Cup of Excellence

Cup of Excellence is an annual competition held in several coffee-producing countries to identify and reward the highest quality coffees. The competition was established in 1999 and has since become one of the most prestigious awards in the coffee industry. The event is organized by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) and involves a rigorous selection process to ensure that only the best coffees are recognized.

History

The Cup of Excellence was first held in Brazil in 1999. The competition was created to promote high-quality coffee and to provide farmers with a platform to showcase their best products. Since its inception, the competition has expanded to include several other coffee-producing countries, including Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Peru, and Rwanda.

Selection Process

The selection process for the Cup of Excellence is highly detailed and involves multiple stages. Initially, coffees are submitted by farmers and cooperatives. These submissions are then evaluated by a national jury composed of local coffee experts. The top coffees from this stage are then sent to an international jury, which includes renowned coffee tasters from around the world. The international jury conducts a series of blind tastings to score the coffees based on various attributes such as aroma, flavor, acidity, body, and balance.

Auction

Coffees that receive the highest scores in the competition are awarded the Cup of Excellence and are then sold in an online auction. This auction provides farmers with the opportunity to receive premium prices for their high-quality coffees. The auction is open to buyers from around the world, including specialty coffee roasters and retailers.

Impact

The Cup of Excellence has had a significant impact on the coffee industry. It has helped to raise the profile of specialty coffee and has provided farmers with financial incentives to produce high-quality coffee. The competition has also fostered greater transparency in the coffee supply chain and has encouraged sustainable farming practices.

Related Pages

• Specialty coffee
• Coffee production
• Coffee roasting
• Coffee cupping
• Fair trade coffee
• Sustainable coffee farming

See Also

• Alliance for Coffee Excellence
• Coffee quality
• Coffee industry