Indian green coffee is graded primarily by bean size and defect count — not by cup quality alone. Understanding the ladder helps you buy exactly what your roast program needs, without paying for size you don't use.
The grade ladder
- AAA / AA — the largest screens (18+ and 16/17). Uniform, dense beans that roast evenly and look premium as whole bean retail.
- A / B — the workhorse grades. Slightly smaller screens with excellent value; ideal for espresso blends and ground retail formats.
- C — smaller beans, often used in commercial blends and instant production where uniformity matters less than cost.
- PB (Peaberry) — a natural mutation where the cherry develops a single round bean. Concentrated flavour, prized for single-origin roasts.
Screen size in practice
A "screen 18" bean does not brew better than a screen 15 bean by default — but a uniform screen roasts evenly. Mixed sizes scorch the small beans before the large ones develop, which reads as harshness in the cup.
Washed vs natural
Most of our plantation lots are washed (wet processed) — cleaner acidity, consistent cup. Naturals bring fruit-forward sweetness with slightly more batch variation. Both appear on each product page under Processing.
Picking a grade
- Whole-bean retail → AAA/AA for shelf appeal.
- Espresso programs → A/B, where density and value meet.
- Single origin feature → PB for a story worth telling.
- Private label at scale → mix grades across SKUs; use the Compare Grades tool in your buyer portal.
Every lot on Mikado lists screen size, moisture and cup profile — and live warehouse stock is visible in your buyer portal.