For Immediate Release

Missoula MT. (May, 6 2005)- The Honduras Cup of Excellence competition awards ceremony was held in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. 800 farmers took part in the second annual competition. Forty-one farmers received the coveted Cup of Excellence® award. This is the largest number of awards from any single competition for the Cup of Excellence® program since 1999, when it began. Just a year earlier, 200 farmers participated and twenty-one coffees received the CoE award.

Cup of Excellence® is the most stringent coffee selection program available due to its quality-only focus. The coffee is cupped at least five times, and must score 84 out of 100 possible points. It is cupped once in pre screening, twice by a national jury, and twice by the international jury. The top ten coffees are then cupped a sixth and final time to rank their order. Many of the cuppers were enthusiastic by what they felt was a tremendous increase in quality and the discovery of unknown flavor profiles. “I am surprised by the crisp and light, sweet acidity of Honduras coffee, and the many flavors of strawberry and melon,” said Shinji Sekine of Caravan Coffee on the last cupping day.

The first place trophy went to Natividad Benitez Benitez. Rounding out the other presidential award winners, those rare coffees scoring over 90 points were, Marysabel Caballero Carcia Lote #2, Ezri Moises Herrera Urizar Lote #2, Mario Leonel Noriega Paz, Maroslav Cuculiza, and Marco Antonio Landaverde Duarte.

“Many in the coffee industry have known for years that Honduras could produce great coffee and have supported our efforts here, but what is so amazing is the support of the Honduran coffee producers,” indicated Susie Spindler, Executive Director of the Alliance for Coffee Excellence, Inc. the non profit organization that owns the program. Even in times when coffee prices are rising, it is apparent that the focus on quality, and the Cup of Excellence® is extremely important. The number of winners indicates that Honduras may well be on their way to worldwide recognition as a specialty producer.

All forty-one winning coffee lots will be auctioned off to the highest bidder during a worldwide internet auction hosted on the Cup of Excellence site on June 9th 2005. For samples, information about the winning farms, or to register for the auction, log on to www.cupofexcellence.org.