The International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) has signed new memoranda of understanding with Cup of Excellence (CoE) and the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE).
The agreements are designed to help more women producers enter CoE competitions, serve on national and international juries and connect with buyers through ACE’s auction and marketing networks.
The Cup of Excellence green coffee competition and auction platform routinely results in elevated prices and industry recognition among producers of exceptional microlots. There are currently 11 CoE programs scheduled to run in 11 countries in 2026.
In an announcement of the MOUs, IWCA CEO Blanca Maria Castro described CoE as “one of the best” marketing tools in the industry, adding that IWCA chapter members are committed to supporting women coffee producers through the partnership.
The IWCA website says the organization currently boasts 36 chapters worldwide — including 28 in traditionally coffee-producing countries — and lists four more that are “in formation.”
CoE executive director Erwin Mierisch said women are “often the unsung heroes and the backbone of the coffee industry.”
“By updating and strengthening our partnership with IWCA and its global chapter network, we envision joint programs that recognize and reward women and that improve their livelihoods,” Mierisch said.
The three nonprofit organizations first signed similar MOUs in 2021. More recently, the IWCA launched a “Vital Impact Fund” to support the most urgent needs of women in coffee. The organization is preparing to host its annual global convention May 13-16 in Bali, Indonesia.
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