As a way to recognize and encourage coffee production, several awards have been created for this purpose. These are local, national and even international events that seek to value the work of high-quality coffee producers. Brazil has a big diversity of climate and soil, which results in various types of aromas and flavors that only exist in few places in the world. For this reason, the Brazilian coffee is constantly honored with these awards.
Considered the most important quality coffee contest in the world, Cup of Excellence aims to reward producers for their efforts and work. It has been carried out since the year of 2000, by the Brazil Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA) in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) and the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE).
In 2020, 35 producers from Minas Gerais, Bahia and Espírito Santo received recognition on a national level. On an international level, there were 30 awardees, where producer Luiz Ricardo Bozzi, from the Escondica farm, located in Venda Nova do Imigrante – ES, held a prominent spot and received a score of 90.03. The second runner-up, Evandro Passos from Minas Gerais, scored 89.71 points.
In 2019, the big winner of the international phase was André Luis Aguila, from Ibiraci – MG, who received 92.23 points. In the national stage, Laerce Franca, from Alta Mogiana – SP received 86.98 points.
Created in 2012, The Coffee of The Year is another outstanding award that aims to bring together the best coffees in Brazil and elect the highlights of the year, encouraging the development and improvement of national production and the dissemination of new origins of coffee.
It is carried out in two stages. The first one entails receiving samples from producers all around Brazil. The samples are roasted and tried by professional Q-Graders and R-Graders, licensed by the CQI (Coffee Quality Institute). In the second stage, the best samples are tried by national and international buyers. In its last edition, Denizar Dias Douro, from the mountainous regions of Espírito Santo, was the big winner in the Arabica category with 89.78 points.
The Brazilian Coffee Industry Association (ABIC), the country’s largest entity in the segment, also holds two major awards: the National ABIC Coffee Quality Contest – Origins of Brazil, and the ABIC Highest Quality Awards. Both aim to celebrate the brands, companies and producers that stood out throughout the year.
The ABIC Highest Quality Award is also a recognition of the brands that stand out throughout the year in the Coffee Quality Program (PQC), in the Extra Dark Roast, Dark Roast, Medium Roast and Light Roast categories. Check out the 2019/2020 winners:
Extra Dark Roast Category: Aviação Extraforte (Gonçalves Salles); Diplomata Extraforte (Aroeira, Dist. Eireli), and Bangu (Café Três Corações).
Dark Roast Category: Café Coringa (Romano e Cia); Diplomata Tradicional (Aroeira, Dist. Eireli), and Doutor Tradicional (Café Três Corações).
Medium Roast Category – Roasted and Ground: Perfetto Grano (Coop. Dos Cafeicultores da Zona de Varginha); Meridiano Classic (Café Meridiano), e Melitta Classic Decaf (Melitta do Brasil).
Medium Roast Category – In Grain: Vergato Coffee Grains for Espresso (Ind. E Com. Dona Flor); Expert Blenders (Brasil Espresso), and Utam Speciale (Café Utam).
Light Roast Category – Roasted and Ground: Orum (CFX do Brasil); Sobesa Gourmet (Sobesa), and São Braz Gourmet Savory (São Braz).
Light Roast Category – In Grain: Baggio Expresso Gourmet Grain (Baggio Coffee); Santello Grão (Café Dom Pedro), and L’OrForza (Jacobs Douwe Egberts BR).
Among the state awards, we highlight the Espírito Santo Specialty Coffee Awards, organized by the Capixaba Institute of Research, the Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (Incaper) and the Secretariat of Agriculture, Supply, Aquaculture and Fisheries (Seag). It aims to recognize and reward the production of specialty coffee produced sustainably in Espírito Santo.
This is the first competition promoted by the State Government that includes the categories of Arabica and Conilon coffee, besides recognizing sustainable production practices. It seeks to encourage and value farmers who produce high-quality coffee beans in Espírito Santo .
In 2020, there were 20 coffee grower finalists from eight different municipalities in Espírito Santo: Marechal Floriano, Castelo, Venda Nova do Imigrante, Afonso Cláudio, Dores do Rio Preto, Muniz Freire, Vargem Alta and Brejetuba.
In total, 210 samples were submitted. They went through several criteria, based on the methodologies of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA). The samples were evaluated at the Brejetuba Sensory Laboratory and had the following technical aspects analyzed: scent and aroma, aftertaste, flavor, acidity, sweetness, body, clean cup, uniformity, balance and the overall global rating.
The finalist samples were added to the Annual Specialty Coffee Exhibition in Espírito Santo, which aims to promote business roundtables between coffee growers and buyers.
Another award that takes place in Espírito Santo is the Pio Corteletti Awards, which is organized by Coopeavi and the Brazilian Support Service for Micro and Small Companies (Sebrae/ES), with support from the OCB/ES System. It aims to identify, encourage and reward the finest Arabica and Conilon coffee beans produced in Espírito Santo. Its last edition had 140 samples submitted, from which 29 were finalists.
In the Arabica category, the winning producer was Marcos Antonio Tomazini, from Castelo, who received the best score (88 points). The second runner-up, Sivanius Kutz from Itarana, received 87.54 points, and the third place was Edilio Soares de Paula, from Brejetuba, with 86.82 points.
In the Conilon category, the winner was Aerton Garbrecht, from Afonso Cláudio, who got 84.61 points. In the second place, we had Giovanio Cesar Sering, from Itarana, with 84.11, and in the third place, Zenomar Zandonadi, from Afonso Cláudio, with 83.96 points.
Although producers receive the honor, the consumers are the biggest winners! They get to have the best specialty coffees produced in Brazil.
