Cup of Excellence is a competition run in producing countries, where lots are submitted, cupped blind over several rounds, and the winners auctioned internationally.
How it works
Producers submit lots. They are cupped blind by a national jury, then by an international jury, over multiple rounds.
Lots scoring 87+ win the Cup of Excellence designation. Those scoring 90+ receive a Presidential Award.
Winners go to a global online auction.
Why it matters
The money goes to the producer. Auction proceeds go largely to the farmer, not to intermediaries — the point of the program when it launched in Brazil in 1999.
It finds unknown farms. The cupping is blind, so a small unknown grower competes on equal terms with an established estate. Several now-famous farms were discovered this way.
Prices can be extraordinary. Winning lots regularly reach hundreds of dollars per pound.
What it means to a buyer
A CoE lot is genuinely exceptional and expensive, and a roaster who has one will say so prominently.
More usefully, the published results are a map — they tell you which regions and varietals a country is currently doing well with, which is a good guide to what to buy at ordinary prices.
The limitation
It covers only participating countries and only submitted lots. Plenty of superb coffee never enters.
Last reviewed 30 October 2026