he March / April issue of Roast Magazine includes a thoughtfully-written feature by Neil Balkcom of Swings Coffee that discusses the R (Q Robusta) Coffee system, its purpose and impact of Fine Robusta on the specialty coffee marketplace.

Neil eloquently summarizes the situation:

“There are millions of livelihoods that are near destitution — farmers who lack the ability to break the cycle of bad quality and low pay without access to capital, inputs, training and a way to break into the larger specialty marketplace.  The R protocols is the first enterprise to throw a wrench in that wheel, to raise the bar and introduce training, access, value propositions, transparency, traceability and accountability.”

Others quoted in the article include Nishant Gurjer of Kaapi Royale Coffee & Sethuraman Estates, Ted Lingle, retired Executive Director of the Coffee Quality Institute, Frank Chazzano of Chazzano Coffee Roasters, Tim Coonan of Big Shoulders Coffee plus a few choice words and photos from me.

If you do not already receive Roast Magazine, subscribe now and read the full article online today.