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Buyer markers that actually matter
Clean coffee buying is a yes/no checklist. If the brand cannot answer basic questions, buy from someone less allergic to transparency.
COA quality
A certificate should show lab, date, batch, analytes, detection limits, and numeric results. If the brand hides the report, downgrade the claim.
Roast date
A roast date tells you freshness. A best-by date mostly tells you the brand owns a printer.
Origin transparency
Country is the floor. Region, farm/co-op, process, altitude, and harvest context are stronger.
Decaf process
Swiss Water and CO₂ are clean default signals. Mystery decaf is a transparency failure.