How a Taiwanese Q Grader Built a Career in Global Coffee

Ever wondered how someone goes from military service to becoming a globally recognised coffee expert? For Chen Jiajun, it meant leaving everything behind to spend a year alone in rural Brazil, immersed in coffee farms with no entertainment—just beans, research, and resilience. His journey answers the question: what does it really take to build a career in specialty coffee at the highest level?

In short: Chen Jiajun became Taiwan’s first Q Grader and SCAA-certified cupping judge after a year in Brazil’s Cerrado region, assistant work under a SCAA technical chair in the US, and earning multiple certifications. He now trains roasters, teaches at universities, and judged international competitions—including a World Coffee Roasting Challenge runner-up finish.

The Brazil Year That Changed Everything

Chen Jiajun’s coffee story began in 2006, right after military service. Thanks to family connections, he travelled to Patrocínio in Brazil’s Cerrado region. There, he lived and worked on his Japanese-Brazilian brother-in-law’s coffee farm. For a full year, he studied coffee from seed to sorted green bean—planting, harvesting, screening, and grading—without any local language skills or leisure activities. It was an intense, immersive introduction to coffee production that set his career path.

Training with the SCAA in the United States

In 2007, Chen moved to the United States, where he worked as an assistant under a renowned SCAA cupping judge and technical committee chair. This role exposed him to elite-level cupping practices, roasting science, and sensory evaluation methods used by top professionals in the global specialty coffee industry. His time in the US laid the foundation for his formal certifications.

Taiwan’s First Q Grader and SCAA Cupping Judge

Through the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI), Chen became Taiwan’s first certified Q Grader and an official SCAA cupping judge. These credentials recognise his ability to assess coffee quality at the highest standards, using standardised protocols for cupping, defect identification, and green bean grading. They remain key qualifications for anyone working in professional coffee evaluation worldwide.

Bringing Expertise Back to Taiwan

Returning to Taiwan, Chen joined Blossom Valley , the family-owned green coffee import business. There, he took on roles in green bean sourcing, cupping instruction, and coffee education. He also continued refining his roasting technique. By 2012, he had earned another first: CQI certification as the first Chinese Q Grader instructor. He also holds multiple SCAA caffeine extraction and education certifications.

Educator, Judge, and Industry Leader

Today, Chen teaches coffee courses at National Taiwan University’s Yen-Ching-Ling Industrial Research Institute and at Tunghai University. He regularly serves as a judge in national and international coffee competitions. His influence extends beyond the classroom—he’s helping shape Taiwan’s coffee education standards and professional roasting culture.

Building Taiwan’s First SCAA-Certified Coffee Lab

Located above the Blossom Valley office, Chen helped establish Taiwan’s first SCAA-accredited coffee laboratory. Every detail—from the facility layout to the equipment—met strict SCAA standards. The lab hosts workshops, certification courses, and even domestic roasting competitions. Its mission: to elevate Taiwan’s roasting capabilities and improve the overall quality and competitiveness of the country’s roasted coffee on the global stage.

Global Recognition: World Coffee Roasting Challenge

In a major international milestone, Chen competed in the World Coffee Roasting Challenge in Vienna, an exclusive event inviting only eight roasters from around the globe. Over three days of intensive roasting and evaluation, he placed second among elite competitors. The win underscored his advanced technical skills and deep understanding of roast profiles, development time, and sensory outcomes.

Family in the Business

Chen’s younger brother, Chen Jiasheng, is also deeply involved in the business. He holds multiple professional certifications and manages operations in mainland China, helping expand the family’s reach and expertise across the region.

A Family Milestone

On the day of the interview, Chen’s mother shared an extra reason to celebrate: Chen had just become a father. The arrival of his first child added a personal milestone to an already accomplished professional life.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Q Grader?

A Q Grader is a certified coffee quality evaluator trained and certified by the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI). They assess green coffee beans using standardised sensory and analytical protocols, including cupping, defect identification, and grading by origin and processing method. Chen Jiajun was the first person from Taiwan to earn this qualification.

What does SCAA stand for?

SCAA stands for the Specialty Coffee Association of America, now part of the global Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). It’s one of the most respected organisations in specialty coffee, offering certifications in cupping, brewing, roasting, and barista skills. Chen Jiajun is both a certified SCAA cupping judge and instructor.

Where did Chen Jiajun train in coffee farming?

Chen trained for a full year on a coffee farm in Patrocínio, located in Brazil’s Cerrado coffee-growing region. He worked alongside his Japanese-Brazilian brother-in-law, learning hands-on about cultivation, harvesting, sorting, and green bean grading—all without speaking fluent Portuguese at the time.

What certifications make Chen Jiajun unique in Taiwan?

Chen is Taiwan’s first Q Grader, first SCAA-certified cupping judge, and the first Chinese Q Grader instructor (certified by CQI). He also holds multiple SCAA credentials in extraction and education, and he helped create Taiwan’s first SCAA-accredited coffee lab.

What is the World Coffee Roasting Challenge?

The World Coffee Roasting Challenge is an elite international competition that invites only a handful of top roasters globally. In Vienna, Chen competed against seven other national finalists and placed second—a major achievement that highlighted his advanced roasting technique and sensory expertise.

FrontStreet Beans for Roasting & Brewing Education

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