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...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xiomara F. Quiñones-Ruiz, Camilo A. Salcedo-Montero
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2023-12-01
Series:International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2023.2247808
_version_ 1797680412038791168
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
work_keys_str_mv AT xiomarafquinonesruiz greenorroastedcoffeehowacollectiveoforganicproducerschallengesthequalityconstructionbyoverseeingqualityattributesrelationalapproachesandknowledge
AT camiloasalcedomontero greenorroastedcoffeehowacollectiveoforganicproducerschallengesthequalityconstructionbyoverseeingqualityattributesrelationalapproachesandknowledge