Q Graders in Peru!

It was my joy last night to witness the first award ceremony for Peruvian Q Graders. This was the culmination of a cupping school which started three years ago. After lots of hard work and educations from cuppers such Rolando Canas and Geoff Watts these professional cuppers have achieved the goal.

This last week I had the privilege to co-lead the course with Kelly Amoroso from CQI. Ted Lingle, executive director of CQI, made the trip down for the awards ceremony and is enthusiastic to get the Q program going in Peru.



I personally consider this the most important advancement in the history of the Peruvian specialty coffee industry. For sure this will help clear the muddied waters and put the old guard cuppers in their place, it will probably lead to coffees being Q certified from Peru, it will assure annual national quality competitions, but most importantly for the 12 cooperatives and 2 private business are changed forever and will never again see Peruvian coffee the same.

One of those two private businesses was Cafe Verde. I'm please to say Madeliene Villa, our roaster/QC head, did a fabulous job in passing her exams. This makes Cafe Verde the first roaster/retailer in Peru with a Q grader on staff.

Congratulations Madeliene and all!