SCA GREEN COFFEE SKILLS

This course is aimed at those who have no experience in the world of green coffee. The course heads to give solid theoretical and practical skills on the various coffees of the world, Arabica-Robusta differences, classification of defects, sieves, density and coffee market

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It is designed to introduce the novice into the core skills and equipment required to produce great roasted coffee. Ideal for someone new to the coffee industry or those looking to gain insight into the broad subject matter of roasting coffee.

 

What you will learn:

• Understand basic coffee aromas and flavours

• Understand how to taste coffee

• Gain insight into the SCA Coffee Education System

 

Prerequisites

It is recommended that you have taken Introduction to coffee and SCA Green Coffee Foundation prior to this course.

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The course fee includes 1 written exam. A  retests will be charged as follows:

• Written retest - ฿1,000.00

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We require a minimum number of 2 learners to run each class. If the number of sign-ups does not meet this requirement, learners will be notified and have their class rescheduled to the next available date.

The Green Coffee Intermediate course is designed to build on the knowledge gained in the Green Coffee Foundation course and prepare the learner for more complex job functions found in the green coffee profession. Specifically, these include a deeper and balanced look at botany, agronomy, seasonality, processing, resting, shipment, storage, decaffeination, markets, certifications, transactions, and quality differentiation. Learners are also introduced to grading, defects and positive attributes as they relate to green coffee contracts.

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What you will learn

Coffee species, varieties and origins in depth

Coffee farming: size and location of farms, plant management, climate, crop year and seasonality, shade grown and terroir

Global coffee production and consumption trends

Processing methods (washed, natural, pulped natural), drying, resting and their impact on quality

Grading and defect terminology, aligned with the Coffee Value Assessment Protocol

Green coffee markets and contracts: physical versus futures markets, arbitrage, spot pricing, differentials, contract formulation and Incoterms

Storage and transport, and setting up a green coffee analysis venue

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Prerequisites

None; SCA Introduction to Coffee, SCA Green Coffee Foundation and SCA Sensory Skills Foundation recommended.

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The course fee includes 1 written and 1 practical test and both exams will be scheduled another day (1-hour time slots). Any subsequent retests will be charged as follows:

Written retest - ฿1,000.00

Practical retest - ฿3,000.00

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We require a minimum number of 3 learners to run each class. If the number of sign-ups does not meet this requirement, learners will be notified and have their class rescheduled to the next available date

The Green Coffee Professional course builds on the concepts and skills introduced in the Green Coffee Intermediate course and prepares the learner for managerial job functions found in the green coffee profession. This interactive course covers key aspects of coffee botany, impact of climate change, farm management, processing methodologies, common sensory defects, sample analysis, futures markets as they relate to green trade, portfolio management, factors in the costs of green coffee production, contract considerations, targeted purchasing plans, supplier assessments and third-party accreditations. A written exam tests professional course knowledge while a practical exam assesses the learner's ability to identify certain sensorial defects, conduct sampling processes for consistency, create standards for a client, analyze samples and make purchasing decisions. 

 

The Professional course will look at aspects including:

• Advanced coffee botany and genetic diversity

• The impact of climate change on coffee, and mitigation and adaptation strategies

• Farm management: soil, input and shade management, growing conditions, and pests and diseases

• Processing methodologies and their impact on quality, including fermentation, water management and drying technologies

• Grading for physical and sensory defects, using Coffee Value Assessment terminology, and assessing attributes within a grade

• Storage and transport, including regulatory considerations and fumigation during storage

• Collecting and interpreting production data

• Futures markets: currency exchange and unit conversion, ICE and market mechanisms, hedging, options and technical market analysis

• Purchasing strategy, risk management and financial planning

 

Prerequisites

It is mandatory to hold the SCA Green Coffee Intermediate certification. We also highly recommend that students should have completed the SCA Sensory Skills Intermediate and SCA Roasting Skills Intermediate certifications.

Students are required to have all the knowledge and skills from these and may be tested on them during the practical and/or written assessments.

 

In order to sit for the SCA Green Coffee Professional exam, there needs to be at least a 3-month gap from the date of the Intermediate exam. Experienced green coffee professionals who do not wish to take the exams are welcome to sign up for this Professional class.

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The course fee includes 1 written and 1 practical test. Any subsequent retests will be charged as follows:

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• Written retest - ฿1,000.00

• Practical retest - ฿5,000.00

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We require a minimum number of 2 learners to run each class. If the number of sign-ups does not meet this requirement, learners will be notified and have their class rescheduled to the next available date