Conferencia International deCoffea canephora

Ted R Lingle14 June 2012

Mission:

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

Adding Value to Robusta:

A Solution For aMore Sustainable Future

For Robusta Coffee Farmers

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

Coffee Quality Institute

The Opportunity • Expanding Market - Scarcity of Quality

• Genetic Material – Cup Characteristics

• Infrastructure - Existing Niche Market

Coffee Quality Institute

The Strategy

• Develop Robusta Standards•Standards•Education•Ethics

• Institutionalize Existing Niche Market

• Re-Position Robusta “Fine” Coffees:◦Awareness◦Trials◦Usage

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

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

Coffee Quality Institute

Coffee Quality Institute

Robusta coffees can be differentiated in the same manner as Arabica coffees:

- by cup, and - by grade

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Coffee Quality Institute

Cup Attributes are slightly different:

- Bitter/Sweet Aspect Ratio

- Salt/Acid Aspect Ratio

Robusta Taste Attributes

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Sample roasting for Robusta coffees is different than for Arabica coffees:

- Darker Bean Surface

- Wider color spread between whole bean and ground

Sample Roasting

Training program for Robusta cuppers is similar to the one for Arabica cuppers

22 Individual Tests

Training Program

Accurate differentiations based on cup quality can be made consistently:

80+ points = “Fine” Robusta Coffee

Cupping

Robusta origins present recognizable flavor differences

Robusta coffees can be differentiated by taste

Triangulation

Unique aromatic traits require:

a different flavor vocabulary for Robusta coffees

Aromatic Differences

Taste differences require adjustments in the taste recognition testing:

- Acetic Acid vs. Citric Acid

- Potassium vs. Sodium Chloride

Taste Differences

“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”

Steam Cleaning

By Cup - “Fine Robusta” = 80+ points

By Grade – “Fine Robusta”= 5 or fewer defects

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