The Cup of Excellence® ( COE) program was born in 1999 in Brazil. As one part of a more global coffee project its first funding came from the World Trade Office, The Common Fund for Commodities and the International Coffee Organization. The revolutionary field team included Marcelo Vieira- Brazil Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA), Silvio Leite- Brazil’s quality specialist, Susie Spindler, marketing consultant and then long-time Executive Director, Hidetaka Hayashi-Hayashi Coffee Company- Japan, George Howell-George Howell Coffee Company and Don Holly-Specialty Coffee Association of America.

Diving into unchartered territory, the Cup of Excellence team set the global standard for discovering unique handcrafted, farmer-identified coffees. They also developed the very first online auction platform for coffee in order to sell the 1999 competition winners to the highest bidder enabling direct trade to become a hugely successful phenomenon.

In 2002 with BSCA funding support, the management of the Cup of Excellence program was moved to the new non-profit Alliance for Coffee Excellence.(ACE). Susie Spindler took over ACE as Executive Director to formally lead its development.

The growth of COE, and especially its transparency to the farmers, had huge push back from some larger industry players. Despite its constant challenges, COE expanded on a shoestring budget as its reputation for success spread to more countries, farmers and companies. Critical early support came from lifetime members and higher quality roasters who were on the cutting edge of the growth of unique specialty coffees. To date 17 countries, thousands of farmers, jurors and supporters from across the globe have participated in the competition.

In 2021 the Cup of Excellence program became its own 501c3 non-profit organization in order to more fully focus on farmers and education. ACE continues to manage the auctions. Known affectionately as the “Olympics of Coffee” the competition is still uncovering new coffees that are spectacular and is still rewarding farmers who are often stunned to win.

The original headquarters in Missoula, Montana was moved to Portland, Oregon in 2015 and to Houston Texas in 2024.