Cup of Excellence celebrated its return to México with twenty-two lots auctioned at an all-time high average price of US$11.06.
Winning bidders hailed from Japan, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Australia, Holland and the United Kingdom.
An especially strong presence of importers from the United States included: Café Imports, Red Fox Coffee Merchants and Royal Coffee and roasters including: Spyhouse Coffee Roasters, Temple Coffee, Campos Coffee and Proud Mary.
The top lot (split into two separate lots for the auction) sold for a record high of $100.49 and $55.40 per pound. These lots were shared between the following companies: Maruyama, Campos Coffee, Sarutahiko Coffee and Kyokuto Fadie Coffee.
Aside from the record breaking prices, this year there were six Presidential Award winners. Presidential Award winning coffees are those coffees that score 90 and above by a jury comprised of leading sensory experts from 12 countries.
The winning farmer, Rodolfo Jiménez López’s, El Equimite; a washed Pacamara, scored an impressive 91.20, from the region Veracruz.
Lots in this auction had been cupped at least five separate times by the national and international juries.
This year also brought unfortunate news regarding the theft of eight lots from a delivery of Cup of Excellence coffees that were being transported from Oaxaca to Córdoba for milling prior to the 6 July auction.
Professor Cruz José A. Miceli, the Executive Director from AMECAFÉ, the Government supported Mexican association that promotes coffee production, said: “These results show us the quality of our coffees and the recognition demanded by the consumer of specialty. The Mexican Coffee Sector is delighted.”