White Coffee's Cup of Excellence Juror Rates Salvadoran Coffee for Auction

LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y., June 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- One of White Coffee Corporation's connoisseurs, Rodger Owen, former CEO of Bucks County Coffee, was selected as a Cup of Excellence® juror for the fifth year in a row, with this year's competition held last month in Ataco, El Salvador. Along with 19 other international jurors – including three Americans – Owen has graded and savored the most exclusive Salvadoran beans set to auction on-line on June 29. Salvadoran growers are receiving the opportunity to present their finest beans to coffee buyers who had previously limited exposure to the countries' top production.

"The flavor of the Salvadoran coffee is bright, complex and well-rounded," says Rodger Owen, Cup of Excellence Juror and National Sales Manager at White Coffee Corporation in Long Island City, NY. "The Bourbon and Pacamara varietals stand out like aged prime beef, delivering wonderful, rich flavors that consumers are sure to enjoy."

Brazil, Viet Nam and Colombia are the largest producers of coffee beans, with Brazil and Colombia exporting the predominance of Arabica or premium beans. However, as top quality supplies are stressed, geography is no longer determinant. Some of the finest beans are coming from smaller producing countries like Guatemala, Costa Rica and El Salvador, i.e., the winner of the Cup of Excellence® prevails.

With certainty there will be spirited bidding at auction of El Salvador's best beans this week. Coffee exports from El Salvador were 1.68 million 60-kilogram bags through June 8 of the 2010-11 season, up 88% from the same period last year, according to the Salvadoran Coffee Council. The principal destinations for the coffee were Germany, receiving 33%, and the U.S., receiving 32%.(1)

The Cup of Excellence® is an award for the top coffees of each harvest. Competitions are open to all farmers equally. Managed by the non-profit Alliance for Coffee Excellence, Inc., the Cup of Excellence® has discovered thousands of unknown exemplary coffee farmers and ensured that they were rewarded for their hard work. For more information about the Cup of Excellence® program or to become a buyer of these coffees, log on to www.cupofexcellence.org.

White Coffee Corporation is based in Long Island City, NY and is a third-generation family-owned coffee importing and roasting business in operation since 1939. As a core part of its coffee offerings, White Coffee is proud to feature products that are certified "organic" by Quality Insurance International and "fair trade" by Fair Trade USA. White Coffee products are available on-line at www.whitecoffee.com or call 1-800-221-0140 for more information.

(1)  Jun 09, 2011 (Dow Jones Commodities News via Comtex) -- DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

CONTACT:  Mary Beth Kramer
Kramer Consulting
(215) 431-3946

SOURCE White Coffee Corporation