So what’s this Cup of Excellence?

You may have noticed that we’ve been making a bit of a song and dance about our latest Cup of Excellence coffees from Nicaragua and El Salvador. Its simply because they are some of the very best coffees produced there this year.

So what exactly is this Cup of Excellence all about?

Well, lets start with what it is not about. It is not about coffee roasters and first crack espresso roasts. It is not about coffee makers with sig bevs and flash routines. These are just footnotes to what it is about.

So what’s it about then?

The Cup of Excellence is one of the most prestigious awards given out for exemplary coffees. They come from a rigorous competition that selects the very best coffee produced in a producing country for that particular year. The winning coffees are selected by a group of national and international cuppers and are assessed numerous times during the competition process. Only coffees that continually score high enough are permitted to move forward in the competition. The final winners are awarded the prestigious Cup of Excellence® and go on to be sold to the highest bidder during an Internet auction. As these auction lots are of limited quantities it means if and when we are able to secure them it is a rather exclusive offer.

So why are these coffees so much better and cost more than the other stuff that I buy?

Well, coffees of this quality are no fluke. These coffees are carefully picked when perfectly ripe, and processed to exacting standards. They exhibit well-developed body, pleasant aroma, and a lively sweetness that only extremely high quality specialty coffees contain. Each winning coffee has its own flavor signature from the terrain and climate where it grows and have all been hand reared in such a way as to enhance these unique flavours. In turn these unique characteristics are acknowledged by roasters from around the world through the prices they are prepared to pay for these coffees. These prices range from double the market price to 50 times as much and third party certifications, like Fairtrade, can’t hold a candle to it when it comes to rewarding the farmers for their hard work.

So why do we think it is so important and worth making all this noise about?

The Cup of Excellence helps to build international relationships in many forms. It creates a situation where cooperation is the key to success, where appreciation is the mantra, and where friendships and lasting partnerships are built. It is one of the few programs to place its main focus on individual empowerment, training, and education with no consideration of gender or economic status. The Cup of Excellence program builds the bridge between the high quality farmer, the high quality roaster, and eventually the consumer who finds coffees they truly love and knows that the farmer has been well compensated. Having had the opportunity to judge in a number of Cup of Excellence competitions I am an avid supporter of farmers who love growing some of the worlds best coffee. It’s not a commodity to these people. Its something that they have invested a considerable amount of hard work into over the years. If they can use the competition to promote their coffee and get paid well to do so, it’s a triple win for me.

Farmer = Win – Recognition and just reward for the skill and work they put into their coffee.

Supreme = Win – Getting to roast and cup excellence

Consumer = Win – Unparalleled drinking experience

Hit up the Cup of Excellence website for further information