SCAJ 2026 · Tokyo Big Sight · 14–17 October · Live charity auction
present
Charity Auction
Twelve legends have each donated one box of their finest coffee.
Bidding opens 16 October 2026 · 13:00 JST
Legends of Excellence honors the producers who have won the Cup of Excellence again and again — not once, but across a lifetime of harvests.
The Class of 2026 is twelve producers from six countries: six returning legends and six new inductees. Between them they hold more than one hundred and fifty Cup of Excellence finalist placings and over a dozen national first-place wins.
For this first live, multi-country charity auction, each of them has donated one box — 10 kg — of their finest lot. Twelve boxes exist. There will not be more. They are sold in the first live auction at SCAJ in Tokyo and online worldwide, and the producers keep nothing.
Roasters, importers and retailers around the world can cup all twelve at a participating Cupping Center before bidding, then bid live from anywhere.
How to take part
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Step 01
Register as a bidder
Free for ACE members, $25 for everyone else. Registration confirms your seat at the live auction and your access to the sample sets.
See registration → -
Step 02
Cup the twelve
Sample kits featuring all twelve coffees — 200 g of each — will be shipped to Cupping Centers worldwide. Book a table and taste the coffees before you bid.
The coffees will also be available for cupping at the SCAJ Expo, at the COE/ACE booth.
Cupping calendar → -
Step 03
Open an auction account
Create a bidder account on the ACE auction platform and accept the Bidder Agreement. Both are required before a bid can be placed.
Read the Bidder Agreement → -
Step 04
Bid live from Tokyo — or anywhere
The auction runs live from the SCAJ show floor at Tokyo Big Sight. Bid in the room or online, in real time, wherever you are.
Go to the auction →
Twelve lots, twelve legends
Each lot is a single box of 22.05 lb / 10 kg. Select a lot for the producer’s story, the farm, and the full specification.
| Lot | Producer | Farm | Origin | Variety | Process | Altitude | Cup of Excellence |
|---|
Legends cuppings around the world
Sample sets of all twelve coffees are shipped to Cupping Centers on four continents. Taste the lots before you bid.
The cupping calendar is filling up. Dates and registration links are published here as each Cupping Center confirms. Check back, or write to us to be told when your city is scheduled.
Are you a Cupping Center? Sample sets, producer cards, sample labels and the Legends films in every language are ready to ship. Host a Legends cupping in your city.
Host a cuppingBidding, terms and logistics
| Lots | 12 |
|---|---|
| Lot size | 1 box · 22.05 lb / 10 kg |
| Opening bid | $30.00 / lb |
| Bid increment | $0.50 |
| Opening lot value | $661.50 |
| Auction opens | 16 Oct 2026 · 13:00 JST |
| Auction closes | 16 Oct 2026 · 15:00 JST |
| Pace | 5 minutes per lot, in sequence |
| Format | Live · SCAJ Stage B, Tokyo |
| Proceeds | 100% donated |
All bids in USD per pound. Terms are governed by the Legends of Excellence Bidder Agreement, which every bidder accepts before bidding. Read it in full (PDF) →
Do I have to be in Tokyo to bid?
No. The auction is called live from SCAJ Stage B at Tokyo Big Sight, and bids are accepted in the room and online at the same time. Registered bidders anywhere in the world can follow and bid in real time on the ACE auction platform.
Bidding runs 13:00–15:00 Japan time on 16 October. That is 05:00–07:00 in London, 06:00–08:00 in Amsterdam and Oslo, 08:00–10:00 in Dubai, 12:00–14:00 in Hong Kong, 15:00–17:00 in Melbourne and Sydney, 00:00–02:00 in New York and 21:00–23:00 on 15 October in Los Angeles.
How can I taste the coffees before bidding?
Sample sets containing 200 g of each of the twelve lots are shipped to participating Cupping Centers. Find the center nearest you in the cupping calendar above and register for a session.
You can also cup the coffees at the SCAJ Expo, at the COE/ACE booth. If no Cupping Center is currently listed near you, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].
What is the Bidder Agreement?
Because this is ACE’s first live, multi-country auction, the Bidder Agreement sets out participation, payment, shipping responsibilities and timelines in detail. It must be accepted on the auction platform before you can place a bid. Read the Bidder Agreement (PDF, 5 pages) →
Who pays for shipping, and when does the coffee arrive?
Winning bidders arrange and pay for shipment of their box from the origin or consolidation point named in the Bidder Agreement. Full logistics, Incoterms and timelines are set out there.
Is my registration fee also a donation?
The $25 non-member registration fee covers the administration of the auction. The donation is the hammer price: 100% of what the lots sell for goes to the social and education projects, split in equal halves.
I am an ACE member. What do I need to do?
Registration is free. Sign in with your ACE account when you register and the fee is waived automatically. You still need an auction-platform account and an accepted Bidder Agreement in order to bid.
Twelve boxes. One evening in Tokyo.
Register now, cup the lots at a center near you, and join the room when the bidding opens.