Several dozen of the most influential and quality-obsessed people in the coffee industry are gathered this week in College Station, Texas, for the Global Coffee Quality Research Initiative (GCQRI) Symposium — the first step in launching a massive, five-year collaborative research project involving industry, bilateral donor agencies and research institutes and designed to increase the availability of high-quality coffee. I made passing mention of GCQRI here back in May, but only recently got access to more detail about what specifically is being proposed. I will offer some (developmental) perspectives on GCQRI here in the coming days. Meantime, here are some links to very good real-time coverage of the event from people who are participating.
James Hoffman’s blog.
James Hoffman is the owner of Square Mile Coffee Roasters in London and a former WBC winner who provides consistently thoughtful comment on a wide range of issues related to coffee and has been recognized for his contributions to sustainability in the industry. He is also posting like a fiend from Texas.
- The “specialty coffee crisis” that makes GCQRI necessary in the first place.
- Day 1: notes on expected outcomes of the first day.
- Day 1: notes on presentation by Dr. Vince Petiard, Nestlé plant geneticist.
- Day 1: notes on presentations by Peter Guiliano on behalf of SCAA and himself.
- Day 1: notes on presentation by Dr. Tim Schilling, intellectual author of GCQRI.
- Day 1: notes on presentation by Dr. Ray McEachern revisiting what coffee can learn from wine.
- Day 1: notes on afternoon sessions.
- Day 2: notes on focused discussion sessions.
- Day 2: notes on presentation by Carlos Brando on current coffee research efforts.
- Day 2: notes on discussion of possible research topics.
- Day 2: notes on
Sprudge.
The New York Post of coffee. The one-and-only online coffee tabloid with titles that are alliterative, allusive and often acid, and irreverent doctored photos that cut industry leaders down to size. Occasionally Sprudge has very good coverage of what happens at origin.
- Guest post by Peter Guiliano of Counter Culture Coffee on what the GCQRI is.
- Day one coverage, which includes a link to the Symposium’s opening presentation.
coffeed.
coffeed.com is an exclusive, membership-based forum for high-level discussions of all aspects of the coffee process. Tom Owen of Sweet Maria’s is providing live coverage of the event and engaging with members of the coffeed community on its content.
For more background, visit the Global Coffee Quality Research Initiative official site or the GCQRI blog.