 kg, weekly departures.
Full container (FCL)
20′ and 40′ HC, from 5 tonnes.
Road freight
LTL and FTL, 3–12 days.
Turnkey customs
Clearance in Russia through a customs representative on the Federal Customs Service register.
Consolidation
Warehouses in Vilnius and Warsaw, plus our Rotterdam hub for sea freight.
Insurance
From 0.3 % of the cargo value.
What shipping costs: indicative rates
| Mode | Rate | Transit time |
|---|---|---|
| Sea · groupage (LCL) | from €200 per piece (from €500 per euro pallet) | about 2 weeks |
| Sea · full container (FCL) | from €1,800 (20′) · from €2,600 (40′) | 6–7 days in transit |
| Road · groupage (LTL) | from €850 for 3 pallets (Warsaw → Moscow) | 4–7 days |
| Road · full truck (FTL) | from €4,500 Warsaw → Moscow · from €6,200 Slovenia → Moscow · from €6,500 Italy → Moscow | 5–10 days |
| Air · urgent | by volumetric weight, minimum order €200 | 2–8 days |
| Sea + rail (China) | on request (calculated by weight and volume) | 23–55 days |
Indicative “turnkey” rates including customs clearance in Russia. Sea via Rotterdam: a full container must be declared to the port 3 days before the vessel sails. The exact rate is calculated for your consignment.
B2B only, sanctions screening first
We work with companies only: shipments from 50 kg (air: no weight limit), minimum service fee €200. We handle only goods that are not subject to EU, UK, Swiss or US sanctions: before we quote, we check the HS code of every item and screen your customer and all parties to the shipment. We reply within 2 business hours.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum consignment for coffee and tea?
From 50 kg or 0.1 m³ (groupage, pallets, containers); air freight has no weight limit. The minimum service fee is €200.
How much does it cost to ship coffee and tea to Russia?
It depends on weight, volume, country of dispatch and route. Send us the dimensions and weights and we will quote within 2 business hours; the table above gives indicative rates.
What documents are needed for coffee and tea?
It depends on the product: a commercial invoice and packing list, and where required certificates, declarations and permits. We give you the full list for your cargo before shipment — see “Documents and permits” above for the typical set.
Do you handle customs and certification in Russia?
Yes. We provide full turnkey customs clearance in Russia and help your customer with certification under EAEU requirements.
Other cargo in “Food and agriculture”
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