Roast date
The date coffee was roasted, a better freshness guide than a distant best-before date.
Specialty roasters print a roast date so you can judge freshness. Coffee is generally at its best from a few days to around a month after roasting.
A best-before date months away tells you little about how fresh the coffee actually is.
Why it matters for small spaces
Buying by roast date, little and often, keeps a small store of beans fresh rather than stale.