Judges named Francisco Mena of Monte Llano Bonito in Lourdes, Naranjo, the winner of the 2016 Cup of Excellence prize. This is the fourth time a farm in Lourdes has won top honors.
The breakaway favorite of Costa Rica’s 2014 Cup of Excellence competition took home the highest bid in the Alliance for Coffee Excellence international auction Tuesday, netting over $60,000.
The anticipation was palpable Friday night as a room of producers from across Costa Rica met at the Costa Rican Coffee Institute’s field office in San Pedro de Barva, Heredia, to hear who would win the honor of the best coffee in a country renowned for its high quality beans.