EP1646 Part 1 of 5 | Defining Quality in Coffee in 2026 (Ian Fretheim) Map It Forward

Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Arcadia Green Coffee, Colombian coffee exporters taking fresh green coffee from Colombia to the world, farm to roastery, direct. New office now open in the UK.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcadiagreencoffee/WhatsApp: https://wa.me/353877871523Episode DescriptionThis is Part 1 of a five-part series with Ian Fretheim, Director of Sensory Analysis at Cafe Imports.Across this series of The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, Lee Safar and Ian explore one of the coffee industry's biggest, and increasingly difficult, questions, "What is Quality Coffee?"For decades, specialty coffee has spoken confidently about quality, but in 2026 that confidence is being tested. New processing methods, changing consumer expectations, evolving education systems, shifting economics and growing disagreement around sensory evaluation are forcing the industry to reconsider what quality actually means.In this opening conversation, Lee and Ian begin by asking a deceptively simple question: How is the coffee industry defining quality today?What quickly becomes clear is that there isn't one answer.The discussion explores why different parts of the coffee supply chain often require different definitions of quality, why producers, exporters, importers, roasters and cafés may all evaluate coffee differently, and whether the industry has become too reliant on inherited assumptions that no longer reflect today's realities.Lee and Ian also examine whether quality should be viewed as an absolute standard or something that changes according to purpose, audience and context. Along the way they begin unpacking ideas that will shape the remainder of this series, including sensory evaluation, language, education, specialty coffee and the growing tension between objectivity and subjectivity.Rather than attempting to provide a single definition of quality coffee, this episode challenges listeners to reconsider whether such a definition has ever truly existed.If you work anywhere in the coffee supply chain, this conversation offers an opportunity to question many of the assumptions that underpin how we buy, sell, evaluate and communicate coffee today.Connect with Ian Fretheim here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-fretheim-31628323/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. ***************************************About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain.Website: https://mapitforward.coffeeMailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglistPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforwardInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/Contact: [email protected]