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 programme 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 kilo.
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 8 August 2026