Become a member of the Alliance for Coffee Excellence and Cup of Excellence® family, an international community dedicated to exemplary coffee and the farmers that grow it.

Community and Benefactor Supporters receive:

The Opportunity to Purchase Award-Winning Coffees

Where else can your company go to find such magnificent coffees all in one place? Where else could you sample and purchase award-winning coffees that have met such stringent quality standards? It would cost you a fortune to find these hidden gems, which often have been blended away. By becoming a Community or Benefactor Supporter you will have the opportunity to purchase these unparalleled winning coffees at auction for your customers to enjoy.

A yearly membership will put your company on the priority list to receive samples directly after the competition giving you time to cup all of the winning coffees without having to register for each one. After the auction winning bidders receive marketing materials to support the successful sales of these fabulous coffees.

Winning Farms Data Base Search

As a Community or Benefactor Supporter you will be able to search the extensive data base we have complied on all of the winning farms since 2002. Now you can find the farms that are producing award winning high quality coffee with very little effort. Search by variety, cupping description, rainfall, altitude, farm size, cupping score or by specific keywords. Cup of Excellence is the only program with extensive information on these exemplary farmers complied for easy online access. After each competition new information will be loaded onto the site for each of the winning farms.

A Cup of Excellence International Jury Experience is Unparalleled

No other program provides the once in a lifetime cupping experience that a Cup of Excellence jury provides. Jurors returning from a Cup of Excellence competition are invigorated and excited to focus on unique and exemplary coffees worldwide. Lasting international friendships are created and personal relationships often develop with many of the winning farmers and the country of origin.

The Cup of Excellence management is continuously updating and fine tuning its competition program to ensure that the highest standards are met as well as to better understand the flavor profiles of exemplary award winning coffees.

Marketing Materials for Buyers of Cup of Excellence coffees

Membership in the Cup of Excellence program offers your company access to marketing materials that we provide to help you sell the winning coffees. These include bag stickers, brochures, artwork, logos, ownership certificates, farm information as well as discounts on future materials that the program might create or print.

Communicate with Winning Farmers and the International Specialty Trade

Building the bridge between the high quality farmer and the high quality buyer is the cornerstone of the Cup of Excellence competition and auction program. The site will list by alphabetical order the winning farmers as well as their contact information.

The Cup of Excellence membership directory will also allow you to communicate with others who share your passion for great coffees as a membership directory will be available online and will be updated monthly.

Discounts on ACE Sponsored Products and Training

Members of the Alliance for Coffee Excellence will receive valuable discounts on products offered by ACE Sponsors.  These will help you maintain your quality edge in the marketplace while you feature world-class coffees.

ACE is also developing training courses to take you and your company to the next level of knowledge and skill.  From intermediate roasting to advanced cupping courses, ACE members will receive valuable discounts on registration for these industry-leading courses.

Keep in Touch with the Latest News

Members are sent the latest updates, developments and newsletters from the Cup of Excellence program.

Show Your Customers You Care

By becoming a Community or Benefactor Supporter you can show your customers and your peers in the trade that you truly care about extraordinary coffee and that you support the farmers who make the extra effort to produce it. The Cup of Excellence program will work with you on your particular promotional needs so that you get the recognition you deserve.

The Solo Supporter Membership Category:

In 2011, we are pleased to announce a new way for individuals to be a part of the Cup of Excellence story: the Solo Supporter category. If you are a barista, home roaster, or just someone who loves coffee and wants to enrich your coffee experience and invest in the future of quality, the Solo Supporter role will give you inside access to the Cup of Excellence program and a taste of award-winning coffee this year.

By registering as a Solo Supporter, you will receive email updates and newsletters so that you can follow the excitement from each Cup of Excellence program. You will get an inside glimpse into a featured farm/farmer from each country - giving you a growing understanding and appreciation for where your coffee comes from. We will send you a copy of the Cup of Excellence cupping form and a description of the judging criteria so that you can taste coffee with an added awareness of quality. And finally, we will be sending you an 8oz share, either green (for home roasters) or roasted of exemplary coffee from El Salvador's 10th Cup of Excellence this year.

Please note, the Solo Supporter category is for individuals and does not entitle you to the same benefits offered to Community and Benefactor Supporters. Feel free to contact us with any questions regarding membership categories.