Description
How does the Q Coffee certification process work?
These are the steps:
- The sample owner registers the coffee in the CQI database (see “How-to-Submit-a-Sample-for-Q-Evaluation”).
- The sample owner selects our laboratory from the in-Country Partner in the CQI database.
- Sending 2kg green coffee samples with CQI reference number to our laboratory.
The invoice must be paid before delivery.
- Upon arrival the samples are coded and are sent to 3 different certified Q Graders.
- The licensed Q Graders evaluate the sample following the Q Grading protocol. The evaluation is done blindly.
- The Q Graders submit their scores via CQI database.
- ICP reviews the scores and sends them to CQI in the U.S. for the final check and validation.
- CQI confirms the scores to the sample owner via CQI database within aprox. 8 working days after sample reception.
- If a sample reaches a minimum of 80 points, it will get a Q Coffee certificate and a full report with the results. The sample owner can use the certification to promote the coffee.
- If the achieved score is below 80 points, the sample owner will get a detailed report, but won’t get the Q Coffee certificate.
Validity of the certification
Once the coffee obtains the Q Coffee certificate, it is valid for 1 year from the date of issuance.
Coffee specifications
One sample per exportable lot may be submitted. Green coffee from a single farm corresponding to one lot can be submitted and evaluated. The maximum lot size is defined by a standard container for that country of export (250 – 300 bags; 50 – 70 kg bags, depending on the country). For the sake of clarity and accuracy, a general concept of coffee blends that may be evaluated was defined as follows. A blend can be:
- Any coffees from a single farm but different varietals, are considered one unique lot of coffee.
- Any coffee from a region, occasionally from several producers, composed of different varietals, is also considered one unique lot of coffee.
Sample quantity required
2 kgs of green coffee per lot
