How to Read Historical CQI Robusta Cupping Reports in 2026
Buyer-focused guide to reading CQI Robusta cupping reports, understanding scores, attributes, and the limits of a single evaluation.
CQI Robusta cupping reports remain useful historical evidence, but they are no longer the current route for new Q grading. CQI stopped accepting coffee samples for grading on September 30, 2025, and the Q Grader Program moved to SCA on October 1, 2025.
Start with the date
The evaluation date tells you which system applied. A pre-October 2025 CQI report should be interpreted under the protocol and credential structure that existed at that time. A current 2026 evaluation should be understood in the SCA/CVA environment.
Verify the lot identity
Confirm origin, producer or processor where available, harvest, processing method, lot or batch number and sample stage. A valid report tied to a different lot is not evidence for the coffee currently being offered.
Check the evaluator and protocol
Historical CQI documents may identify a Q Robusta Grader or R-Grader. Record that credential as historical context. Do not convert it into a claim that the current SCA license is still species-specific.
Read physical and sensory evidence separately
Do not treat the total score as the entire report. Review defect observations, moisture information, sample condition, sensory descriptors, uniformity and any noted faults.
Avoid unsupported quality tiers
Origin Coffee Cambodia (OCC.) should not automatically convert an old numerical score into marketing labels such as “excellent” or assume a fixed price premium. The commercial value of a coffee depends on the buyer, application, current condition and market context.
Compare with a current sample
For a purchase decision, historical documentation should be paired with a fresh representative sample. Storage, crop change and processing variation can make an old score a poor proxy for a new shipment.
What replaced the old workflow?
The current SCA Q Grader Program is based on Coffee Value Assessment (CVA). It uses a unified, non-species-specific Q Grader license.
Origin Coffee Cambodia (OCC.) routing
Historical CQI report interpretation supports the grading Owner. It does not own broad Fine Robusta grading or standards queries.