Introduction:Want to understand how Ethiopia’s Huikui coffee beans leapt from a local growing region to become a globally acclaimed natural sundried specialty coffee? This article delves into the competition mechanism of the 2017 harvest season tasting competition TOH, introduces the driving force behind it — the African Fine Coffee Association (AFCA), and explains how the event has become an important stage for African coffee farmers to elevate quality and access international markets.
Ethiopia is not only Africa’s largest coffee-producing country but also considered the birthplace of coffee. Its unique geographical and climatic conditions nurture coffee beans with distinctive floral aromas and bright citrus notes, winning the hearts of coffee lovers worldwide. When it comes to Ethiopia’s most iconic sundried coffee, “Huikui” is undoubtedly the first that comes to mind for many.
This sundried coffee bean, named by Chinese coffee traders as “Ethiopia Guji Hambella Buku Abel,” comes from the Buku Abel washing station in Ethiopia’s Guji Hambella region. Known as Huikui, this bean has now reached version “Huikui 8.0,” showcasing a highly layered flavor profile: upon entry, one can immediately sense the rich aroma of dried mango, citrus, and jackfruit — tropical fruit notes bursting with juiciness. The mouthfeel is round and smooth, with a gentle black tea-like aftertaste, making the overall experience delicate and full of variation.
What truly brought this bean into the spotlight and onto the international stage was its participation in 2017 in a crucial competition for African specialty coffee — TOH (Taste of Harvest, or Harvest Season Tasting Competition). With its intense berry aroma and creamy-smooth mouthfeel, it won the natural sundried category championship in a single stroke.
But what exactly is the TOH competition? And what kind of organization is the AFCA behind it? Below, we’ll take an in-depth look at AFCA’s membership structure, the composition and grading system of the TOH competition, and explain how this event has become a key platform for African coffee farmers to enhance competitiveness and expand exports.
The African Fine Coffee Association (AFCA) was established in July 2000 as a member-based non-profit organization dedicated to representing coffee producers, traders, government departments, and related support institutions across Africa. Currently, AFCA has 11 member countries, including Burundi, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia.
At the beginning of each year, AFCA holds the Taste of Harvest (TOH) competition among its member countries. This annual coffee quality competition is divided into two main stages: first, the national-level competitions (NATIONAL) held within each member country, followed by the African regional finals (REGIONAL). Notably, some countries grow both Arabica and Robusta coffee varieties, so the competition also sets up separate national contests for these two types. Within the Arabica category, it is further divided into washed, natural, and honey-processed groups, ensuring fair competition across all processing methods.
The winners of each country’s national competition will represent their nation in the African regional finals, which are held during the African Fine Coffee Conference and Exhibition hosted on a rotational basis by AFCA member countries in that year. The competition is evaluated in strict accordance with the rigorous cupping standards and scoring systems set by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), with internationally certified professional judging panels responsible for the assessments. Ultimately, the top five excellent coffees in each of the three Arabica processing groups and the Robusta group are selected.
The primary goal of AFCA in organizing TOH is to discover and promote the highest-quality coffees from various African producing regions. Through an international-level evaluation platform, these coffees can stand out. They are not only showcased at the African Fine Coffee Conference and Exhibition but also gain exposure at numerous international trade exhibitions and industry events. This enhances the international visibility of African coffee, attracts global buyers’ interest, and encourages farmers in producing regions to improve cultivation and post-harvest processing techniques, thereby driving overall quality upgrading and economic benefits.
In early 2024, AFCA once again collaborated with the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority to host that year’s TOH Harvest Season Tasting Competition in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The competition not only maintained its previous high standards but also continued to uncover more potential coffees from every corner of Africa, further solidifying AFCA’s leadership role in promoting the development of African specialty coffee.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
