What Does CQI Do for the Global Coffee Industry?

4. What Does CQI Do for the Global Coffee Industry?

Introduction

With Q Grader operations now under SCA, a common question in 2026 is: what does CQI actually do today?

Why This Matters

Buyers and brand owners referencing "CQI" in marketing or sourcing documents should understand its current activities, not just its historical reputation, to avoid outdated claims.

Main Explanation

CQI's current work falls into three main areas. First, post-harvest processing (PHP) training — helping producers improve fermentation, drying, and sorting practices that directly affect cup quality and market value. Second, ongoing capacity-building projects across more than 50 coffee-producing countries, often delivered through local partners and CQI-trained instructors. Third, stewardship of standards it originated, most notably the Fine Robusta Standards and Protocols, which remain a widely cited reference even though day-to-day Q Grader testing has moved to SCA.

CQI also continues to run its Coffee Corps program, which connects volunteer industry experts with producer communities for short-term technical assistance — a model that predates the Q Grader transition and continues independently of it.

In short, CQI has shifted from being primarily a certification body to being primarily a technical training and standards-development organization, with less involvement in issuing individual credentials.

Comparison Table

Real Examples

A cooperative in a Robusta-producing region might work with CQI-trained instructors on fermentation control — improving their odds of scoring in the Fine Robusta range, even though the eventual certification exam is administered under SCA's CVA system.

Faq

Does CQI still train coffee professionals?

Yes, primarily through post-harvest processing courses and country-level programs, rather than the Q Grader exam.

What is Coffee Corps?

A CQI program that sends volunteer coffee professionals to provide technical assistance to producer communities.

Does CQI issue any certifications today?

Its role in direct certification has narrowed since the Q Grader transfer, with more focus on training and standards development.

Is CQI involved with Fine Robusta today?

It originated the standard and remains closely associated with it, even as broader Q-related testing shifts to SCA.

Who funds CQI's work?

As a nonprofit, CQI is funded through a mix of program fees, grants, and industry partnerships.

Conclusion

CQI in 2026 looks different from the CQI of 2015, but its underlying function — building tools that help the industry improve and prove quality — hasn't changed.

Cta

Want to know how post-harvest processing standards shape the coffee you buy? Ask Origin Coffee Cambodia (OCC.) about the processing protocols behind our Cambodian Fine Robusta.

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