Cup of Excellence Marks 25 Years in Brazil, Its Country of Origin

The Cup of Excellence celebrates its 25th anniversary in Brazil, the birthplace of this prestigious coffee competition. Over the years, it has highlighted Brazil’s exceptional coffee producers, elevating the country’s coffee industry on the global stage. This milestone marks a quarter-century of recognizing top-quality beans and fostering innovation, while continuing to shape Brazil’s reputation as a leader in the coffee world.

The Cup of Excellence (CoE), often called the Coffee Olympics, is marking its 25th anniversary in Brazil, the country where this prestigious competition originated. For the international stage, 40 coffee samples from 10 coffee-producing regions have been chosen and will be evaluated by 22 distinguished judges from various nations, with a scoring threshold set at 87 points or higher.

Vinicius Estrela, the executive director of the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA), which organizes CoE in Brazil, stated, "In addition to recognizing the best coffees of the harvest, our goal is to uncover new sensory profiles, emerging coffee regions, and new producers. This competition has changed how specialty coffee is perceived and has significantly increased the value of coffee origins. We are proud to have played a part in this journey over the past 25 years, helping to improve the production of high-quality and sustainable coffee."

The winners' coffees will be featured in an online auction, where top buyers from around the world will compete to acquire these exclusive lots. The specialty coffee market is expanding, with a projected value of $152.62 billion by 2030, as reported by Brainy Insights.

Founded in 1999 in Brazil by BSCA, in collaboration with the International Coffee Organization (ICO) and the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), the CoE project was created to help farmers gain recognition and add value to their high-quality coffee.

Marcelo Vieira, a coffee producer and one of the CoE’s founders, shared that the initiative began when he and other coffee growers realized the importance of quality in determining the value of coffee. "We recognized the need to care for the beans and improve quality. We sought advice from experts in Europe, the United States, and Japan, and then brought in the best tasters. Through this process, we learned that quality is crucial, and we encouraged producers to focus on quality over quantity. The competition provided a way to achieve this and meet the demands of international buyers, allowing Brazil to be recognized for its high-quality coffee."

The project has opened up opportunities for the coffee industry and has become a success story, with competitions held in several countries. Sales of the winning coffees through online auctions significantly outperform traditional selling methods, offering substantial recognition for quality. In the 2023 auction, the highest bid reached $16,900 for each 60-kilogram bag.

The first winning lot, purchased by the British company Mercanta in 1999, continues to be an important buyer of Brazilian specialty coffee. Alda Carvalho, Mercanta’s Coffee Hunter and a judge in the CoE international phase, remarked, "I believe the competition has helped break the stereotype that Brazilian coffee lacks quality and cannot be considered a luxury product. What impresses us most is the consistency and commitment to producing exceptional coffee year after year. It is rewarding to witness the success of many pioneers and visionaries, and we are proud to be part of this amazing movement known as specialty coffee."

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Source: FNBNews‍