Green or roasted coffee? How a collective of organic producers challenges the quality construction by overseeing quality attributes, relational approaches and knowledge
This paper studies the conditions under which quality conventions in coffee can be revised. It shows how value is captured by a collective composed by Colombian producers overseeing coffee quality attributes, engaging in relational approaches and building knowledge with international buyers. Intervi...
Main Authors: | , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2023-12-01
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Series: | International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2023.2247808 |
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author | Xiomara F. Quiñones-Ruiz Camilo A. Salcedo-Montero |
author_facet | Xiomara F. Quiñones-Ruiz Camilo A. Salcedo-Montero |
author_sort | Xiomara F. Quiñones-Ruiz |
collection | DOAJ |
description | This paper studies the conditions under which quality conventions in coffee can be revised. It shows how value is captured by a collective composed by Colombian producers overseeing coffee quality attributes, engaging in relational approaches and building knowledge with international buyers. Interviews were conducted with selected organic producers in Santa Marta, Colombia and buyers (e.g. in Germany, the Netherlands). Due to the sound relations between the staff of the producer organization and a German buyer, the manager of the collective proposed to also export roasted coffee in addition to green coffee. Although roasting at origin is not common in coffee exports, in the case analyzed existing hesitations were abandoned. Eye-level relationships, trust based on a relational approach and knowledge were key to achieving a collective quality construction and subsequent value capture by producers. Over time, these producers have improved their material quality techniques and become more familiar with the places where their coffee circulates and is valued, allowing them to influence the commercial spheres of the coffee business. The discussion is not about changing quality conventions, but on how quality conventions are institutionalized and the narratives behind them. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:29:38Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-4ae0e10ddbbb4d6ca1e9cbcb1f487569 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1473-5903 1747-762X |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:29:38Z |
publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
record_format | Article |
series | International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability |
spelling | doaj.art-4ae0e10ddbbb4d6ca1e9cbcb1f4875692023-09-20T10:18:01ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Agricultural Sustainability1473-59031747-762X2023-12-0121110.1080/14735903.2023.22478082247808Green or roasted coffee? How a collective of organic producers challenges the quality construction by overseeing quality attributes, relational approaches and knowledgeXiomara F. Quiñones-Ruiz0Camilo A. Salcedo-Montero1University of Natural Resources and Life SciencesCenter for Research in Culture and Economy and the Nucleus of Anthropology of Politics, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, BrazilThis paper studies the conditions under which quality conventions in coffee can be revised. It shows how value is captured by a collective composed by Colombian producers overseeing coffee quality attributes, engaging in relational approaches and building knowledge with international buyers. Interviews were conducted with selected organic producers in Santa Marta, Colombia and buyers (e.g. in Germany, the Netherlands). Due to the sound relations between the staff of the producer organization and a German buyer, the manager of the collective proposed to also export roasted coffee in addition to green coffee. Although roasting at origin is not common in coffee exports, in the case analyzed existing hesitations were abandoned. Eye-level relationships, trust based on a relational approach and knowledge were key to achieving a collective quality construction and subsequent value capture by producers. Over time, these producers have improved their material quality techniques and become more familiar with the places where their coffee circulates and is valued, allowing them to influence the commercial spheres of the coffee business. The discussion is not about changing quality conventions, but on how quality conventions are institutionalized and the narratives behind them.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2023.2247808coffeeorganic collective of producersinternational buyersquality attributesrelational approachknowledge buildingcolombiagermany |
spellingShingle | Xiomara F. Quiñones-Ruiz Camilo A. Salcedo-Montero Green or roasted coffee? How a collective of organic producers challenges the quality construction by overseeing quality attributes, relational approaches and knowledge International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability coffee organic collective of producers international buyers quality attributes relational approach knowledge building colombia germany |
title | Green or roasted coffee? How a collective of organic producers challenges the quality construction by overseeing quality attributes, relational approaches and knowledge |
title_full | Green or roasted coffee? How a collective of organic producers challenges the quality construction by overseeing quality attributes, relational approaches and knowledge |
title_fullStr | Green or roasted coffee? How a collective of organic producers challenges the quality construction by overseeing quality attributes, relational approaches and knowledge |
title_full_unstemmed | Green or roasted coffee? How a collective of organic producers challenges the quality construction by overseeing quality attributes, relational approaches and knowledge |
title_short | Green or roasted coffee? How a collective of organic producers challenges the quality construction by overseeing quality attributes, relational approaches and knowledge |
title_sort | green or roasted coffee how a collective of organic producers challenges the quality construction by overseeing quality attributes relational approaches and knowledge |
topic | coffee organic collective of producers international buyers quality attributes relational approach knowledge building colombia germany |
url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2023.2247808 |
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