Blog

E-commerce marketplace gives buyers direct access to Ethiopian micro-lots

Through a continued partnership with coffee technology and services company, M-Cultivo and the Alliance for Coffee Excellence, roasters will have the opportunity to directly purchase micro-lots evaluated by the Cup of Excellence Ethiopia National Jury but did not move forward to the International Jury in the Cup of  Excellence Ethiopia 2022 competition. In collaboration with […]

Cup of Excellence & Alliance for Coffee Excellence Announce New Auction Platform with M-Cultivo

The nonprofits Cup of Excellence (CoE) and Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) have partnered with technology services company M-Cultivo to launch a new auction platform aimed at improving market access and financial compensation for coffee producers while creating more transparency and connections in the supply chain. The new auction platform will open with the Costa […]

Cup of Excellence & Alliance for Coffee Excellence Team Up With Ecotact

The nonprofits Cup of Excellence (CoE) and Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) have formed an official partnership with India-based Ecotact that will extend to CoE and ACE Private Collection Auction (PCA) competition bags for green coffee, product collaborations, Presidential sponsorship and more. All three organizations strongly focus on quality, helping foster a collaborative partnership. “In […]

ONE OF A KIND AUCTION EXPANDS MARKET ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES

With the aim of providing market access opportunities to more Guatemalan coffee producers by presenting innovative offers to  potential buyers around the world, the National Coffee Association of Guatemala -Anacafé- has organized the second edition of  the auction “One of a Kind Guatemala”, an auction that offers nano and micro lots of unique coffees, with […]

Interview with Jenny Howell

Can you give us a little bit about your background — where did you grow up, etc?  I grew up in the suburbs of Boston. My mom was a midwife for part of my childhood but mostly a stay-at-home mom of 6 crazy kids and my dad traveled a lot, it was hectic, never a […]

Interview with Eleane Mierisch

How did you start working in coffee?  My family has been farming coffee for five generations. I spent my early childhood in Nicaragua, and we later moved to Texas where I followed my father’s footsteps and became an OB/GYN Nurse Practitioner.  I remained in Austin when my family returned to Nicaragua, but ultimately came home […]

Entrevista con Karely Preza y Gabriela Leiva

Karely Preza (foto derecho) es Nicaragüense y tiene 27 años de edad ella es la responsable de las exportaciones, Gabriela Leiva (foto izquierda) tiene 34 añot de edad y es la responsable de Comercializacion ambas trabajan en en PRODECOOP R.L. una central de Cooperativas de Servicios Múltiples ubicada en el norte de Nicaragua y que […]

Interview with Karely Preza & Gabriela Leiva

Karely Preza (seen in right photo) is 27 years old she is the manager of the Logistic, Gabriela Leiva (seen in left photo) is 34 years old and is the manager of Marketing & Exporting and, these two amazing females work at PRODECOOP R.L.  located in the north of Nicaragua. They are the dynamic duo […]

EXPORTER SPOTLIGHT – BICAFE

Cup of Excellence & Alliance for Coffee Excellence Team Up With Comandante

The nonprofits Cup of Excellence (CoE) and Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) have formed a partnership with Germany-based Comandante that will extend to CoE competition equipment, farmer rewards, product collaborations, ACE membership benefits, and Sensory Education Training (SET). All three organizations are strongly focused on quality, helping to foster a natural partnership. “ACE, CoE, and […]

Cup of Excellence and Alliance for Coffee Excellence Announce Organizational Changes

The Cup of Excellence (CoE) and Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) announce updates about their organizational status and respective Board of Directors. The Alliance for Coffee Excellence and Cup of Excellence have been split into two separate organizations, each with its own focus and funding opportunities. Cup of Excellence, which was formerly owned and operated […]

New e-commerce marketplace gives buyers direct access to Brazilian micro lots

A marketplace for coffees vetted by Cup of Excellence National Jurists launches November 3rd Through a new partnership with coffee technology company, M-Cultivo, the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) and the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA), roasters in select geographic areas will now have the opportunity to directly purchase micro-lots that scored at least 86 […]

First Taiwanese Coffee Auction Draws Global Interest

The Taiwanese specialty coffee industry is celebrating the results from the first-ever Taiwan Private Collection Auction.  The average price of $94.50/lb for the nine lots spread among 20 companies and seven countries signals a strong demand for coffee grown on the tropical island of Taiwan. The top price went to 1st place winner Ting-Yeh Hsu […]

Best of Yemen Auction Brings Positive Results to Country

Farmers from the birthplace of the coffee trade reveled in delight with the outcome of the Best of Yemen auction organized by Qima Coffee and the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE). The 22 winning lots were purchased for an average of $63.26/lb per pound by over 35 companies representing 12 countries. The top price of […]

Alliance for Coffee Excellence Announces First Taiwanese Coffee Auction

Taiwan Coffee Laboratory, on behalf of the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan R.O.C. (Taiwan) and Taiwan Coffee Association have teamed up with Alliance for Coffee Excellence to announce 9 winning coffees for the first ever Private Collection Auction of Taiwanese specialty coffee. The winning lots which scored 86 points and higher, represent 3 varieties and […]

International Women’s Coffee Alliance Signs MOU with Alliance for Coffee Excellence and Cup of Excellence

Recognizing their mutual interest in the development of programs beneficial to women in all sectors of the coffee industry, the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) has formed a memorandum of understanding with Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) and Cup of Excellence (CoE). The partnerships will focus on empowering women to realize greater financial success while […]

Colombian Coffee Farmers Awarded with All Time High Prices

The high quality of Colombian coffee in the international market has been confirmed with the results following the Colombia Cup of Excellence auction. The 25 lots were sold at an average price per pound of $30.79, setting not only a record for Colombia Cup of Excellence but also for the entire Cup of Excellence program. […]

Qima Coffee and Alliance for Coffee Excellence Announce Best of Yemen 2021 Auction

(Portland, Oregon- 16th April 2021) – As part of the multi-year partnership between Qima Coffee and the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE), the two organisations have come together again to launch the third and largest instalment of the Private Collection Auction series in Yemen; The Best of Yemen 2021. Due to the unparalleled success of […]

Surprising Results in ACE’s Isla Hawaii Auction

Portland, Oregon USA (April 13, 2021) – The Alliance for Coffee Excellence is excited to share results from their first ever Hawaii Private Collection Auction with Isla Custom Coffees. The average price per pound came in at $37.29 with 31% of the 16 lots sold for over $50 per pound.  The top price went to […]

Los Favoritos Winner Shines Light on Lesser-Known Variety

Portland, Oregon USA (April 16, 2021) – The Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) in partnership with Fincas Mierisch, is excited to announce the 15 winning coffees for the recently revived Nicaraguan Los Favoritos Private Collection Auction. The winners, 11 of which scored 88 points or above, represent six farms and five processes. The first-place winning […]

Susie Spindler Joins International Women’s Coffee Alliance Board of Directors

Susie Spindler, Co-Founder of Cup of Excellence®(COE) and former long-time Executive Director of The Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) has recently joined the board of directors of the organization dedicated to empowering women in the coffee industry. The International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) is a global network of independent, self-organized chapters in 27 countries united […]

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 […]

Unparalleled Half-Year Cup of Excellence® Results Provide Huge Hope for Farmers

During the recent fearful time for the specialty coffee industry, The Alliance For Coffee Excellence, (ACE) and The Cup of Excellence (COE) program proved that nimble non-profit organizations that do not give up on their mission can succeed in ways not thought possible. With record setting prices for all of its last five auctions The […]

10 Things You Should Know About Cup of Excellence

The founders The first competition in 1999 was called “Best of Brazil”, executed as an experimental program under the “Gourmet Project” started by Susie Spindler, George Howell, the Brazil Specialty Coffee Association and the Specialty Coffee Association of America. A group of Hewlett Packard PhD auction experts helped design the CoE auction protocols.  Nonprofit life […]

Tarrazú region reigns at Costa Rica 2020 Cup of Excellence

Héctor Bonilla of Don Mayo La Loma in the Tarrazú region placed first in the 2020 Costa Rica Cup of Excellence (COE) with a honey process Geisha variety that scored 90.27 points. Read the full Global Coffee Report article here.

22 Coffees Score 87+ in El Salvador Cup of Excellence

Twenty-two lots have won Cup of Excellence awards in the 17th El Salvador Cup of Excellence coffee quality competition. All 22 lots — each scoring 87 points or above, according to the international jury that due to pandemic-related restrictions was coordinated at various Cup of Excellence centers across the world — are heading to auction on July […]

エチオピア カップ・オブ・エクセレンス 134万米ドルの売上

The following press release about the 2020 Ethiopia Cup of Excellence auctions results has been translated into Japanese for our Japanese members and supporters. Follow the link below for a full list of the auction results from the Cup of Excellence and National Winner Ethiopia auction.   You can find the list of winning coffees […]

Ethiopia Cup of Excellence auction raises more than US$1million for coffee producers

The 2020 Ethiopia Cup of Excellence (COE) auction broke records, with total sales of US$1,348,690 topping the previous record of $830,245 from El Salvador in 2011. The El Salvador auction had 42 lots for sale, while the COE Ethiopia auction included only 28, achieving a record-high average price of US$28 per pound. Read the full […]

Repeat winner takes first place at 2020 Guatemala Cup of Excellence

Cercol’s El Socorro farm has won the 17th Guatemala Cup of Excellence (COE) with a 91.06 scoring washed Geisha coffee. It was the competition’s only coffee to earn a Presidential Award and marks the third time Cercol placed first in the Guatemala COE. Read the full Global Coffee Report article here.

ニカラグアコーヒー カップ・オブ・エクセレンス審査結果

The following press release about the 2020 Nicaragua Cup of Excellence results has been translated into Japanese for our Japanese members and supporters. COE auction: July 16th National Winner auction: July 13th – 31st, 2020 You can find the list of winning coffees as well as information on the competition process here. 米国オレゴン州ポートランド(2020年6月5日)-Alliance for Coffee […]

カップ・オブ・エクセレンスが最高品質のエチオピアコーヒーを褒賞する

The following press release about the 2020 Ethiopia Cup of Excellence results has been translated into Japanese for our Japanese members and supporters. It’s also available in Korean and English. COE auction: June 25th NW auction: June 22nd – 26th You can find the list of winning coffees as well as information on the competition […]

COE Themed Virtual Backgrounds

With so many of our meeting going virtual, we’ve provided some COE themed backgrounds for you to use in your video calls!

Three Lots Score 90+ at First Ethiopia Cup of Excellence

Despite economic, social and logistical disruptions aplenty over the past few months, the first ever Ethiopia Cup of Excellence has crowned its first winners. Twenty-eight winning coffees, including the top three that all scored 90+ points, will be heading to online auction on June 25. Read the full Daily Coffee News Article here.

Three coffees awarded 90+ in inaugural Ethiopia Cup of Excellence

Niguse Gemeda Mude has won the inaugural Cup of Excellence (COE) Ethiopia with his Sidama sun-dried natural coffee, which scored 91.04 in the competition. Read the full Global Coffee Report article here.

에티오피아 베스트 커피 컵 오브 엑설런스 수상자들

ACE(Alliance for Coffee Excellence)와 에티오피아 커피 앤 티 위원회(the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority) 그리고 USAID (USAID’s Feed the Future Ethiopia Value Chain Activity)는 에티오피아 첫 번째 컵 오브 엑설런스(CoE) 대회에서 총 28개의 커피가 선정되었음을 알립니다. 이 중 상위3개의 랏은 90점 이상을 받아 프레지덴셜로 지정되었고 이번 대회의 수상 커피들의 6월25일 열릴 예정입니다.  이번 대회에 입상한 […]

Thank you to those who’ve donated

“COE is the best idea ever born. The idea was brought up by people who had long term thinking, and not a short term money interest. Therefore please let me donate my share to help the idea stay life.” -Thomas Eckel, Murnauer Kaffeeroesterei GmbH “I decided to donate $250 for the continuation of all the […]

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 […]

Our Favorite Things To Do In Portland

  Alex Pond, Education & Lab Coordinator Johan Vineyards – Johan Vineyards is an 85-acre certified-Biodynamic Estate winery. Drinking wine at the humble Johan tasting room is the perfect wine experience. Chances are the person pouring your wine is also the person who made the wine. Plus the view from their porch is stunning. Broder Nord – Broder […]

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

Member spotlight: ORIGO ROASTERY

“Through passion and hard work, we aim to build a reputation for excellent product, top-level hospitality and consistent performance. “ Meet Origo of Romania – a roastery that seeks to diligently control every aspect of the roasting process, train their senses for competitions and share new tastes with other coffee lovers. Since 2013, Origo their […]

Member Spotlight: The Coffee Academïcs

Since its inauguration, The Coffee Academïcs has been setting the standards in coffee quality. Taking Hong Kong’s coffee culture to new heights and offering an unique sensory playground for coffee aficionados in Singapore and now Shanghai, their guests enjoy the latest innovations and technologies that enhance this coffee experience.⁠

Member Spotlight: Café DuVillage and MOBYS Coffee Shop

Crystal Yun opened Café Du Village in Shanghai 10 years ago. Café Du Village serves it’s customers specialty coffee which they roast themselves and gourmet café food.  In 2018, the business branched out even more and they opened MOBYS Coffee Shop and Roastery. Currently there is a staff of 10 at Café Du Village and […]

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 […]

Yemeni Coffee Approaches $200/lb at First ACE ‘Private Collection’ Auction

In what amounted to the largest Yemeni specialty coffee auction in history, buyers from all over the world paid more than $163,000 for coffees from 33 different producers, with a robust average per-pound price of $36.13. Read the full Daily Coffee News article here.

ACE Yemen private collection auction raises $163,664 for producers

The Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) and Qima Coffee’s Private Collection Auction – held on 23 July – raised a total of US$163,664.19 for Yemeni producers, with an average price of US$36.13 for the 33 auction lots. Read the full Global Coffee Report article here.

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.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Coffee Carrot

Located in Hokkaido, Japan, Coffee Carrot, Ltd. is a micro-roaster that sells coffee through its online store and beans and coffee drinks in its café’.  A staff of nine full-time employees and 20 part-time workers endeavor to share the producer’s stories and the process of making coffee one cup at a time. Follow them at Facebook.com/coffeecarrot or […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Coffee Manufactory

With three locations in California, Coffee Manufactory focuses on building sustainable supply chains with their producers at origin. Their staff of 25 works to ensure producers are being paid a sustainable wage for the crop both entities rely on to run successful businesses. Their coffee is “simple and approachable which allows us to be adaptable […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Bosgaurus Coffee

We want to introduce you to Bosgaurus Coffee – a specialty coffee shop and roastery in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Their mission and vision is “to enrich coffee culture and human spirit and bring truly specialty coffee to many people in the unique Bosgaurus way by using technology and customer service.” The staff of […]

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.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Little Bean

Meet our one of our newest members, Little Bean. They are a string of 6 retail coffee shops in Shanghai, along with a certified roastery in Ningbo and a SCA certified coffee school. They employ about 40 staff members who serve their loyal customers of coffee shops, businesses and lovers of specialty coffee. Learn more […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: COMBS COFFEE

Let us introduce you to Combs Coffee from Texas in the USA. Combs Coffee and their 3 employees are the only US coffee company that gets to say they are the “only solar powered coffee and cacao Nano roasteries in the USA.” They also operate a retail coffee shop and own 2 solar powered electric […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: COFFEA COFFEE

Coffea Coffee was founded in 2006 by the CEO of Gamsung International Co., Ltd. Coffea Coffee’s staff of 40 (and still growing) serve a variety of customers through their 20 shops in Korea and 20 shops in Malaysia. They specialize in roasting high quality coffee and serve those who appreciate quality and the professionalism of […]

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.

ACE Names Cory Bush Board Chair and Noelia Villalobos Vice Chair

The Portland, Oregon-based Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) has announced the election of Cory Bush as the group’s board chair and Noelia Villalobos as the vice chair. Board members are elected by the nonprofit group’s membership to three-year terms, and the board itself is responsible for shaping the direction of the organization… Read the full Daily Coffee […]

Alliance for Coffee Excellence appoints new Board Chair

The Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) has appointed Cory Bush, the Managing Director of Belgian speciality coffee importer 32Cup, as its new Board Chair. Read the full Global Coffee Report 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

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: List + Beisler GmbH

List + Beisler is a group of passionate green coffee merchants who have been focused on sourcing high quality coffees since 1901! Their headquarters are located in Hamburg, Germany with a sister company in New York, USA. Their staff of 15 supply quality green coffee to roasters of all sizes from small independent start-up roasters […]

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

2019 Sumatra Prestige Cup Results

  Adhering to ACE’s mission of rewarding exemplary coffee farmers, ACE held a regional pilot in the town of Takengon. In partnership with the Specialty Coffee Association of Indonesia and the local Government of Aceh Tenga, ACE received over 40 farmer identified lots for pre-selection. During International Week, a jury comprised of coffee professionals from […]

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

ACE Launching Private Collection Auction Program, Beginning with Yemen

Cup of Excellence coffee competition organizer the Alliance for Coffee Excellence is stepping outside the CoE platform to introduce a more curated green coffee auction program. For the first auction in the ACE Private Collection Auction Program, the Portland-based nonprofit has partnered with UK-based green coffee trader and roaster Qima Coffee, which specializes in sourcing coffee from Yemen. Read […]

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 […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Tsujimoto Coffee

We want to welcome Suteki Na Jikan Inc and Tsujimoto Coffee. Tsujimoto Coffee is a roaster, packaging, retailing and wholesale operation in Japan. Their team of 18 work to serve their customers through their wholesale business and in their retail shop and roastery. Tsujimoto learned about COE coffee through one of our auctions and believes […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Simon Lévelt

Simon Lévelt is new member of ACE but they are not new in the coffee industry. The family business Simon Lévelt was founded in 1826 and has almost 200 years experience in blending fine quality teas and roasting fine coffee. With 45 franchise locations and approximately 90 employees, members of the Simon Lévelt “family” pride […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Daarnhouwer & Co.

Join us in welcoming Daarnhouwer & Co to the ACE / COE family. Daarhnouwer & Co. is a Dutch specialty trading company specializing in coffee, cocoa, spices, tree nuts, tea and dried fruits since 1908. Their central offices can be found in Zaandam, The Netherlands and since the 1980’s they have also operated a subsidiary […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Namusairo Coffee

Namusairo Coffee started as a small café in Seoul, Korea in 2002. They were one of the pioneers of specialty coffee in Seoul and believe that “daily life is enriched with a cup of coffee”. Their staff of 14 regularly serves roasteries, coffee shops and individuals. In order to achieve the best quality possible, they […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Combs’ Coffee

Let us introduce you to Combs Coffee from Texas in the USA. Combs Coffee and their 3 employees are the only US coffee company that gets to say they are the “only solar powered coffee and cacao Nano roasteries in the USA.” They also operate a retail coffee shop and own 2 solar powered electric […]

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 […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Three Beans

Welcome Three Beans Coffee Roasters! Located in Medan, North Sumatra, Three Beans Coffee Roasters specializes in personalized roasting and blending services. Johan, owner and operator single-handedly roasts and furnishes specialty coffee to businesses of all sizes and individuals who appreciate exceptional quality. Johan states that COE is a “motivational tool for farmers and producers to […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Little Bean

Meet our one of our newest members, Little Bean. They are a string of 6 retail coffee shops in Shanghai, along with a certified roastery in Ningbo and a SCA certified coffee school. They employ about 40 staff members who serve their loyal customers of coffee shops, businesses and lovers of specialty coffee. Learn more […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Greybox Coffee

Greybox Coffee is a specialty coffee shop with a roasting facility located in China. At present, they have 30 specialty coffee shops located throughout various cities in China and scheduled to open another 20 in 2019 including Hong Kong and Singapore. It takes a staff of 350 employees to keep their shops operating. The majority […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Fellow Products

Fellow Products designs and manufactures coffee brewing equipment, drinkware, and accessories. They hold public and private cuppings as well as education courses in manual brewing and espresso. Their flagship store in San Francisco has a great education space that they lovingly call “The Playground”. They currently have one retail location along with their web-based store […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Dupuy Group

Dupuy Group is one of ACE’s newest 2019 members. They are a family-owned warehousing company that was founded in New Orleans, USA in 1936. Throughout their long history, their primary business has been the handling and storage of green coffee beans as well as other diversified global logistics. They offer general coffee storage and handling, […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: BOTÁNICA

Botánica of Quito-Ecuador is one of ACE’s newest members. Owner, Camila Khalife has worked in the coffee industry for 6 years and opened her specialty coffee shop 4 years ago. During this period, she has grown and expanded the business to green coffee analysis and quality consulting for farms and exporters. They will soon be […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: The Coffee Academics

The Coffee Academics is a chain of boutique cafes that started in Hong Kong in 2012. It was one of the first cafes serving specialty coffee in Hong Kong and they strive to maintain their position as the leading purveyor of specialty coffee in Hong Kong. They have also expanded to Singapore and China. To […]

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 […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Seven Seeds

Seven Seeds of Melbourne, Australia has been sourcing, roasting, brewing and serving coffee for 10 years. They currently have 3 cafes – Seven Seeds, Brother Baba Budan and Traveller Coffee. In true Australian style, Seven Seeds, the largest of the 3 locations, serves more than just coffee…they are a brunch destination and local spot for […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Ryans Coffee Roasters

Meet Ryan Noh of Ryans Coffee Roasters in Seoul, Korea. Ryans Coffee Roasters imports and distributes green coffee, as well as roasting and selling to shops, restaurants, businesses, and individuals who recognize and love quality coffee. Ryan runs his business himself with the help of one staff member and 2 freelancers. He started with 2 […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: RedMeow Coffee-Roastery

RedMeow Coffee-Roastery ACE member for 3 years Hong Kong RedMeow Coffee is about coffee and passion. They are a wholesale micro-roastery founded in 2016 with a business focused on roasting and bringing quality with a unique personality to their customers in China and Hong Kong. A small but fierce operation, Red Meow consists of owner […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: NIPPON COFFEE TRADING CO., LTD.

NIPPON COFFEE TRADING CO., LTD. Japan Nippon Coffee Trading Co., Ltd specializes in importing and distributing green coffee for domestic roasters and coffee businesses in Japan. With 3 branches in Tokyo, Nagoya and Fukuoka and their head office, located in Osaka, they employ a staff of 50. Nippon Coffee Trading Co. Ltd has been a […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Moustache Coffee Club

Moustache Coffee Club (MCC) is a specialty coffee subscription service focused on making fresh-roasted single-origin coffee available to everyone. They were founded in Los Angeles, CA., USA in 2013 and ship coffee to a global membership base. Because of the nature of their business, they do not have a brick and mortar location – instead […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: MOKKA COFFEE

MOKKA COFFEE, Athens Greece Mokka Coffee is located in Athens, Greece where they have been pursuing the best in coffee for 4 generations. Their main business is roasting – something they have been doing since 1992. Based in the historic center of Athens in a neoclassical building, they operate a traditional coffee shop, a café, […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: HoneyCoffee

HoneyCoffee of Japan has been a member of ACE for more than 12 years. Mr. Izaki, known by his friends as Mr. Honey, has participated in many COE International events -the first of these COE in 2004 in Brazil. HoneyCoffee has several locations and serves as a retail and wholesale source for roasted coffees. Presently, […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: DRAGONFLY COFFEE ROASTERS

DRAGONFLY COFFEE ROASTERS Meet Tamas and the team of Dragonfly Coffee Roasters in Boulder, Colorado USA. Dragonfly has been an ACE member for 3 years and was named Micro Roaster of the Year in the November/December 2018 issue of Roast Magazine. Congratulations to the Dragonfly team! Dragonfly Coffee Roasters is a wholesale/retail specialty roasting business […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Coffee Me Up

Coffee Me Up Member for 4 years Seoul, Korea Coffee Me Up has 2 coffee shops, a roastery and an academy in Seoul Korea and have a staff of 6. They serve customers who are looking to drink coffee that is special and unique. They are finding that the message is beginning to spread and […]

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.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: KAFFEBRENERIET

Oslo, Norway ACE member since 2002 Kaffebrenneriet is a long-standing business in Norway founded by Thomas Pulpan and Steinar Paulsrud in 1994. They are Oslos’s longest-running chain of coffee shops with 40 coffee shop locations, as well as their own bakery and roastery. They employ over 300 staff including baristas, managers and administration. Kaffebrenneriet has […]

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 […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Dabov Specialty Coffee

Sofia, Bulgaria ACE Member since 2012 DABOV Specialty Coffee is a family-owned roastery established 10 years ago. They have a strong dedication to improving the lives of everyone touched by coffee – from the farmers to the customers. They want to celebrate every day with at least one cup of specialty coffee. Currently, as a […]

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 […]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Huracan Coffee

Vilnius, Lithuania ACE member since 2005 Huracan Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster that started in 1999 when Vytautas Kratulis rented a tiny 16 square meter space and started roasting coffee. He began by purchasing 7 bags of Colombian Excelso and it was a success. When a new harvest was available he bought a few […]

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 […]