Cup of Excellence Blog

The Cup of Excellence is expanding its education program into new markets with the Coffee Knowledge Hub

Cup of Excellence (CoE) and the Coffee Knowledge Hub (CKH) have formed a global partnership to deliver the CoE Sensory Education Training courses. The CKH is supporting the CoE to expand its education program into new markets. Cup of Excellence is using this global partnership with the Coffee Knowledge Hub to increase the global population […]

Cup of Excellence Partners with ORIGAMI

The nonprofit Cup of Excellence (CoE) has formed a partnership with ORIGAMI that will extend to product collaborations, Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) membership benefits and Sensory Education Training (SET). Both CoE and ORIGAMI are strongly focused in quality, creating a natural partnership between the organizations.  “We discovered we have a lot in common – […]

Fireside Chat & Coffee with Guatemala COE Winning Farmer, Luis Pedro Zelaya Aguirre

Enjoy a cup of Cup of Excellence coffee with the farmer who produced it! Brew yourself a cup of the 2020 Guatemala Cup of Excellence winning coffee from Antigua Buena Vista Y Anexos to drink and learn with producer, Luis Pedro Zelaya Aguirre. Along with a fireside style chat with Luis, we’ll also go through […]

Cup of Excellence and RD2 Vision to Collaborate on DNA Fingerprinting for World’s Best Coffees

The nonprofit Cup of Excellence (COE) and coffee research company RD2 Vision have formed a memorandum of understanding to develop coffee genetics related programs to benefit quality farmers. In alignment with COE’s mission to discover and promote coffee excellence, precise knowledge about coffee variety is a key constituent thus further substantiating the relationship with French-based […]

Meet Georgina González Castillo

March is Women’s History Month and all month long we’ve been featuring all the trailblazing women in coffee on our social media channels. It’s a chance to commemorate and celebrate some of the amazing women in our coffee industry. We sent out interview questions to our partners in origin and received a particularly lengthy – […]

New Partnership With Scientific Traceability Company, Oritain

The Alliance For Coffee Excellence Is Now Able To Trace The Origin Of Coffee Through New Partnership With Scientific Traceability Company, Oritain. Scientific traceability company, Oritain, is now working with the Alliance for Coffee Excellence to verify the origin of coffee submitted for auction in the global ‘Cup of Excellence’ competition. With thousands of entries […]

Cup of Excellence Program Update from Erin Wang, Senior Manager of Cup of Excellence

2020 Competition Updates As we continue to navigate our way through this unprecedented time and deal with extraordinary challenges, we remain committed to our farmers and our mission.  ACE is planning to continue the coffee collection and competition process with safe and modified protocols in Ethiopia, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala.  However, in […]

How COVID-19 Is Affecting Coffee Importers, In Their Own Words

“No part of the coffee chain has gone untouched by COVID-19. While early reporting—and yes, we are still early in all this—has focused on the dramatic impact on cafes, roasters and baristas, the green coffee supply side is an equally important part of the emerging picture…” Read the full Sprudge article here.

Ethiopia Cup of Excellence Final Moves from Addis to Portland Amidst Travel Restrictions

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, and the organizers of the first ever Ethiopia Cup of Excellence coffee quality competition have announced that the final “international week” will take place in the United States, in Portland, Oregon. Read the full Daily Coffee news article here.

Looking for Cup of Excellence Roasted Coffee online?

Looking to brew some of the best coffees in the world at home? Here’s an ongoing list of ACE members who sell Cup of Excellence coffee online organized by where the coffee can be shipped to. During this state of crisis, we’ve also included recent promotions these members are offering to customers.  Worldwide Unir Coffee […]

Statement from our Executive Director

(March 12th, 2020 Portland, Oregon) – The Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE), who owns and operates the Cup of Excellence competition and auction in over 10 countries would like to announce our commitment to all of the coffee producers who participate in our events around the world. We are currently working on contingency plans to […]

Ethiopia Breaks Cup of Excellence Record for Coffee Submissions

The inaugural Cup of Excellence coffee quality competition and auction program in Ethiopia is off to an auspicious start, with 1,459 coffee samples submitted, breaking the long-running competition’s previous record by more than 400. With a more than 20-year history and annual competitions throughout Latin America and Africa, this is the first time the Cup of Excellence is being […]

Still Excellent After All These Years: The Cup of Excellence at 20

Driven by the pursuit of quality, consumer interest in traceability and sustainability, and the proliferation of the internet, the specialty coffee industry has changed a lot over the past 20 years. The Cup of Excellence (CoE) green coffee quality competition and auction program has played a substantial role in bringing about some of the more positive changes, […]

Many Varieties Shine at the Third Peru Cup of Excellence in Jaén

The third Cup of Excellence (CoE) competition in Peru resulted in higher-than-ever top scores after 209 samples from 11 coffee-growing regions made their way through the judging process in Jaén. Read the full Daily Coffee news article here

Cup of Excellence is Coming to Ecuador in 2020

For the first time, the Cup of Excellence (CoE) competition and auction is coming to Ecuador, a country widely regarded by coffee buyers as having a wealth of untapped potential in the specialty arabica market. The United States-based CoE organizers have partnered with the 12-year-old Asociación de Cafés Especiales del Ecuador (ACEDE), Ecuador’s largest specialty coffee industry membership group, […]

Ecuador to Pilot Cup of Excellence Program

The Alliance for Coffee Excellence has partnered with Asociación de Cafés Especiales del Ecuador (ACEDE) to launch a 2020 Cup of Excellence (COE) pilot program with Ecuador. ADECE has indicated that the inaugural Ecuadorian COE competition will be held in the city of Guayaquil. Read the full Global Coffee Report article here

Cup of Excellence celebrates 20th anniversary

The Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) and its flagship program Cup of Excellence (COE) were honored in a celebration recognizing the 20th anniversary of the competition and auction program. The ACE says in this time, COE has discovered incredible coffees, micro regions no one knew existed, and brought international fame to individual farmers. While Brazil is […]

How A Portland Nonprofit Brings Better Coffee To Your Cup

Having coffee is a daily ritual for many around the world. In the U.S., 63% of the adult population drinks coffee every day. And there are a lot of different ways people get their jolt of java — be it a home pour-over, a cup from your local bodega or a natural processed Panama Geisha that, at $75 […]

André Aguila Wins Historic Brazil 20th Anniversary Cup of Excellence Competition

The Cup of Excellence coffee quality competition and auction celebrated its 20th-anniversary last week in Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Returning the event to the city of its birth, the weeklong program combined this year’s competition with a number of additional events to celebrate two decades of progress… Read the full Daily Coffee News article here

At the Heart of Coffee

“Before you get to an origin country and see the landscape there with your own eyes, it may be difficult to imagine how much hard work is contained in every coffee bean. Each step takes so much effort from coffee humans from producing nations to coffee shops. It’s a story about coffee humans and their […]

Master Q&A with Darrin Daniel

Barista Magazine writer Chris Ryan sat down with our Executive Director, Darrin Daniel, to talk about the role of COE in the global coffee market. Read the full profile here

COE at 20

Barista Magazine profiled the COE program for our 20th anniversary! Read the full article here.

The Path to Distinction: Nurturing Separation in Nariño

Then something truly magical happened. During the 2010 Cup of Excellence competition, held in Nariño, the region produced a perfect coffee. Read the full Daily Coffee News article

Natural processed coffee wins Burundi Cup of Excellence for the first time

Gatukuza washing station in Ngozi has won the 2019 Burundi Cup of Excellence (COE), with a score of 90.13 for its natural processed Bourbon. It was the only coffee the international jury scored 90 or above. Read the full Global Coffee Report here.

Natural Processing Bursts Through at 7th Burundi Cup of Excellence

Among all 23 winning coffees in the 2019 Burundi Cup of Excellence countrywide coffee competition, it was a rare natural-process coffee that took the highest score. In fact, 2019 marked the first year in the seven-year history of the Burundi CoE in which natural-process coffees have ever scored high enough to reach the CoE-winners auction threshold, which […]

Five Microlots Score 90+ at Mexico Cup of Excellence Competition

Five coffee lots scored 90+ at the recent Cup of Excellence (CoE) coffee competition in Mexico, with one natural-process Gesha coffee breaking the all-time Mexico CoE high score with a 93.07. Read the full Daily Coffee News article here.

Natural Geisha receives highest score in Mexico Cup of Excellence history

Finca Santa Cruz from the Chiapas region has won the 2019 Mexico Cup of Excellence (COE), with a score of 93.04 for its natural Geisha. This marks the highest score in the history of the Mexico COE. Read the full Global Coffee Report article here.

Three Lots Score 90+ at the 16th Guatemala Cup of Excellence

Three green coffee microlots scored 90+ at the 2019 Guatemala Cup of Excellence quality competition, which concluded last week in Guatemala City. All 20 coffees that scored 87+ after rigorous cupping rounds capped off by results from an international jury will be headed to the Cup of Excellence Guatemala auction, taking place Thursday, July 25. Read the full Daily […]

40 producers vie for title of Mexico’s best coffee at Cup of Excellence

Looking for an excellent cup of coffee? Wait to see what the judges decide at a coffee competition Friday in Veracruz. A jury of 23 coffee experts from all over the world will judge 40 Mexican coffees in the seventh Cup of Excellence México competition in Xalapa, the state capital… Read the full Mexican News […]

Six Lots Score 90+ at Honduras Cup of Excellence

Six different microlots representing three different processing methods and five different coffee types scored higher than 90 points at the recent Cup of Excellence (CoE) green coffee quality competition in Honduras. Read the full Daily Coffee News article.

Honduras Cup of Excellence awards six coffee above 90 points

Desarrollos Santa Lucia has won the 2019 Honduras Cup of Excellence (COE) with a 94.84 washed Geisha from the Comayagua region. I want to thank my father Dr Mierisch, and my brothers Erwin and Steve Mierisch for all the knowledge that they have been passed to me but most importantly for always believing in me. Last […]

Tarrazú region dominates 2019 Costa Rica Cup of Excellence

Don Dario of the Tarrazú region has won the 2019 Costa Rica Cup of Excellence (COE), with a score of 91.14 for its anaerobic processed Gesha. Tarrazú farms took out the top four spots in the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) competition, as well as seventh, ninth, and 10th. Read the full Global Coffee Report […]

29 Costa Rica Microlots Heading to 2019 Cup of Excellence Auction

It has been nearly a year since a honey-process Gesha coffee from Costa Rica shattered the global record for a single coffee sold through the Cup of Excellence auction platform with a price of $300.09 per pound… Read the full Daily Coffee News article here.

Cup of Excellence El Salvador sees 25 coffees head to auction

J. Raul Rivera of Santa Rosa farm has won the 2019 El Salvador Cup of Excellence (COE), with a score of 90.57 for his honey processed Pacamara varietal… Read the full Global Coffee Report article here.

Mysterious Bernadina Variety Among 25 El Salvador Cup of Excellence Winners

The 16th El Salvador Cup of Excellence coffee quality competition recently concluded in San Salvador, resulting in a range of coffees heading to auction beginning June 10 for National Winners (scoring 85-86.99 points), and a separate auction for the CoE-winning coffees (87 points or above) taking place June 13. Read the full Daily Coffee News article here.

Cup of Excellence Coming to Ethiopia in 2020

Renowned green coffee competition and auction program Cup of Excellence is for the first time coming to coffee’s birthplace: Ethiopia. The Cup of Excellence (CoE) program — which involves rigorous multi-round judging of coffees before final scoring and an auction program — has raised more than $60 million in auction revenue for individual farmers, mostly smallholders, over the past 19 […]

ACE Announces a 2020 Cup of Excellence Ethiopia

Since its launch 20 years ago, the Cup of Excellence competition—which rewards coffee farmers with high prices for their high-quality coffee—has had a substantial impact on coffee growers worldwide, holding 140 auctions in more than a dozen countries and raising over $60.3 million in auction revenue… Read the full Barista Magazine article here!  

Ethiopia to host first Cup of Excellence

The Cup of Excellence (COE) will be held in Ethiopia for the first time in March 2020. The event is made possible through an ongoing partnership between the Alliance for Coffee Excellence, the Ethiopia Coffee and Tea Authority, United States Agency for International Development, and Feed the Future Ethiopia Value Chain (FTFE-VCA). Read the full […]

Cup of Excellence Colombia Reports Record Result

Paul Kevin Doyle of Mikava farm placed first in the Cup of Excellence (COE) Colombia North, with a record-breaking high score of 92.71 for a natural processed Gesha from the Risaralda region… Read the full Global Coffee Report article here

Quality Plus Variety at the Colombia (North) Cup of Excellence Competition

An impressive total of eight lots scored 91 points or above in the recent Cup of Excellence quality competition in Colombia (North), according to results from the competition’s international jury… Read the full Daily Coffee News article here

Following Pilot Success, ACE Plans to Bring Cup of Excellence to Indonesia

The Alliance for Coffee Excellence, organizers of the green coffee competition and auction Cup of Excellence program (CoE), have completed a regional pilot program in Indonesia, with plans to expand the CoE nationwide in 2020… Read the full Daily Coffee News article here

Alliance for Coffee Excellence begins COE pilot program in Indonesia

Non-profit organization, the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) has commenced a preliminary Cup of Excellence (COE) trial in the town of Takengon in Aceh, Indonesia. Read the full Global Coffee Report article here

EXPLORING CUP OF EXCELLENCE IN EL SALVADOR TOGETHER WITH DARRIN DANIEL & GILBERTO BARAONA

“Here at April we have been following the Cup of Excellence organization and their work at Origin for many years, we have seen how they have produced real value for farmers around the world, some of them we even work with Today because they were featured in the Competition, enabling us to find them. With that in mind, we […]

El Salvador Farmer Outreach, Feb. 2019

From February 13 to February 16 ,2019, ACE started the farmer outreach program in El Salvador. Together with the in country partner, Consejo Salvadoreño del Café, four meetings were organized throughout the country. What is Farmer outreach? Throughout ACE’s experiences in the origin countries along with in country partners, a potential of increase in participation […]

Cup of Excellence Announces its 20th Anniversary

The Cup of Excellence is celebrating the 20th Anniversary of its famed Cup of Excellence coffee farmer competition in Lavras, Brazil, where it all began in 1999. The 20th anniversary of the competition for Brazil will happen in October 15 – 20, 2019 and will be a celebration with many of our founders and legacy partners in […]

2018 Cup of Excellence – Year in Review

  In 2018, Cup of Excellence (COE) in partnership with their in country partners completed 12 competitions in 11 different countries.  The COE Auction and National Winner (NW) Auctions raised $4.5 million USD in proceeds going back to the countries. For the 12 competitions, over 3000 samples were submitted and evaluated and 473 lots were […]

80 Lots of 86+ Brazilian Coffees Head to Cup of Excellence Auctions

The 2018 Brazil Cup of Excellence competition was featured in Daily Coffee News. Read the whole article here.

Colombia Cup of Excellence Jury Awards 9 Lots 90+Breaking COE Record

Portland, Oregon USA (September 24th) – On Thursday, September 20th the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) concluded its 15th edition of the Cup of Excellence (COE) in Colombia. The competition was held in Armenia. The panel represented markets from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, United States, Germany, Thailand, Russia, Australia and Colombia. Farmers from 8 departments […]

PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT: Mr. Luis Balladares, La Bendición, Nicaragua

Mr. Luis Balladares of “La Bendición” won 1st place in the year’s Nicaragua COE.  Luis is a family man that speaks calmly and comes from a long line of coffee farmers. His children are already involved helping him out day by day running Beneficio Las Segovias, where he is the general manager. Apart from that […]

The Cup of Excellence: The Oscars of the Coffee World

Some of the most amazing coffees I’ve ever tasted have been winners from the Cup of Excellence competition. The program has been referred to as the Oscars of coffee and seeks to identify the best beans from many of the top coffee farms in the world. An international jury of professional coffee tasters is invited […]

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