ADVANCING QUALITY THROUGH CHERRY SORTING TECHNOLOGY

AS AN AUSTRALIAN COFFEE PRODUCER, OUR MISSION IS SINCERELY TO CHAMPION THE GROWTH AND RECOGNITION OF LOCALLY GROWN SPECIALTY COFFEE.

AT THE HEART OF PRODUCING SPECIALTY COFFEE IS AN INTRICATE PROCESS THAT DEMANDS NOT JUST THE FUNDAMENTALS – TEMPERATURE, SOIL, RAINFALL, AND BEST FARMING PRACTICES. BUT ALSO, METICULOUS ATTENTION TO HOW WE HARVEST, SORT, AND PROCESS COFFEE CHERRIES.

THE PROCESS OF HARVESTING AND SORTING COFFEE CHERRIES IS GREATLY IMPACTED BY FACTORS SUCH AS GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION, THE SCALE OF THE OPERATION, AND THE UNIQUE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS OF EACH REGION. WHAT PROVES EFFECTIVE FOR ONE COFFEE FARM MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE SUITABLE FOR ANOTHER. WHILE MANUAL PICKING AND SORTING OF COFFEE CHERRIES ARE COMMON PRACTICES IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD, THIS METHOD ISN'T PRACTICAL FOR US IN AUSTRALIA.

THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IN THESE PROCESSES IS UNIVERSAL - TO HARVEST COFFEE CHERRIES AT THEIR PEAK RIPENESS (SUGAR CONTENT) AND UNIFORMITY. THE QUALITY OF THE RAW CHERRY DIRECTLY INFLUENCES THE QUALITY OF THE FINAL CUP.

INTRODUCING ADVANCED COLOR SORTING

WE WERE FORMERLY USING FLOTATION TANKS AND SCREENS TO ISOLATE OUR BEST CHERRIES, AND WHILE BROADLY EFFECTIVE, THERE WAS SCOPE FOR IMPROVEMENT. TO THIS END, WE'VE IMPLEMENTED ADVANCED CHERRY COLOR SORTING TECHNOLOGY THAT SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCES OUR ABILITY TO SELECT THE BEST CHERRIES.

HERE'S HOW IT WORKS: AS THE HARVESTED CHERRIES, WHICH VARY IN RIPENESS, ARE TRANSPORTED ALONG A CONVEYOR BELT TO AN OPTICAL SORTING MACHINE. THIS MACHINE IS EQUIPPED WITH HIGH-RESOLUTION CAMERAS THAT CAPTURE IMAGES OF THE CHERRIES AND CATEGORIZE THEM BASED ON COLOR. THESE CAMERAS' SENSITIVITY ALLOWS FOR SORTING BASED ON SUBTLE DIFFERENCES IN COLOR TONE. BRIGHT RED AND YELLOW CHERRIES ARE ACCEPTED, WHILE GREEN AND BLACK (RIPENED ON THE TREE) ONES ARE SEPARATED OUT USING A TARGETED STREAM OF COMPRESSED AIR.

LET’S HOPE IT'S A GAME CHANGER – FURTHER ELEVATING THE QUALITY AND CONSISTENCY OF LOCALLY GROWN AUSTRALIAN COFFEE.