How much discount should I give for volume?

Enough to reflect the lower cost to serve, while keeping your floor margin. Work it out per kilo rather than as a percentage chosen in advance.

Should I publish my wholesale prices?

Some roasters publish a price list; others quote per account. A published list with clear tiers reduces negotiation.

B2B coffee pricing tiers that protect your margin

Volume discounts are fair: bigger accounts cost less to serve per kilo. But tiers built on guesswork give away margin. Build each band from your cost to serve.

6 min read Updated 9 October 2026

A tiered price list gives larger customers a lower price per kilo. It is justified by cost: a weekly 40 kg delivery to one address costs less per kilo to pack, deliver and invoice than 5 kg. Tiers should follow that cost, not the pressure of the last negotiation.

Build tiers from cost to serve

Start with your cost per kg of roasted, packed coffee for the product.
Add cost to serve per kg at each volume band: delivery, admin, support visits.
Set a floor margin per kg you will not go below on any tier.
Price each band as cost plus cost to serve plus margin, then round to a clean number.

Worked example

Example price per kg by weekly volume, one blend

Up to 5 kg a week£22.00
6 to 15 kg a week£20.50
16 to 30 kg a week£19.50
Over 30 kg a week£18.75

Illustration with assumed figures. Each band keeps the same floor margin after its own delivery and support cost.

Equipment and extras

Equipment on loan, free delivery and barista training all cost money. Tie them to tiers: for example equipment only above a volume threshold, or a separate rental below it. Keep these in the account terms. See cafe account terms.

Contract prices

Large accounts may ask for a fixed price for 6 or 12 months. Only agree if you have covered the green for that period, or include a clause allowing review if green costs move beyond an agreed band.

Tier hygiene

Floor margin per kg written down and respected
Tiers reviewed when green or packaging costs change
Every account's actual volume checked against its tier quarterly
Equipment and free delivery tied to volume
Discounts recorded as discounts, so they can be withdrawn

Where Roastnet helps

Questions roasters ask

How much discount should I give for volume?: Enough to reflect the lower cost to serve, while keeping your floor margin. Work it out per kilo rather than as a percentage chosen in advance.
Should I publish my wholesale prices?: Some roasters publish a price list; others quote per account. A published list with clear tiers reduces negotiation.