OS PILARES DA QUALIDADE: O PROCESSO DE IMPLEMENTAÇÃO DO PROGRAMA DE QUALIDADE DO CAFÉ (PQC)

The present study had as major objective to analyze the implementation process of the coffee quality program (CQP) and its implications on the roasted and ground coffee companies in Brazil. Firstly, the philosophy and the objectives of CQP were described in the construction of a theoretical analysis model, the “quality pillarsâ€. The marketing strategies of thirteen roasters were analyzed. Research data were analyzed with the support of the “quality pillars†model: product quality, process quality, and the quality signal. As main results, it was possible to imply that quality was the main factor that increased the vertical coordination between the researched companies. Therefore, CQP implementation leads companies to the adoption of vertical coordination strategies with their suppliers and distributors, while it is hard to maintain a quality standard for all companies. Non-adopters have difficulty to implement traceability in their productive system. Researched companies that focus their business on product differentiation by attributes of quality need, as support, a certification or strong brandmarks to transmit credibility to the consumers. The major point that enhanced vertical coordination was quality, showing the importance of the CQP certification process.