How do I buy a Cup of Excellence® and/or ACE National Winner?

A roaster/retailer or importer becomes a member and then purchases Cup of Excellence and/or ACE National Winner samples. Purchasing the samples also gives the company the opportunity to buy the coffees at the auction. 200 gram samples of each winning coffee is sent after the competition to be analyzed again by the roaster. At the scheduled date and time companies registered for one or both auctions can go to the ACE site and place bids to purchase their desired coffee. The Cup of Excellence auction is a timed auction lasting a few hours, the National Winners auction is a multi-day platform. Once the auctions have ended, the buyer coordinates payment and shipping with the exporter chosen for that country’s program. Detailed information about the bidding, buying and shipping process is sent to all registered bidders and bidders need to agree upon these conditions prior to bidding on the auction.