To launch your own coffee brand in Ecuador, lock in supply and compliance first, then move fast on roast, packaging, and channels. Source washed and honey Arabica from Loja, Zamora-Chinchipe, and Pichincha, targeting 84+ SCA scores, 10–12% moisture, aw ≤0.60; budget +$0.50–$1.50/lb over C for microlots and lower for Amazonía Robusta. Decide model: direct-trade green with a Quito/Guayaquil contract roaster, or turnkey private-label from an Ecuadorian plant with Q-grader QC. Secure RUC with SRI, your brand trademark at SENADI, and ARCSA sanitary notification; join GS1 Ecuador for EAN-13 barcodes. Build three SKUs (e.g., 250 g whole bean, 340 g ground, 1 kg horeca), dial medium and light roasts with sample profiling, and nitrogen-flush into triple-layer, one-way-valve bags printed in Spanish with lot, net weight, origin, roast date, and contact. Use SCA cuppings monthly, retain retention samples, and track defects. Price for margin: 60–70% gross D2C, 30–40% wholesale; offer subscriptions and limited-edition harvest releases. For export, register in ECUAPASS, prepare commercial invoice, packing list, and certificate of origin; ship FOB Guayaquil (HS 0901). Launch on Shopify + Mercado Libre, seed cafés in Quito/Cuenca, partner with tourism boxes, and tell farm-level stories with cupping notes and brew ratios, and transparent sustainability metrics.
