Tag: coffee partnerships

CQI Marks International Coffee Day with New Chapter in Coffee Quality Journey

Posted on by Qahwa World

Dubai – Qahwa World

On International Coffee Day 2025, the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) announced a historic transition: the conclusion of its Quality Evaluation Program after more than two decades and the launch of a new chapter focused on advancing coffee quality and sustainability.

Michael Sheridan, Chief Executive Officer of CQI, emphasized the milestone: “As we turn the page, I want to honor the nearly 20,000 people who have earned Q Grader Certification since the inception of the program: you are the vanguard in a global movement for coffee quality. And I want to specially recognize the Q Instructors who have trained and certified all those Q Graders: you are pioneers who have held a light to the darkness, and your work helped to catalyze a revolution in coffee quality in the span of a single generation.”

A Fresh Look for a New Era

To mark this transition, CQI unveiled a refreshed logo and website, designed to evoke coffee’s origins. The institute underlined that while its visual identity has evolved, its mission remains constant: improving the quality of coffee and the lives of the people who produce it.

Focus on Post-Harvest Processing

Sheridan highlighted the growing importance of CQI’s Post-Harvest Processing (PHP) Program. In September alone, CQI welcomed 14 new instructors for the PHP Generalist Course, expanded its training pool, and set a course for releasing an all-new PHP Professional Course by the end of 2025. Preparations are also underway for the PHP Expert Course in 2026, with students, instructors, mentors, and guest lecturers already engaged.

“Innovation in post-harvest processing has never been more important in the coffee market,” Sheridan noted. “Our PHP Program is helping reduce risk and expand opportunity for everyone in coffee supply streams.”

Global Partnerships and Impact

CQI also announced new partnerships to expand its global reach. In collaboration with Peet’s Coffee in the U.S., CQI will deliver post-harvest processing education to suppliers, while a partnership with Sinar in the U.K. will enhance access to advanced processing technology.

Additionally, the CQI Global Coffee Fund has awarded support for several initiatives:

Let’s Talk Coffee in Peru

Scholarships for participants in the Women-Powered Coffee Summit (WPCS) in Mexico

Staffing for the Taste of Harvest in Burundi

Engaging the Coffee Community

As CQI transitions beyond the Q program, Sheridan underscored the importance of dialogue with the global coffee community. CQI will convene producer-focused discussions at major events, including the WPCS in Mexico and Sintercafé in Costa Rica, and will launch a global survey in October to gather input from stakeholders worldwide.

“I hope you will take time to respond and make your voice heard,” Sheridan said. “Coffee needs your leadership.”

With this transition, CQI signals a future shaped by collaboration, innovation, and a continued commitment to quality at every stage of the coffee value chain.

Singapore’s Prefer Expands Overseas with Partnerships in Thailand and Australia to Produce Beanless Coffee

Posted on by Qahwa World

Singapore, 14 August 2025 (Qahwa World)  – Singapore-based start-up Prefer, which develops coffee and cocoa products without using coffee beans, has announced its first international commercial partnerships alongside the close of a US$4.2 million funding round.

What is beanless coffee?

Beanless coffee is an alternative to conventional coffee that’s made without coffee beans. Instead, it uses upcycled food industry byproducts such as rice and soy, which are transformed through a proprietary fermentation and roasting process to replicate the taste, aroma, and functional qualities of traditional coffee. This approach aims to reduce environmental impact and production costs while maintaining a familiar coffee experience.

Strategic international partnerships

  • Thailand: Prefer will collaborate with Ajinomoto Co., (Thailand) Ltd., the Thai subsidiary of Japan’s Ajinomoto Co., Ltd., one of the largest food and beverage companies in Japan. The partnership will focus on developing sustainable coffee drink innovations for the Thai market. Specific product details have not been disclosed, and launch timing will depend on manufacturing readiness and regulatory approvals.

  • Australia and New Zealand: Prefer has licensed its proprietary fermentation technology to The Coffee Ferm, which will manufacture and distribute Prefer products locally in these markets.

Funding and production scale-up

The funding round was led by At One Ventures and Chancery Hill Capital, with participation from existing investor Forge Ventures, bringing Prefer’s total raised to US$6.2 million since its founding in 2022. The capital will be used to scale production capacity to 500 tonnes annually through third-party manufacturers across Asia-Pacific, and to expand cocoa production at its Singapore pilot facility before moving to larger-scale outsourced manufacturing.

New product launches

In addition to its ready-to-drink (RTD) beanless coffee latte already sold in the region, Prefer has launched soluble coffee and cocoa powders for sampling by major food and beverage companies across the Asia-Pacific region. These products are aimed at integration into other brands’ portfolios.

Lower cost and footprint

According to Prefer’s own life cycle analysis, its beanless coffee can have up to 85% lower greenhouse gas emissions and be around 50% more affordable compared to current Arabica market prices. (These figures are company claims; no independent verification has been provided.)