What is the Cup of Excellence
The Cup of Excellence (CoE) is a series of competitions organized by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence , which has been supporting the education and development of coffee farmers for decades. The competitions are held in individual countries and were first held in Brazil in 1999. CoE is not only a prestigious competition, but also an award for farmers whose hard work has led to the production of coffee beans of truly unique quality. The winning farmer not only receives financial security, as the coffee is then sold in global online auctions at premium prices, but also motivation and prestige for his farm.
How is the competition going?
Growers from all over the country submit their best lots or microlots* . From the vast number of coffees submitted, a trained panel of judges selects the top 60 or so to advance to the next round. The samples are then evaluated through blind sensory tests that examine aroma, acidity, aftertaste, sweetness, bitterness and body. Each sample is assigned a number known only to an external auditor. Whether the sample is judged by a national panel of around 10 qualified judges from the country of origin, or subsequently by an international panel of 20-25 experienced judges from around the world, it is judged anonymously by each member throughout the competition. After the competition, the top 30 coffees are then auctioned off, and the prices can skyrocket. For example, one pound (approximately 0.5 kg) of the winning bean from the 2020 Cup of Excellence competition in Ethiopia cost $185. Unbelievable.
Microlots
Specialty coffee lots selected for their high quality and unique flavor profile. Microlots are typically found on larger farms or estates where they are grown in limited quantities and are harvested and processed completely separately from other lots on the farm.
Are the impacts of CoE long-term?
Once a farm is successful in placing among the top or even winning, it will usually continue to appear higher in the competition. It is thanks to the higher profits that producers can then invest in better equipment, training of workers and overall modernization of the farm. Which of course leads to better quality coffee and thus they have the opportunity to re-enter the competition.
Charles Fleer at the Cup of Excellence in Guatemala 2012
Which years of the CoE competition did the La Bohème Café team participate in?
2008 El Salvador
2009 Brazil
2012 Rwanda
2013 Costa Rica, Guatemala, Rwanda, Burundi
2014 Rwanda, Burundi, Mexico
2015 Mexico, Rwanda, Burundi
2018 Rwanda, Lima, Peru, Bogota, Colombia, Mexico
2019 Mexico
2021 GCC Brazil, GCC Indonesia, GCC Honduras, GCC Costa Rica
2022 El Salvador, Guatemala
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