1. Conferencia International de
Coffea canephora
Ted R Lingle
14 June 2012

2. Mission:
“Work internationally to improve
the quality of coffee and the lives
of the people who produce it.”

3. Coffee Quality Institute
Adding Value to
Robusta:
A Solution For a
More Sustainable Future
For Robusta Coffee
Farmers

4. Coffee Quality Institute
The Problem:
• Prices:
 1980 – ‘99 Avg = $1.13 / lb
 2000 – ‘10 Avg = $0.55 / lb
• Volumes:
 Vietnam – 2010/11 = 19.6M bags
 Brazil - 2010/11 = 11.5 M bags
 Africa - 2010/11 = 7.3 M bags
 Indonesia – 2010/11 = 6.8M bags

5. Coffee Quality Institute
The Opportunity

•Expanding Market - Scarcity of
Quality
•Genetic Material – Cup
Characteristics
•Infrastructure - Existing Niche
Market

6. Coffee Quality Institute
The Strategy
• Develop Robusta Standards
•Standards
•Education
•Ethics

• Institutionalize Existing Niche Market
• Re-Position Robusta “Fine” Coffees:
◦Awareness
◦Trials
◦Usage



7. Coffee Quality Institute
The Protocols
• Four Initial Robusta Workshops:
• Kampala – August 2009
• Accra – November 2009
• Kampala – March 2010
• Kampala – June 2010
• 63 Workshop Participants – 16 Countries

Uganda Coffee
Development Authority

8. Coffee Quality Institute
The Protocols
• Six Follow-up Robusta Workshops:
• Uganda – March & September 2011
• Brazil – August & December 2012
• Indonesia - November 2011
• Tanzania – March 2012
• 54 Licensed “R” Graders – 12 Countries

Uganda Coffee
Development Authority

9. Coffee Quality Institute

10. Coffee Quality Institute
Robusta coffees can
be differentiated in
the same manner as
Arabica coffees:
- by cup, and
- by grade
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

11. Robusta Taste Attributes
 Cup Attributes are
slightly different:
- Bitter/Sweet
Aspect Ratio
- Salt/Acid
Aspect Ratio
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

12. Sample Roasting
 Sample roasting for
Robusta coffees is
different than for
Arabica coffees:
- Darker Bean
Surface
- Wider color
spread between
whole bean and
ground

13. Training Program
 Training
program for
Robusta cuppers
is similar to the
one for Arabica
cuppers
 22 Individual Tests

14. Cupping
 Accurate
differentiations based
on cup quality can be
made consistently:
 80+ points = “Fine”
Robusta Coffee

15. Triangulation
 Robusta origins
present recognizable
flavor differences
 Robusta coffees can
be differentiated by
taste

16. Aromatic Differences
 Unique aromatic
traits require:
a different flavor
vocabulary for
Robusta coffees

17. Taste Differences
 Taste differences
require adjustments
in the taste
recognition testing:
- Acetic Acid vs.
Citric Acid
- Potassium vs.
Sodium Chloride

18.  “Differentiation is the free market
mechanism for creating price
premiums”
 “High standards are the key component
of all product differentiations”
 “Product differentiations allow
consumers to make enlightened
purchase decisions”

23. Steam Cleaning

24.  By Cup - “Fine Robusta”
= 80+ points
 By Grade – “Fine Robusta”
= 5 or fewer defects

31. Differentiating Robusta
coffees is the essential next
step in building a brighter
future for ALL coffee
farmers worldwide.