CQI (Coffee Quality Institute)

The Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) is an American non-profit organization founded in 1996 with a mission to improve coffee quality and the livelihoods of the people who produce it. It is best known for administering two international certification programs: Q Grader (for sensory evaluation of green Arabica and Robusta) and Q Processor (for post-harvest processing). CQI works in close partnership with the SCA to develop and harmonize the cupping protocols and grading standards that underpin specialty coffee trade worldwide.

What is the mission of the Coffee Quality Institute?

The Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) is a non-profit organisation founded in 1996 and based in Portland, Oregon, with a mission to improve the quality and value of coffee worldwide. CQI is best known for administering the Q Grader certification programme, the industry's most rigorous sensory and technical qualification for professional coffee evaluators. The Q Grader exam consists of 22 tests over 4-5 days, including sensory discrimination (triangulation, duo-trio), SCA cupping protocol, green coffee grading, organic acid identification, and roast identification by sight and taste. As of 2024, CQI has certified approximately 7,000 Q Graders across 80+ countries. CQI also administers the Q Arabica and Q Robusta grading programmes, through which exporters can certify lots as specialty grade (80+ SCA points) through CQI-licensed labs, providing an internationally recognised quality assurance document that commands premium pricing in export markets. According to the Coffee Quality Institute, several thousand Q Graders are certified worldwide; since 2025 the Specialty Coffee Association has taken over administration of the Q Grader programme.

Why work with a certified Q Grader?

For buyers and roasters, CQI certification has two practical dimensions. First, working with a Q Grader on your team provides a standardised sensory framework, all lot evaluations, blend development decisions, and customer communication happen within the same validated vocabulary and methodology. Second, purchasing lots with Q Grader certification from origin provides documented quality assurance: a certified Q lot includes the cupping score, the individual attribute scores, and the evaluator's identity. This documentation is increasingly required by European specialty importers for premium pricing contracts. For baristas, the Q Grader programme represents the most rigorous formal coffee education available, preparation typically requires 6-12 months of intensive sensory training.

Related Terms

Related terms: Q Grader, SCA score, Cupping, Specialty coffee.