Quality at the core: aligning people, practices and standards across East Africa

Volcafe holds East African Regional Quality Workshop

Quality at Volcafe has never been a standalone function. It is a shared responsibility that connects regions, people and practices, and ultimately reinforces the assurance we offer our customers. That focus shaped the recent Volcafe East African Regional Quality Workshop, which brought together quality teams from across the region to calibrate approaches, share experience and strengthen alignment across origins and markets.

At its core, the workshop was designed to ensure that all Volcafe operating entities are calibrated to the same high standards, regardless of geography. With quality teams spread across multiple origins and markets, internal alignment was the first strategic priority. Bringing teams together created space for open discussion, shared learning and calibration, ensuring that quality evaluation is consistent, robust and meaningful across the business.

Client-focused approach

Beyond internal calibration, the workshop also reflected Volcafe’s long-standing commitment to working closely with roaster clients and reinforcing confidence in the quality assurance we provide. Quality at Volcafe is not defined in abstract terms, but through the specific requirements and preferences of the roasters and partners we work with every day. By evaluating coffees with specific expectations in mind, the team reinforced a customer-oriented approach to quality – sourcing, profiling and selecting coffees not as generic products, but as tailored solutions to meet our customers’ needs.

Quality teams work hand in hand with commercial colleagues, logistics and food safety specialists, fully embracing that quality does not operate in isolation. From pre-shipment sample approvals to compliance with food safety and residue regulations, quality is embedded throughout the value chain, supporting reliable delivery and market access for our clients.

Volcafe team evaluating aromas and flavours during a cupping session

Strengthening collaboration

A key opportunity addressed during the workshop was regional collaboration and the sharing of experience across borders. East Africa is home to multiple quality labs and teams, each with deep local expertise. The workshop created a platform for teams from Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda to connect, share challenges and learn from one another. Strengthening these cross-border relationships enables faster problem-solving, greater consistency and a more resilient regional quality network.

Our comparative approach, including tasting and assessing a wide range of coffee from major producing origins such as Brazil and Colombia, helped place regional coffees within a global context, fostering a greater appreciation of the strengths, challenges and competitive dynamics of different origins. By understanding how East African coffees compare with key blend components used across the industry, the team sharpened its ability to position coffees effectively for different markets and identify growth opportunities.

Discussions during the workshop explored evaluation systems and scoring methodologies used across different countries. While recognising the value of systems developed over decades, the team reflected on opportunities to better understand and align scoring approaches. The focus was not on imposing a single method, but on building shared understanding and openness – an important step towards long-term regional alignment.

Reinforcing the pillars of the quality programme

The workshop strongly contributed to reinforcing the three pillars of Volcafe’s Quality Programme – Standards, Expertise, Partnership – dedicated to ensuring consistent coffee excellence across our operations.

Standards: Our protocols and practices guarantee consistency in coffee evaluation worldwide. From roast colour to grind level and cup preparation, these standards ensure reliable and consistent quality evaluation across all Volcafe operations.

Expertise: We invest in training and teamwork, empowering talents and fostering shared responsibility. Through workshops and peer learning, our teams strengthen skills, build confidence, and foster stronger regional collaboration.

Partnerships: Our programme is guided by client needs. We align quality assessments with customer expectations, delivering tailored solutions that meet diverse market requirements.

Together, these three pillars – Standards, Expertise, Partnership – were addressed in complementary ways, reinforcing best practices, promoting skill development and teamwork, and ensuring that quality evaluations remain aligned with client needs and market expectations.

For participants, the impact was clear: 

Volcafe East African team