avercasso x Gukeng Guquan Estate｜The Daily Bean-Sorting Routine of Three Generations of Farmers, and How AI Became a Turning Point for the Origin

In the world of coffee, every single bean carries the dedication and dreams of the farmers who grow them. Yet, traditional manual sorting has always been a tedious and time-consuming task. Especially in the estates of Gukeng, Yunlin, this day-to-day labor is not only routine for the farmers but also a challenge they are compelled to face. Today, we step into Guquan Estate to witness the real stories of three generations of coffee farmers, and how the avercasso® AI Green Coffee Sorter has become a turning point in their work and daily lives.

The Shared Belief of Gukeng Coffee Farmers: Passion and Commitment

Regardless of age, coffee farmers in Gukeng all share the same passion for coffee. The older generation treats coffee as a gift from the land, protecting every bean with their own hands. The middle generation shoulders the dual responsibilities of family and market demands, striving to strike a balance between quality and productivity. Meanwhile, the younger generation values efficiency and innovation, eager to embrace technology to create a more sustainable future for coffee production.

It is this cross-generational devotion that has put Gukeng coffee on the map in Taiwan and beyond. Yet, behind the polished flavors of coffee lies the unseen struggle of manual sorting.

The Challenge: Tedious Manual Sorting

In their daily lives, Gukeng farmers must tend to their coffee fields and manage their businesses during the day, while spending hours at night sorting beans. This often takes three to four hours each day, and over time, it leads to wrist injuries, shoulder and neck pain, and other occupational health issues. The efficiency of manual sorting is also limited—at best, one person can only process about two kilograms of beans per hour, which is far from meeting growing demand.

Even more problematic is accuracy. Each coffee bean has four sides, making it nearly impossible to spot every defect with the naked eye. Worm-damaged beans, for example, often appear as just a tiny dot, easily overlooked. Farmers express their frustration: with only 24 hours in a day, the burden of sorting cuts into their rest and family time, even impacting their health.

A Dream Come True: The Change Brought by AI Sorting

It was by chance that Gukeng farmers came across the avercasso® CS ONE AI Green Coffee Sorter, a machine that completely redefined their perception of bean sorting.

Liu Yi-Teng, owner of Guquan Coffee Estate explained that in the past, sorting was entirely manual, consuming time and limiting efficiency. With AI, both quality and speed have significantly improved, allowing him to focus more on estate development and innovation.

Wang Rui-Chi, owner of Qingshanping Coffee Farm shared how manual sorting had often left him with back pain and health issues, but now, thanks to the machine, his physical burden is greatly reduced.

Guo Liang-Zhi, owner of Songyue Coffee added that AI has saved him a great deal of time, enabling him to dedicate more energy to farming and, importantly, to spend more quality time with his family.

The adoption of AI technology has brought remarkable results. The machine can process nearly five kilograms of beans per hour—over twice the speed of manual sorting—while its 4K imaging system detects even the tiniest wormholes. What impressed the farmers most is that the machine never tires. It can keep running while they rest, even late into the night, freeing them from fatigue. More importantly, it has given them back their time and physical well-being, reigniting their passion for coffee while ensuring their beans consistently meet export-grade standards.

Real Feedback: A Testimony Across Generations

From the older to the younger generation, the voices of Gukeng farmers reflect the same truth: technology has brought tangible, positive change. Liu Yi-Teng emphasized that AI has made him more focused on the estate’s growth. Wang