Last week, our San Diego colleagues had the unique opportunity to cup brand-new varietals developed by World Coffee Research (WCR). InterAmerican was a founding member of WCR and has proudly supported its groundbreaking work since 2011. This cupping allowed us to quite literally “taste the research” being carried out to secure a more sustainable future for coffee.
Coffee lags far behind other agricultural products when it comes to research and development. WCR is helping to close that gap by focusing on the most critical technology in our supply chain: the coffee plant itself. Through years of innovation, WCR has been developing new F1 hybrids designed to balance vigor, yield, and quality—varieties that can meet both farmer needs and consumer expectations.
In 2015, WCR launched its F1 hybrid trial to identify the most resilient and high-performing hybrids. The samples cupped last week are part of this trial, which has now advanced to pre-commercial stages with industry partners worldwide. Specifically, these high-yield, rust-resistant varieties—created by crossing a Sarchimor parent (for vigor and resilience) with a Geisha parent (for exceptional cup quality)—were grown and processed by the Rwanda Agricultural Board in Huye, Rwanda.
Cupping notes from the team made clear the success of the undertaking! They described one as having a “creamy, buttery body” paired with a citrus acidity and notes of plum and vanilla. Another had a silky body and notes of blood orange, caramel and toasted sugar, while the third was “tropical, juicy and complex.”
Bringing this research from field to cup was an incredible experience for our team. The F1 hybrid project is just one example of the vital work WCR is doing to strengthen coffee-growing communities and ensure the future of our industry.
If you’d like to help support this critical work, please consider joining the WCR Checkoff Program. It makes it effortless for roasters to contribute $0.005 to $0.01 per pound with each green coffee purchase and to invest directly in the future of coffee.•
