Work · Operations · 2021
Yemen-to-UK coffee supply chain in one ERP
An ERP for a UK-based specialty coffee supplier — tracking the entire chain from local farmers in Yemen through drying, processing, sorting, packaging, shipment, and UK-side sales. Web admin + Android app on the same backend.
The job
3 on the team,
16 weeks.
- Client
- QIMA Coffee
- Sector
- Operations
- Year
- 2021
- Role
- Backend Lead
Brief and outcome
What was needed.
QIMA Coffee buys from smallholders in Yemen, processes and ships through a multi-stage pipeline, and sells in the UK. The supply chain was running on spreadsheets passed between offices on three continents. We built an ERP that captured the entire chain on one timeline, with role-specific views from farm gate to retail sale.
What came of it.
QIMA replaced a spreadsheet pipeline that was always one Excel-corruption away from disaster with a system that tracks every kilogram from a Yemeni farmer's hand to the UK shelf — and lets each role on the team see exactly the slice they need.
What was built
5 parts,
shipped.
A selection of projects shipped through Syntorium and our CTO's prior engagements.
Stage-aware data model
Every batch carries its provenance through procurement, drying, processing, sorting, packaging, shipment, and sale. No batch loses its origin.
REST API
Consumed by both the web admin (managers, accountants) and an Android app (field teams, warehouse).
Native Android app
In Kotlin for the field workers — capturing batch data offline-first, syncing when on network, with photo capture for quality control.
Role-based admin
Different surfaces for buyers, processors, finance, and the UK retail team.
Audit trail
At every state change, exportable for compliance and supplier disputes.
More work
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Sunday to Thursday, 09:00–18:00, GMT+4. Remote engineers cover the EU and the US asynchronously. We work in English, Arabic and Urdu.