One of the best things about Coffee Quality Institute’s (CQI) expanding offerings regarding post-harvest coffee processing is introducing practices to new people who may have had training on the quality evaluation side of our educational menu and seeing them get excited about expanding their knowledge. Recently, thanks to the passion of two CQI educators, the first CQI post-harvest processing class in South Korea took place.
South Korea’s Café Show is an enormous, comprehensive event that features many food, beverage and hospitality items, but coffee is a huge draw for attendees. They come from around the world to see the latest and greatest products, learn about new origins and to interact with their industry peers. It was because of this international event the CQI Post-Harvest Processing expert, Instructor and coffee producer Luiz Roberto Saldanha Rodrigues was in South Korea and available to bring this exciting education product to people right before Café Show commenced.
"One of my greatest passions is sharing knowledge with the different players in the specialty coffee chain,” said Saldanha.
“The level of interest of the attendees and the support offered by the partnership with Mr. Woo made the experience of teaching in South Korea such a joy. The Q Processing Program has a huge mission to provide the dissemination of scientific and applied knowledge along the chain, and this first step in a country with so many passionate coffee professionals will allow the empowerment and appreciation of specialty coffee producers and processors from around the world."
Saldanha, who also owns Capricornio Coffees is an enthusiastic educator and has taught in many origins. He was looking forward to attending the Café Show anyway, but he and James Jongho Woo, a respected local Quality Evaluation Coffee Quality Institute Instructor, connected to bring the first CQI Post-Harvest Processing class to Korea in advance of the show.
Woo is the owner of Woo JongHo Coffee Lab in Seoul and Incheon. He is also cross training to be able to teach CQI’s Q Processing 1 course. Because his interest in processing education was already there, he graciously stepped up to coordinate with Saldanha to host two exciting opportunities for learners in Korea.
“The week of Café Show is very busy in Seoul, but I knew that there would be interest from people who wanted to learn more about post-harvest processing,” offered Woo. “People here have so much curiosity and they appreciate chances to participate in more education. I was happy that we could offer both opportunities.”
While post-harvest processing education at CQI is greatly associated with coffee producers in origin, it can be very productive for coffee people anywhere in the value chain to gain knowledge about different techniques and potential impact.
Woo and Saldanha settled on two opportunities, an introductory cupping and an Introduction to Post Harvest Processing class. The class was posted and shared, and arrangements made. All that remained was for people to attend.
In all eighteen people the class and nine attended the cupping, and a seed was planted in Korea. One that we know will blossom into a large community of coffee people who are knowledgeable about the impact of post-harvest processing on the taste and quality of coffee. Whether learners take an incremental class or a certification level course, they will be closer in spirit and in understanding to the origin of coffee quality, the farm.
Are you interested in post-harvest processing? CQI has lots of ways for you to learn more in a way that is best for you. Click here to learn more.
