I met Tim Schilling last month in Rwanda while participating as an international juror for Cup of Excellence.  I was overwhelmed with excitement when I discovered there was an official initiative dedicated to researching issues of cup quality, among other related concerns, from seed to cup.   I truly believe this will help mature the specialty coffee industry’s approach in discussing matters of processing, shipping, etc.  Please visit the website and read through the concept paper, congress information, and related research projects posted on the site.

Global Coffee Quality Research Initiative

“The mission of the GCQRI is to build upon and expand the global network of coffee quality research institutions and scientists that will work with the specialty coffee industry to design and execute prioritized and coordinated superlative research on key factors limiting cup quality and constraining increased volumes of quality coffee. Paramount to achieving these goals will be the strong partnerships developed between origin country research organizations, International Research Organizations and the global specialty coffee industry. Working together to conceive, conduct and extend the research results will increase revenues of farmers, profits for companies, and pleasure to consumers.

Results from research will be made freely available in perpetuity without restrictions to users worldwide through partnerships and linkages with trade and farmer associations, individual companies, host country extension agencies, processors, and exporters ‐ as well as through classic research venues like scientific journals, conferences, proceedings, web‐based platforms, and others to be determined.” – Tim Schilling, Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture