May 2008

Coffee awards and competitions

Rainforest Alliance Cupping for Quality winners

My husband and I attended the Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Coffee Breakfast this morning, at which the winners of the fifth annual “Cupping for Quality” event were announced. These awards recognizes Rainforest Alliance (RA) certified coffee farmers dedicated to growing top quality beans, while protecting the environment and the rights of workers.

The first year of the competition, eight countries participated submitted 40 coffees to be judged. This year, 90 RA certified farms in 11 countries participated; judging was held last month in New York and Long Beach, CA. Coffee from 94 percent of the participating farms received scores of 80 or above.

The top scoring farms that received scores of 85 or above are listed below. I’ve provided links or additional information if available.

  • Hacienda La Esmeralda (Panama) — 89.93. This is not the famous geisha Jaramillo Especial coffee which I wrote about here, but I did discuss their sustainability initiatives. Although the sustainability section of their web site has not been substantially updated recently, I have read more about the work of the Peterson’s (owners of
    Hacienda La Esmeralda) and think they are doing a good job.
  • COMISAJUL (Cooperativa Mixta San Juancito Limitada) La Montana (Honduras) — 87.22
  • Daterra — Boa Vista (Brazil) — 86.58.  I wrote about Daterra here.
  • Grupo Yariguies (Colombia) — 86.32. I believe these producers are in Santander province, in the region where the Cerulean Warbler preserve is located. Terrific!
  • Aguadas (Caldas, Colombia) — 86.08
  • Victoria (El Salvador) –– 85.98
  • Carmen Estate (Panama) — 85.55. I wrote about Carmen Estate in a review here. This is one of only five farms that have participated in this competition every year so far.
  • Coagro Brisas (Colombia) — 85.50
  • Finca Arroyo Negro (Chipas, Mexico) — 85.46. More info here.
  • La Merced (Colombia) — 85.25
  • Finca San Luis (Colombia) –– 85.13
  • Santa Rita (Jinotega, Nicaragua) — 85.00. I think this is the same producer that is also Utz Certified.

Below, I’ve listed the top three scorers (fewer means there were fewer than three farms competing) from each country.

Panama: Hacienda Esmeralda (89.93), Carmen Estate (85.55), La Fortuna (81.00)
Guatemala: La Retiro (84.93), San Diego Buena Vista (84.64), La Pampa (84.63)
Peru: Pronatur — Monterrico (84.81)
Costa Rica: Coopronaranjo R.L. (84.82), Cooperativa de Caficultores de Dota R.L. (83.31)
El Salvador: Lictoria (85.98), La Mecca (84.48), Santa Isabel (84.42)
Honduras: Comisajul La Montana (87.22), Cohorsil (83.67), Café Tierra (80.72)
Colombia (39 farms participating!): Grupo Yariguies (86.32), Aguadas (86.08), Coagro Brisas (85.50)
Tanzania: Uru Estate (83.48), Machare Estate (83.12)
Nicaragua: Santa Rita (85.00), La Bastilla (83.27), Momimboo (83.13)
Brazil: Daterra — Boa Vista (86.58), Fazenda Lambari (84.75), Fazenda Sete Cachoeiras Estate Coffee (84.35)
Mexico: Finca Arroyo Negro (85.46), Finca Santa Elena (81.35), Espana (80.25)

Coffee news and miscellany

The Specialty Coffee Association of America annual conference

The SCAA‘s 20th Annual Conference & Exhibition takes place in Minneapolis on May 2-5, and I will be attending along with Coffee & Conservation tasting panel member (also my dashing partner) Kingfisher. I will miss the Sustainability Symposium but will be attending lectures on sustainability and agroecology issues. It will be very interesting for me, as an ecologist, to see how these topics are handled and received by those in the coffee industry. There will also be several receptions where various sustainability awards are handed out, as well as the opportunity to hit the exhibit hall.

The SCAA is making this a “green” conference. They report,

The association’s carbon neutrality program will help offset emissions related to conference travel, lodging and energy consumption. Conference attendees will pay a small tariff [$7 person] to participate in the program, and funds collected from registrants—included in the conference fee—will be donated to the sustainable agroforestry non-profit organization, Trees for the Future, for the purchasing and planting of new trees. SCAA and specialty coffee importer, Sustainable Harvest representatives will provide oversight on funding the project.

There are many other green initiatives at the conference site, including elimination of paper hand-out; locally grown, in-season and organic food (with waste sent to a hog farm for use as animal feed and non-perishable, unopened food products donated to a local homeless shelter; and lots of recycling.

Stay tuned: I have a full schedule, but will try to keep up with posting on sustainability issues from the SCAA annual meeting!