CoE — Cup of Excellence

The Cup of Excellence (CoE) is an annual competition held directly in coffee-producing countries and organized by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE). First launched in Brazil in 1999, it has since expanded to over a dozen origins. Coffees are evaluated through multiple rounds of blind cupping by national and international Q Grader panels; lots that score 87 or above on the SCA scale earn the Cup of Excellence designation and are offered at a live online auction open to global buyers. Winning lots have sold for prices exceeding $100 per pound, directly benefiting smallholder farmers. The CoE is widely regarded as the most rigorous and transparent quality competition in the coffee industry.