Cup of Excellence (CoE) has announced that after a year hiatus, the record-breaking Ethiopian CoE competition is scheduled to return to Addis Ababa in mid-July.
“Ethiopia is considered the birthplace of arabica and is renowned for its heirloom varieties so it was no surprise when farmers winning Cup of Excellence in 2022 broke records. The highest scoring coffee sold for $400.50 per pound (about US$498.54), the highest price ever paid for an Ethiopian coffee,” says Erwin Mierisch, Executive Director of both CoE and Alliance for Coffee Excellence.
“Over 600 samples have already arrived in the regional warehouses with the notification only recently sent out to the farmers.”
The competition will be split between the natural and washed process, so will have two sets of winners. The final week of judging by the international jury will be held from 8 to 12 July.
“Cup of Excellence competitions offer numerous benefits. Firstly, it encourages farmers to aim for the best quality micro-lots, which can be sold for high prices, up to 50 times the C market price. This incentivises farmers to improve their coffee production and quality, potentially clearing their farm’s debt and making a substantial difference in their lives,” says Dr. Hussein Ambro PhD, President of Ethiopian National Coffee Association.
“Secondly, the CoE competition raises awareness among Ethiopian smallholder coffee farmers about the value of their coffee, which can lead to better prices and improved living conditions.”
Ethiopia’s winning samples will be stand-alone and not part of any of the Alliance for Coffee Excellence sample packages. Samples will also be more expensive as shipping costs from Africa tend to run much higher.
A limited number of sample sets will be available and with anticipated high demand. Early registration for these is highly recommended.
For more information, visit cupofexcellence.org
