What Is the Cup of Excellence Coffee Competition?

For decades, coffee was traded like any other bulk commodity—regardless of origin, processing quality, or flavor potential. Many exceptional coffees were lost in blends, ruined by poor processing, or roasted without care. Farmers who grew outstanding beans often never saw fair prices, and buyers rarely knew where their coffee truly came from.

In short: the Cup of Excellence (COE) is an annual competition and auction that finds and promotes the top 1–2% of specialty coffees worldwide. Since 1999, it has connected thousands of high-scoring coffees—often scoring 85+ points—with international buyers through transparent, competitive bidding.

How the Cup of Excellence Began

The problems of overlooked quality coffee started to change in 1999, when the very first Cup of Excellence competition took place in Brazil. This event proved that there was both demand and value in identifying and rewarding truly exceptional lots. Previously, many unique-flavored coffees were either mixed into commercial blends or poorly processed and roasted, burying their potential. Farmers rarely got recognition—or fair prices—for producing great coffee.

How Cup of Excellence Works

The Cup of Excellence program is run by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE), a non-profit organization founded in 2002. ACE partners with coffee-growing countries to organize national competitions where hundreds of coffee samples are blind-tasted by expert judges. Only the very highest-scoring coffees—those scoring typically 85 points or more—are selected as Cup of Excellence winners.

Winning lots are then auctioned internationally, giving roasters and buyers direct access to some of the world’s best-produced coffees. The auctions have helped highlight unique varieties and processing methods, often from farms that had never gained global attention before.

Cup of Excellence Timeline & Key Milestones

• 1999 – First COE competition held in Brazil
• 2001 – COE expands to Guatemala; the official COE cupping form is introduced
• 2002 – Nicaragua hosts its first COE; ACE is officially founded
• 2003 – El Salvador holds its inaugural COE competition
• 2004 – Honduras and Bolivia join the program; minimum auction score raised from 80 to 84 points
• 2005 – Colombia becomes a COE host country
• 2007 – Costa Rica holds its first COE competition
• 2008 – Rwanda joins the Cup of Excellence program
• 2010 – Coffees in the auction begin to be shipped in vacuum-sealed packaging
• 2012 – Burundi and Mexico host COE competitions; minimum auction score increases to 85 points

Every year, the program continues to expand to new countries and refine its processes, maintaining rigorous standards for quality and transparency.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does COE stand for in coffee?

COE stands for Cup of Excellence, an annual competition and auction program that identifies and promotes the highest-quality specialty coffees from around the world.

When was the first Cup of Excellence held?

The first Cup of Excellence competition took place in Brazil in 1999.

Who runs the Cup of Excellence program?

The Cup of Excellence program is organized by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE), a non-profit founded in 2002 with support from coffee farmers and roasters in over 50 countries.

How are coffees selected for Cup of Excellence?

Coffees are blind-tasted by expert judges in each host country. Only those that score 85 points or higher (since 2012) are selected as winners and eligible for the international auction.

What is the minimum score for COE auctions?

The minimum score was initially 80, raised to 84 in 2004, and increased to 85 in 2012. Only coffees scoring at least 85 points are auctioned.

How does the Cup of Excellence auction work?

Winning coffees are auctioned online to international buyers. The process is transparent and competitive, often resulting in prices well above market rate for the farmers.

Are Cup of Excellence coffees available to buy?

Yes, Cup of Excellence coffees are sold through an international auction to roasters and importers. Some may later become available to consumers through specialty roasters.

FrontStreet Coffee Beans Ideal for COE Discovery

Explore the complexity and origin-driven flavors of COE-style coffees with FrontStreet’s Ethiopia Humbera, a bright and floral Ethiopian lot with notes of jasmine and bergamot; Kenya Little Tomato, a juicy Kenyan offering tart berry and citrus highlights; and Panama Humbera, a washed Geisha with classic stone fruit and honey sweetness. These beans reflect the same dedication to quality and origin transparency celebrated by the Cup of Excellence. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.