Why do coffee bean grades differ so much between countries?

There is no single global standard for coffee bean grades, so labels like AA, G1, and SHB cannot be ranked against each other across countries. Each producing region grades green beans on different criteria, and the letters usually describe the physical condition of the green coffee rather than flavor. That is why a grade alone says little about cup quality when comparing beans from Ethiopia, Kenya, and elsewhere.

The article focuses on two African origins to show how far the systems diverge. In Ethiopia, G1 is a grade tied to defect counts in the raw bean, while Kenya's AA refers to screen size rather than quality, which is why the two are not comparable. For green bean buyers, grade functions as a purchasing reference for the physical state of a lot, not a verdict on how it will taste.

Coffee enthusiasts often ask Front Street: why are coffee bean grade labels so varied—some say AA, some G1, and others SHB? These letters seem completely unrelated, so how exactly do you determine which grade is better? In fact, coffee bean grading systems are not uniform across producing regions worldwide, and the criteria they are based on also vary in emphasis. This means that green bean grade alone makes cross-country horizontal comparisons very difficult. This article will systematically outline the basic logic of coffee bean grading in various countries, with a focus on the grading standards of two major African producing regions, Ethiopia and Kenya, to help readers understand what these letters mean and how green bean buyers reference this grade information when purchasing.

A friend asked Front Street, "Why do some coffee beans have grades like AA, some G1, and others SHB? These letters seem to follow no pattern—how do I know which grade is high and which is low?"

Why is grading necessary?

Why isn't a unified green bean standard used?

Therefore, the criteria on which each country's coffee bean grading standards are based differ quite a bit. In other words, there is no unified standard for judging whether beans are good or bad, which also makes it impossible to use green bean grades for cross-country comparisons. Moreover, these grading standards address the condition of green beans and serve more as a reference for green bean buyers when purchasing coffee beans.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.