Qonclave, or: Nobody Expects the SCA Acquisition

By Evan Gilman, Creative Director, Indonesia Green Buying Team, CQI Arabica Quality Evaluation Instructor

Article Summary:

Royal Coffee’s Evan Gilman reflects on the abrupt handover of the Coffee Quality Institute’s (CQI) Quality Evaluation program to the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), a decision made without stakeholder consultation that left many instructors and Q Graders blindsided and frustrated. The lack of transparency and speed of the transition have created uncertainty across the industry, with professionals grieving the loss of a respected system built over two decades. To move forward, The Crown will host a Qonclave on June 13th in Oakland (and online) for Q Instructors and assistants to discuss next steps and future pathways for sensory professionals. Q Graders are encouraged to share input via email.

Qonclave, or: Nobody Expects the SCA Acquisition

It has been just two weeks since the announcement from SCA came that CQI’s Quality Evaluation program would be turned over to SCA and all prior curriculum retired. This change came as a surprise, most notably to a number of CQI’s staff and licensed instructors, many of whom found out through social media posts. Announced the first day of Expo in Houston, talk of the merger frequently overshadowed what are more pressing issues for the coffee industry: sky-high C-market prices, tariffs, and of course the looming threat of climate change and ecological collapse.

Those keeping tabs on the transition over the past weeks have seen all stages of grief, ranging from denial to acceptance. Grief does, in this instance, seem to be a fitting word for the feeling experienced by so many professionals who used CQI’s Quality Evaluation system as a tool, some spending 20 years to build its reputation. Other, newer inductees to the system (yours truly) are having a hard-won credential stripped, for replacement by an educational curriculum that has still yet to be revealed.

The swiftness and lack of transparency surrounding the transition allowed for little else but grief, and its incumbent emotions. It’s hardly reasonable to expect cogent analysis with such a dearth of information available, and with key stakeholders immediately losing their livelihoods on the announcement it would be prudent to expect the exact opposite. That neither SCA nor CQI anticipated such a reaction is surprising. That they chose to sign this agreement without informing or consulting key stakeholders is troubling.

What we are left with is the fallout, and the process of determining how we might move forward as an industry without the assistance of groups who either do not understand the impact of their statements, or do not care. Amidst this transition, many ideas have been brought to the table – as many as there are stakeholders. Criticisms of the new system, the old system, and of alternative systems have been footed. Common to all of them is a drive to bring the community that CQI fostered through the Quality Evaluation program back together in a stronger form, one resistant to the vagaries of organizations that put us in this position.

I’m not writing today to propose a singular path forward, but rather to bring together as a community all those who are affected by this transition. We would like to announce a gathering on June 13^th at The Crown in Oakland for all Q Instructors and Assistant Instructors to discuss our futures and brainstorm the next steps. This will be a ‘hybrid’ event, so if you aren’t in the area, you can still join by video call. Look forward to structured discussions and bring your best thinking caps so we can attack this problem positively!

I would be remiss not to mention all of the current and former Q Graders out there who would also like a say in how the industry moves forward and recognizes the skill and effort they put forth in gaining such a certification. If you’re a Q Grader and would like to speak up, please don’t hesitate to email me at egilman -at- royalcoffee -dot- com and I will bring your statements to the group to discuss. Your thoughts and views are of utmost importance at this time, and a recording of our session will be provided after the event.

As we bring all our viewpoints to the table, let’s look for the bright spots. What might seem to be a problem now may be an opportunity for improvement that is revealed through our discussions. After all, you can’t look in a new direction by looking harder in the same direction. See you at the cupping table.

In the meantime, The Crown will continue to host CQI Quality Evaluation coursework until it is discontinued on September 30^th.

• If you are nearly a Q Grader, and are in need of just a few retakes, we have a retakes-only course that you can join on August 16-17^th – this is your last opportunity to become a Q Grader, and join the ‘fast track’ to the ‘Evolved’ Q through taking the CVA Course ($600-900 for a 2-day course) between now and December 31^st.
• If you want to calibrate to extend your Q Grader certificate for another 36 months, we have a session on August 15^th. If you are simply intending to get the ‘Evolved’ Q, you don’t necessarily need to take this calibration, as any current or lapsed Q Graders can take the new CVA for Cuppers course to attain this. This Calibration is only for those who want to continue their alignment out of pureness of heart, or in preparation for future options that may be available to sensory professionals.
• While CQI content will be discontinued after September 30^th, we are preparing ongoing conversations around value and quality in coffee, and provide a number of classes focused on accessibility to those from all walks of life. One such event is Development Stage, coming up in September.