Q Graders - Internationally recognized professionals in quality evaluation

What is a Q Grader?

Certified Q Graders are professionals skilled in sensory evaluation of green coffee, and are employed throughout the industry.

Through Q Arabica and Q Robusta, the Q Program has become a tool of the trade, bringing specialized skills to coffee professionals around the world. By setting global expectations CQI helps both buyers and sellers benefit through a shared understanding of quality coffee.

A certified Q Grader is an industry essential.

The ability to grade coffee is a necessary skill for many jobs.

Many workplaces require that their quality control personnel, roasters, green buyers, and exporters be Q Graders. Certified Q Graders share a common language of quality used by producers and buyers alike, facilitating communication and access to markets. After one is certified as a Q Grader, opportunities in the coffee industry expand because the Q Program is globally recognized by coffee professionals. Employers know the rigorous tests students must pass to become certified, and that they will reap the rewards of those graders’ knowledge in product quality, analysis of flavor profiles and consistency through evaluation.

Learn more about becoming a Q Grader

There are approximately 8000 Q Graders based around the world at every level of the coffee value chain.