The international stage of the Cup of Excellence Brazil 2018 will be held from October 15 through 21 near the city of Guaxupé, Minas Gerais state, with cooperative Cooxupé, SMC Specialty Coffees as hosts. Last year, the competition aimed at washed coffees saw the highest bid in history—$14 thousand for a 60-kilo sack of the winning coffee, reports Agência Brasil. The average price in the category stood at $1.8 thousand a bag. Developed in partnership with the Brazilian Association of Specialty Coffees (BSCA), the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil), and the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE), the contest includes two categories: Pulped Naturals—directed at those who use a wet method to produce coffee, with the skin or pulp of the beans removed—and Naturals, for producers of dry or natural coffees. Technology engineer Igor Brandão, manager for agribusiness with Apex-Brasil, said that “today Brazil stands out in the specialty coffee market due to its good practices in production, sustainability, and handling, attained as a result of the efforts of its growers.” He noted that last year’s Cup of Excellence saw a Minas Gerais producer from Fazenda Bom Jardim, win over $250 thousand lots of coffee at the record-breaking price of $14 thousand a sack. “Critics and specialists from around the world have praised and recommended quality coffee from Brazil. We’re close to overcoming nations with a tradition in this niche market—like Colombia—in both quantity and quality. What Brazil may still lack is a major international brand of quality coffee—like Juan Valdez, which brings together a number of growers,” Brandão stated. Brandão went on to say that Brazil main buyers of Brazilian specialty coffees are the US, Germany, Japan, Belgium, and Italy. “It’s a market that tends to grow and expand to other countries, like China, where Brazil will take part in a major international fair to be held in November, in Shanghai.” Source: comunicaffe.com/international-stage-of-cup-of-excellence-brazil-to-run-from-oct-15-21/