Coffee Quality Institute in 2026: What CQI Still Does After the Q Grader Transition
5. Coffee Quality Institute Explained: Certifications, Q Graders, and Standards Introduction CQI's ecosystem of certifications and standards can look confusing from the outside, especially after the 2025 Q Grader transition. Here's how the pieces fit...
CQI remains an important coffee-quality organization, but it no longer operates the Q Grader Program. That responsibility transferred to the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) on October 1, 2025.
What moved to SCA
The Q Grader Program, including professional quality-evaluation education, is now operated by SCA. The current Q Grader course is based on Coffee Value Assessment (CVA), and the current Q Grader license is not species-specific.
Former Q Arabica and Q Robusta graders were eligible to transition into the updated SCA program.
What CQI still does
The 2025 partnership divided responsibilities more clearly. SCA leads quality-assessment education through Q and CVA. CQI continues to focus on producer-facing education and development work, including post-harvest processing training.
CQI also remains historically important to Fine Robusta because it helped develop the Fine Robusta Standards and Protocols with the Uganda Coffee Development Authority.
Historical records versus current credentials
A historical CQI Q Arabica or Q Robusta record can remain valid evidence for the period in which it was issued. It should not be confused with the current SCA Q Grader credential.
CQI stopped accepting coffee samples for grading on September 30, 2025. Its coffee database therefore functions as a historical record for samples submitted before October 1, 2025, not as the current workflow for new lot certification.
How OCC should use CQI references
OCC can cite CQI when discussing:
- the historical development of Q;
- historical Q Robusta/R-Grader systems;
- Fine Robusta standards history;
- post-harvest processing education;
- producer-development programs that are current and verifiable.
OCC should not describe CQI as the current Q Grader administrator or imply that new 2026 coffee samples are being certified through the former CQI Q system.
OCC routing
This article is institutional supporting content. Fine Robusta standards and grading authority remain with the registered OCC Owner pages.
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