Roses and Molasses: Colombia El Bergel Cup of Excellence

Published Feb 1, 2007

Cup of Excellence is the one of the most prestigious coffee awards in the world. Winning coffees are chosen by an international panel of judges and sold to the highest bidder during a competitive auction. When you buy Cup of Excellence coffee as a consumer, you actively support farmers — you know who they are, where they live and work, and that they're receiving premium prices for growing award-winning coffee.

Rare Quality in the Cup

We're proud to roast the winning harvest from El Bergel, a small Colombian family farm owned and operated by Alvaro Cruz (more below). We cupped this rare brew and were enticed by the aromas of a rose garden and flavors of molasses, vanilla, and apricot. This harvest is available exclusively at Gimme! Coffee.

Perfect for Home Brew

We selected El Bergel with our home and office drinkers in mind. It's a medium dark roast that shines when brewed in a French press. We'll be roasting it for a couple of months -- only while supplies last. You can get 1-pound bags in our espresso bars or shipped right to you. The Cup of Excellence seal shows prominently on our silver bags, making El Bergel a great gift idea.

Record Prices to Farmers

Gimme paid over 3 times the Fair Trade rate for El Bergel. We placed the top bid in an internet auction that brought record prices to farmers. In this and other ways, Cup of Excellence is great for farmers:

• Prices up to 40 times the Fair Trade rate
• Recognition for growing quality coffee
• Wide exposure to specialty roasters and new markets
• Free and open to all farmers, rich or poor
• A level playing field for farmers with small harvests
• Open and transparent auction process
• Assistance with branding, certifying, and marketing their harvest
• Increased employment, land improvements, and business expertise

Consumers Benefit, Too

Cup of Excellence is also great for consumers:

• Award-winning flavor, sweetness, and complexity
• Shade-grown, high-quality beans
• One-of-a-kind coffee vintage
• The opportunity to directly support farmers and their families
• Each cup is a unique expression of its microclimate and variety
• Quality certified by five rounds of expert judging
• Consumer access to comprehensive farm information

A Small Family Farm

Alvaro Cruz was born and grew up on the small family farm El Bergel. He now lives there with his wife and three children. They have two permanent employees and 20 temporary employees. He says, "The farm is strategically located close to a mountain where several rivers are born. So the wildlife in the farm is abundant. I don't hunt and I teach the children this philosophy."