What is the TOH Competition? What is the AFCA Organization?

Exploring Ethiopia's "Huang Kui" Coffee

Ethiopia is currently the largest coffee-producing country in Africa and is widely recognized as the birthplace of coffee. Thanks to Ethiopia's rich natural resources, its coffee is beloved by many coffee enthusiasts for its unique floral and citrus flavor profiles. When discussing representative Ethiopian sun-dried coffee beans, many people immediately think of "Huang Kui."

"Huang Kui" (named by Chinese coffee traders due to its full name Ethiopia Guji Hambella Buku Abel) refers to a sun-dried coffee bean processed and produced at the Buku Abel processing station in Ethiopia's Guji Hambella region. Currently at FrontStreet Coffee, we now offer "Huang Kui 8.0," which presents tropical fruit flavors of dried mango, citrus, and jackfruit after brewing. It features a full-bodied juice-like texture, a smooth mouthfeel, black tea-like aftertaste, and rich layering.

This coffee bean gained fame in 2017 when Ethiopia's DW Coffee Company entered "Huang Kui" coffee beans in the TOH green bean competition, where it won the sun-dried category championship with its rich berry aroma and creamy texture.

Understanding the TOH Competition

So what exactly is the TOH competition that made "Huang Kui" famous? Actually, TOH (Taste of Harvest) competition is also known as the Harvest Season Flavor Competition, similar to the world-renowned COE (Cup of Excellence) competition. However, the TOH competition is a green bean competition organized by the African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA).

The African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA) is a membership-based non-profit association established in July 2000, primarily representing coffee producers, traders, governments, and other supporting organizations. AFCA currently consists of 11 member countries, including Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia.

TOH Competition Structure

At the beginning of each year, AFCA holds the Taste of Harvest (TOH) competition, an annual coffee quality competition held in AFCA member countries. However, TOH first distinguishes between NATIONAL competitions and REGIONAL finals. Since some countries grow both Arabica and Robusta coffee varieties, both varieties have national competitions. Additionally, the Arabica category is further divided into washed, sun-dried, and honey processing groups.

Winners from the national competitions can represent their countries in the African Regional Finals held at the annual African Fine Coffee Conference and Exhibition (hosted rotationally by member countries). All participating samples are graded using the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) scoring system and cupping, with a panel of experienced and certified judges ultimately selecting the top 5 from each of the three Arabica processing groups and the Robusta coffee category.

Purpose and Recent Developments

AFCA organizes the Taste of Harvest (TOH) competition to promote the highest quality coffees from across Africa. The winning coffees from each country are showcased at the African Fine Coffee Conference and Exhibition, and are also promoted at international trade exhibitions and other coffee events. This aims to help African coffee-producing countries develop their coffee trade, improve coffee quality, and attract attention and purchases from international buyers.

Earlier this year, the African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA) collaborated with the Ethiopia Coffee and Tea Authority to hold the 2024 Taste of Harvest (TOH) competition in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.

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