What is Coffee Grading Index (CGI)?

Coffee Grading Index (CGI) is like giving your favorite snack a star rating so you know how good it tastes before you eat it.

Imagine you have two bags of candy. One has big, shiny pieces that look perfect, and the other has small, broken ones that are hard to chew. You’d probably pick the first one, right? That’s what CGI does for coffee beans, it gives them a score based on how good they look.

When coffee beans are picked, they’re sorted by size and color. If they're all similar in shape and have no cracks or broken pieces, they get a higher score. Think of it like getting an A+ on your report card, the beans are really well-made!

Sometimes, beans might be a little smaller or not as shiny, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad, it just means they got a lower score, like a B or C.

CGI helps people know what to expect before they buy coffee. If you want the best-tasting cup ever, you’d pick beans with a high CGI. But if you're okay with something good enough, a slightly lower score might save you some money, just like choosing between the biggest candy or a smaller one that still tastes great!