The International Buyers Registration is the first required step for all Buyers and Buyer Agents who would like to participate in the Direct Specialty Trade platform.  At completion of this form the Buyer and/or Agent will receive their International Buyer Registration Number (IBR#). The corresponding company profile will be held confidentially under ECX administration and used to facilitate the DST and corresponding reporting & analysis by ECX.  Validation of company existence and notifications of DST activities will rely on the profile data. This is a onetime process, with the option to modify the buyer’s profile in the future.  Registration is free.

For each bidding session registered buyers are required to provide written authorization for the individual who will be assigned binding authority to bid on behalf of the company. This authorization will be in the form of a “Letter of Bidder Authorization”, which will name the individual who will be bidding on behalf of the company and include their passport number. For international companies with pre-established local agents the local agency will be required to provide the “Letter of Bidder Authorization”, naming the local agent and corresponding Ethiopian identification number.

"In all cases the individual (and company) assigned to bid on behalf of the international buyer may not participate as a producer or services provider in the same DST session. The signed “Letter of Bidder Authroization” shall be emailed to dst@ecx.com.et no later than the day prior to bidding and the physical letter shall be presented to ECX on the day of bidding."

Each registered buyer may request up to one 250 gram sample of each coffee cataloged per DST session. Each sample will cost $10, of which 100% will be paid to the producer. All international courier services will be paid by the buyer through the use of their courier accounts. Participating couriers are: DHL, FedEx, and UPS.
 Click here to request sample

To ensure that proper sample preparations and cupping station space, buyers must register if they plan on assisting the cupping session in Addis Ababa. The cupping session will follow SCAA protocols with each cupper having the opportunity to physically evaluate each green sample, roasted sample and cup 5 cups of each coffee. There will be a maximum of 5 cuppers permitted per sample/table. Cupping results are the private information of each company and will not be collected by ECX.

Each registered international buyer who has provided the Proof of Bidder Authorization may participate in the live open outcry DST bidding Session and bid on any coffee lot for sale.