How does Covoya cup and score coffee?

What is the role of Quality Control at Covoya Europe?

Quality control (QC), or quality assurance (QA), takes place at several stages during the supply chain but can be broadly grouped into three sections.

Firstly, prior to export samples are checked to see if the coffee is of the quality we anticipate, or to discover potential outstanding lots.

Secondly, once the coffee has arrived in Europe it is examined to make sure it is consistent with the quality we agreed with the producer or exporter prior to purchase.

Thirdly, we check the quality of the coffee periodically after it is stored to ensure it remains at the standard we offer to our customers.

How do we do Quality Control at Covoya Europe?

The primary means of checking the quality of our coffees is by tasting them. We follow a specific protocol you will find throughout the coffee supply chain known as ‘cupping’.

Cupping involves systematically brewing and tasting coffees in as controlled a manner as possible, often side-by-side with other coffees and judging the flavour. We access several parameters as we do this including the aroma, acidity, body (think texture or weight here), and aftertaste and discuss our judgements as a team.

We can also measure the coffee’s moisture content, density, and water activity using specially design meters, as well as screening grading (a process of passing the beans through a series of grids to measure its uniformity and size).

How do we know what is good and bad by tasting?

Between us our team has decades of experience tasting coffee so you can expect a fair and accurate assessment of the coffee we import. We draw on a wide range of professional backgrounds; from customer facing positions to roles working together with producers, our team relies on a depth of knowledge you can rely on for a nuanced perspective of the coffees we taste.

Several of our team have passed the Q Grader certification, offered by the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI), a standardised training and examination course for sensory analysis of coffee. This means that despite our varied backgrounds we can be sure that we are calibrated when we interpret what we find.

Why is this important?

We understand that for our customers to be able to do their job well they require coffee that is both of a high standard and consistent. It also means we can support the producers by giving honest and clear feedback to their samples.

What resources can I use to assess the quality of my coffee?

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) offers useful protocols for many quality control tasks including cupping. You can find them here.

The CQI also has some guides here.