Mayorga Coffee Purchases A Top Lot In The 2012 El Salvador Cup of Excellence®

ROCKVILLE, Md., July 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Mayorga Coffee is proud to announce its acquisition of the highest rated Cup of Excellence® microlot coffee from El Salvador being brought into the United States in 2012. 

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120703/PH34991)

The Cup of Excellence® is the most esteemed award given out for top coffees. These awards come from a strict competition that selects the best coffee produced in that country for that particular year. These winning coffees are chosen by a select group of international cuppers and are cupped at least five different times during the competition process. The winners are awarded the prestigious Cup of Excellence® and sold to the highest bidder during an internet auction. Mayorga's winning bid of $14.80 per pound consisted of a 3,200 pound lot of Pacamara and Bourbon varietal coffee from the family-owned farm El Porvenir, located in the San Miguel region of El Salvador.  The farm is owned and managed by Ms. Adilia Pullinger. 

"The Cup of Excellence approach of having international judges visit each participating country for cupping competitions is a great way to integrate the producer with the buyers and representatives of their target market," state Martin Mayorga, founder and President of Mayorga Coffee.  "It also reinforces that farming for a high quality bean can guarantee the farm a higher price giving the farmers incentive to continue striving for sustainability through quality."

According to Mayorga, by the time the freight, insurance, taxes, roasting shrink (up to 20%), packaging materials, overhead, etc are factored in, this coffee should retail for $40 to $55 per pound.  "That seems high compared to the prices of even some very fancy organic coffees like the ones we usually sell," states Eric Rosenthal, Director of Product Excellence for Mayorga, "but these coffees consist of small microlots and are of exemplary quality. They have a well developed body, pleasant aroma and a lively sweetness that only extremely high quality specialty coffees contain."  He goes on to explain that each winning coffee has its own flavor signature from the earth where it grows.  All have been handcrafted in such a way as to enhance these unique characteristics.

Having won the El Porvenir coffee at auction, Clarita Butman, Mayorga's Manager of Direct Sourcing and Community Development, boarded a plane to El Salvador to gain a first-hand experience of the farm and speak directly with the farmers who cultivated this winning crop.  She was greeted by Ms. Adilia Pullinger who was eager to talk about the art of growing coffee.  During Clarita's visit, she learned of El Provernir's passion for quality and love for the land and community on which they depend. 

Mayorga Coffee anticipates the arrival of the El Porvenir crop to its Rockville, MD roasting facility in August, making it available exclusively through Costco.com. 

About Mayorga Coffee

Founded in 1997 by Martin Mayorga, Mayorga Coffee is a highly-recognized Hispanic-owned coffee importer and artisan roaster focused on supporting small farmers throughout Latin America.

About El Porvenir Farm

The El Porvenir farm is committed to sustainable practices of cultivation. There are 70 different tree varieties that provide shade and some 50 species of resident and migratory birds that have been spotted at El Porvenir. Their commitment to quality and sustainability has enabled El Porvenir to be managed under the Rainforest Alliance Certification since 2006.

SOURCE Mayorga Coffee