Meet Kristine: Quality Manager and Q Arabica + Robusta Grader 

With an impressive 22 years of experience in both commercial and specialty coffee, Kristine Breminer Isgren not only manages Sucafina UK’s QC lab but is also a distinguished coffee connoisseur with global experience. We sat down with Kristine to talk about some of the most exciting issues in QC, including fine Robusta, lab grown coffee and sustainability considerations. 

This Article at a glance: 

• Kristine was born and raised into the coffee industry and has Q certifications in Arabica, Robusta and processing. 
• Fine Robusta can exhibit unique and desirable characteristics similar to Arabica. 
• Despite recent excitement about lab grown coffee, Kristine believes that the science is nowhere near being a threat to natural coffee and is not a sustainable alternative. 

What does your day-to-day look like as a QC in the UK office? 

I spend my days managing and processing samples – mostly pre-shipment and landed samples but also sending out sample requests from potential, new and existing clients on behalf of our trading team. I also do cuppings and quality control for the soluble team, so my days can be pretty varied. 

How did you get into coffee? 

After I graduated from the University of Cardiff with a BA in Archaeology. I joined a coffee company in 2004 in a marketing role after doing a marketing course, as they were looking to diversify into other food products. Eventually it was decided to just concentrate on coffee and coffee products, and I worked in different departments learning the “way of the coffee world” until I found my way to QC and completely fell in love with coffee. 

Coffee for me is really a family business, starting with my grandfather, who was a coffee agent in Prague before settling in the UK in 1938. He bought Alan J. Ridge & Co. Ltd, which is now Sucafina UK Ltd. My dad, Ian Breminer, joined later and had already been in the business for more than 30 years by the time I joined.  

We were a bit of a unicorn in terms of coffee companies, as we traded commercial, specialty and soluble coffee, and we were also the UK agents for the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) since the 1940s. Because we were such a small team, I really got to learn from some of the best, most respected and knowledgeable industry players. 

I earned my Q Arabica in 2011, my Q Robusta in 2017 and my Q Processing – Professional Level – in December 2024. I have loved every aspect of the physical bean and find it fascinating how you must continue to learn [in this industry] and will undoubtedly discover something new each time. 

You’ve been in the coffee industry for over 20 years. How would you sum up your experience in one sentence? 

Never boring; Always evolving; Keep learning. 

You’re a certified Q Grader for both Arabica and Robusta. How does that influence your approach in the lab? 

The main thing I’ve taken away, whether commercial or specialty grade, is to judge each coffee on its own merits. Being objective can be challenging in the beginning, but years of practice have made this second nature. You can see the positive in pretty much anything, defective coffee aside. 

When cupping Arabica versus Robusta, how does your approach differ? 

I don’t think my approach differs much at all. Robusta is not a “dirty word,” and I’ve had some absolutely amazing Robustas and some rubbish Arabicas and everything in between. Know what’s on your table, cup honestly and with integrity and there is a home for every coffee. 

What is your opinion on lab-grown coffee, and which methods are most commercially viable? 

The cynic in me would say that the most commercially viable option will be whatever is most trendy and has the most marketing and money behind it. 

I personally 100% disagree with calling anything coffee that does not have coffee in it. Because of that, cellular coffee – where real coffee cells are grown in bioreactors – would be preferable to molecular or microbial “coffee drinks.” 

Having tasted a major US molecular coffee brand, I can safely say real coffee has nothing to worry about in terms of flavour or enjoyability. What concerns me is that the marketing around molecular coffee does not take into account the millions of farmers and processors in producing countries, and the many people across the supply chain who would be massively impacted by a move away from real coffee. [Read Kristine’s previous article on Lab Grown Coffee] 

From a sensory perspective, what is the most distinct difference between Arabica and Robusta? 

Robusta generally has less citric acid and more quinic acid, as well as a higher potassium content, which contributes to a saltier taste. The better the processing and the higher the quality, the lower that salty taste will be, and the more delicate the acidity becomes. 

Robusta has about twice as much chlorogenic acid, which is bitter to taste, half as much citric acid as Arabica and slightly higher phosphoric acid, which contributes to smoky notes and a creamier body. 

And from a QC standpoint, what separates fine Robusta from standard commercial Robusta? 

Fine Robusta is defined as defect-free Robusta equivalent to specialty Arabica, exhibiting unique and desirable characteristics resulting from varietal genetics, microclimate and best cultivation and processing practices. 

Commercial Robusta tends to show vegetal notes like grass, hay or pea; phenolic notes like medicinal, rubbery or burnt; and astringent characteristics such as briny or salty flavours. These coffees can be dull, uneven or harsh, though sometimes nutty or toasty. 

Fine Robusta, on the other hand, can show fruity notes like cherry, raspberry and lemon; nutty notes like walnut and almond; spicy notes such as clove and cinnamon; and sweet notes like caramel, honey and dark chocolate. These coffees are more complex and balanced. 

Higher grades have some acidity, a creamy body, lower or pleasant bitterness and clean sweetness. Lower grades tend to have little acidity, rough body and strong bitterness with astringent aftertaste. One of the clearest differences is that fine Robusta has a high sweet and low bitter profile, while commercial Robusta is the opposite. 

Why does Robusta’s genetic diversity matter for the future of coffee? 

“If you don’t evolve, you die” applies to coffee as well. Robusta cross-pollinates unlike Arabica, which self-pollinates, which gives it a much greater chance of natural evolution. That genetic diversity gives coffee the tools to survive floods, pests and temperature extremes. 

Do you think fine Robusta should be evaluated and marketed like specialty Arabica? 

100% yes. There’s no reason the same level of care and attention shouldn’t apply to both. 

When does Robusta deserve to stand alone rather than be hidden in blends? 

If you have a great Robusta, let it shine. Any situation where you’d celebrate a great Arabica, do the same for Robusta. Reward the work, process and quality behind the coffee. 

What innovations in QC are you most excited about right now? 

Top of mind for me is AI and how it could support QC labs. Again, it comes down to education. We need to understand where AI can be integrated in a positive way. I don’t think AI will take the job of a Q Grader, but I’m open to seeing how it can work alongside human expertise. 

What’s your go-to morning brew? 

I usually start my day with a nice, washed Colombian – nothing outrageous, just good, clean, tasty coffee. 

Want to dive deeper into the world of quality control, learn from more QC professionals, or explore how we’re integrating tools into our labs? Visit our website to explore more insights and meet the people driving quality at Sucafina.