illycaffè has announced the finalists for the eighth edition of the Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award.
The prize is named in memory of Ernesto Illy, son of the company’s founder, that celebrates over three decades of virtuous collaboration with coffee producers. Among them, the ‘Best of the Best’ and the ‘Coffee Lovers’ Choice’ will be chosen and awarded on 16 November in New York during a ceremony at the New York Public Library.
“Our mission is to delight lovers of goodness and beauty all over the world with the best coffee that nature can provide, enhanced with the best technologies and art,” says illycaffè Chairman Andrea Illy. “The Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award allows us to stimulate the production of increasingly good and sustainable coffee.”
During the year, the illycaffè quality laboratories analysed the samples from the 2022/2023 harvest and selected the best lots and producers, based on both the company’s quality and sustainability parameters.
The 27 finalists are spread across nine countries:
Brazil
Luis Manuel Ramos Fachada M. da Silva
Raimundo Dimas Santana Filho
São Mateus Agropecuária
Costa Rica
CoopeelDos R.L.
CoopeSabalito R.L.
Finca San Carlos
El Salvador
Finca Agua Caliente
Finca Monterrey
Finca San Rafael
Ethiopia
Legesse Sherefa P.L.C. – Dawit Zerihun Kasahun Washing Station
Legesse Sherefa P.L.C. – Germa Adere Debele Washing Station
Tracon Trading P.L.C. – Guji Hambela Washing Station
Guatemala
Finca Buena Vista
Finca Danilandia
Pequeños Productores Santa Cruz Naranjo
Honduras
Finca Los Chagüites
Finca Mi Cafetal
Finca Santa Martha
India
Kogilehalla Estate
Nullore Estate
Woddaegooda Estate
Nicaragua
Finca San Antonio
Finca Zaragoza/Exportadora Atlantic
Proyecto LIFT Wiwilí
Rwanda
Kayumbu Coffee Washing Station
Mubuga Coffee Washing Station
Nyakabingo Coffee Washing Station
In anticipation of the announcement, the samples will be available for consumers to try at illycaffé’s flagship stores around the world. The coffee samples from the finalists will be evaluated by an independent multidisciplinary jury of international experts, who will then award the title of ‘Best of the Best’ to the winner.
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