Coffee Quality Institute

06/01/2026

Learning comes to life during harvest season.🌱 Our CQI Processing Good Practices class was recently held in Sumatra, Indonesia led by CQI Assistant Instructor James JongHo Woo.

After completing the CQI Processing Generalist certification in Korea, participants traveled to origin to take their learning from the classroom to the farm. The course focused on coffee harvesting, pulping, drying, hulling, and defect sorting.

The CQI Processing Good Practices course is a practical, engaging, field-based class that consists of flexible lessons designed to help processors develop practical skills and problem-solving strategies to improve coffee post-harvest processing. Held at a mill or washing station during harvest, the curriculum covers fundamental practices and topics that can be tailored to local needs and challenges, making it highly relevant to producers and processors alike.

💡Interested in joining a future session? Visit our database to see upcoming dates: https://database.coffeeinstitute.org/courses/upcoming

06/01/2026

Tomorrow! Last day to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1990663052778?aff=oddtdtcreator

You’re invited to join our upcoming free CQI Online Talk: Old Crop Flavor Modulation Through Roasting: Causes, Effects & Practical Tips

📅 June 2, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM Eastern Time
💻 Online
🌐 Language: English

Led by Andrea Onelli, this session will explore how roasting can influence and modulate the sensory profile of old crop coffees.

Participants will gain practical insights into the causes and effects of flavor changes over time, along with roasting strategies and practical tips to help bring out the best possible cup quality.

🔗 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1990663052778?aff=oddtdtcreator

05/29/2026

You’re invited to join our upcoming free CQI Online Talk: Old Crop Flavor Modulation Through Roasting: Causes, Effects & Practical Tips

📅 June 2, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM Eastern Time
💻 Online
🌐 Language: English

Led by Andrea Onelli, this session will explore how roasting can influence and modulate the sensory profile of old crop coffees.

Participants will gain practical insights into the causes and effects of flavor changes over time, along with roasting strategies and practical tips to help bring out the best possible cup quality.

🔗 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1990663052778?aff=oddtdtcreator

05/28/2026

June is almost here, and mid-year is the perfect time to invest in post-harvest processing education and start the second half of the year with new skills. 💫 We’re offering 12 classes and courses this month, including many online options.

🔔 Visit our database to view the full list of upcoming courses: https://database.coffeeinstitute.org/dashboard

05/27/2026

Join us tomorrow, May 28, 2026, for the final session of the African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA) Sustainability Webinar Series.

🌱 Beyond the Cup: Rethinking Sustainability in Coffee Processing�
⏰ 3:00–4:30 PM EAT�
💻 Online

Panelists:

- Yimara Martínez: Senior Manager of the Post-Harvest Processing Program, CQI

- Phyllis Johnson: President, BD Imports

- Mr. Kennedy Keya: Director of Trade & Operations C Dorman SEZ Ltd

- Nico Herr: Chief Operations Officer, Mountain Harvest

- Ranya Umer: Chief Executive Officer & Founder, Aromax Trading Plc

The session will explore sustainability in coffee processing, including post-harvest practices, wastewater management, traceability, and energy consumption in African coffee production.

📣 The webinar is free to attend.�
🔗 Register: https://bit.ly/4wL5Qsw

05/26/2026

Join us on June 1, 2026 for our Continuing Education Seminar focused on one of the most important foundations of coffee quality and productivity: Soil Fertility and Coffee Crop Nutrition.

Led by Dr. Alveiro Salamanca Jiménez, MS, PhD, this live seminar will explore the key soil factors that influence coffee nutrition and how this knowledge can be integrated into production systems to obtain betteryields and improve cup quality.

📚 Title: Soil Fertility and Coffee Crop Nutrition
�👨‍🏫 Presenter: Alveiro Salamanca Jiménez
📅 Date: June 1, 2026�
⏰ Time: 7:00 – 9:00 AM PDT�
💻 Format: Live online attendance only�
💲 Cost: $50 USD

This seminar is offered as an opportunity for CQI Processing Professionals seeking renewal credits, and is also open to anyone interested in expanding their knowledge of coffee production and quality.

🔗 Enroll Here: https://database.coffeeinstitute.org/course/8082

05/26/2026

We successfully completed our CQI Arabica Processing Professional Course in Indonesia last week; an intensive, week-long program focused on post-harvest processing knowledge and practices. 🇮🇩

The course served as an opportunity to pilot the new curriculum while bringing together coffee producers from across Indonesia. Participants represented different regions of the country and will now take the practical experience and knowledge gained throughout the course back to their own work and communities. They were supported by a grant from the CQI Global Coffee Fund.

Throughout the week, participants deepened their understanding of major processing methods, quality control systems, and the relationship between processing and flavor development through lectures, team activities, applied lessons, and cuppings. 📚✨

This pilot period is also being implemented in other coffee-producing regions to support further evaluation as we continue updating this important curriculum.

05/22/2026

CQI was honored to participate in the Foro de Café Fairtrade in Lima, Peru this past week.

As part of the event, our CEO Michael Sheridan joined Esteban Zamora, Jhony Arturo Gayoso Valdera, and Nelson Teskey for a panel discussion on the role of Fairtrade in supporting resilient coffee supply chains, producer livelihoods, and coffee quality. The discussion explored how long-term producer support, market access, and quality recognition all play an important role in the future of sustainable coffee production.

Thank you to the organizers and participants for creating an open and honest space for meaningful dialogue and collaboration.

05/19/2026

2026 marks a special milestone for CQI as we celebrate 30 years of impact across the global coffee community.

To honor this anniversary, we’re highlighting stories from coffee professionals who have participated in CQI’s post-harvest processing education and are now applying that knowledge within their own communities.

Today, we’re featuring Javier Blanco from Argentina.🇦🇷 Watch to hear his perspective and journey.

05/18/2026

Please join us in welcoming Felipe Fallas to the CQI team as Program Coordinator!

Felipe has been working to strengthen coffee quality and sustainability in smallholder systems since 2016, combining field-based agronomy, program management, and a deep personal connection to the sector as the son of a coffee producer in Costa Rica.

He has held technical and leadership roles across Latin America and East Africa, including in Uganda, where he coordinated a large-scale sustainability and quality program focused on farmer training, post-harvest practices, and traceability systems.

In Costa Rica, Felipe has worked closely with producers to support sustainability and quality initiatives, including projects within the country’s largest coffee cooperative.

Felipe is currently completing a Master’s degree in Project Management at the Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica.

Welcome to the team Felipe!