Cup of Excellence

Cup of Excellence

The Cup of Excellence (COE) is an annual competition and auction that recognizes and rewards the highest quality coffees produced in various coffee-growing regions around the world. This prestigious event is organized by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and improving the quality of specialty coffee.

History

The Cup of Excellence was first established in 1999 by a group of coffee professionals who wanted to create a platform to showcase exceptional coffees and provide direct market access to the farmers who produced them. The competition quickly gained recognition within the coffee industry and has since become one of the most important events for specialty coffee producers.

Competition Process

The Cup of Excellence competition follows a rigorous and transparent process to identify the best coffees. Here is a step-by-step overview of the competition process:

1. Coffee farmers submit their samples to the national competition, which is held in each participating country. These samples are then evaluated by a panel of expert cuppers who assess the coffee's aroma, flavor, acidity, body, and overall quality.

2. The top-scoring coffees from the national competition move on to the international competition, where they are cupped again by an international jury. This jury consists of experienced cuppers from different countries who evaluate the coffees and select the winners.

3. The winning coffees are awarded the Cup of Excellence title and are then prepared for the auction. Each winning coffee is carefully packaged and labeled with detailed information about its origin, processing methods, and cupping scores.

4. The auction is conducted online, allowing buyers from around the world to bid on the winning coffees. The prices achieved at the auction are often significantly higher than the market price, reflecting the exceptional quality and limited availability of these coffees.

Impact

The Cup of Excellence has had a profound impact on the specialty coffee industry. By providing a platform for small-scale coffee farmers to showcase their exceptional coffees, the competition has helped to raise awareness about the importance of quality in coffee production. It has also created direct market access for these farmers, allowing them to receive fair prices for their high-quality coffees.

Furthermore, the Cup of Excellence has contributed to the development of sustainable coffee production practices. Many farmers who participate in the competition have implemented innovative farming and processing techniques to improve the quality of their coffees. This has led to increased profitability and improved livelihoods for coffee farmers in participating countries.