23 Exceptional Guatemalan coffee lots
will be auctioned June 15

Guatemala City, April 30, 2004- Christian Rasch, Vice-President of The Guatemalan National Coffee Association, Anacafé, announced in the closing ceremony of the International Competition “The Exceptional Cup 2004” the names of the 23 coffee lots that will be sold through the Internet on June 15. For the first time, a cooperative ranked in the top 5 places and Jalapa, in Southeastern Guatemala, a microclimate that had not been previously selected for coffee auctions. Mr. Rasch also said he was delighted that La Aurora, a certified organic coffee, was selected by the international jurors.

Heading the list of coffees to be auctioned is Huehuetenango in the first, second, fifth and ninth place. Jalapa occupied the third and seventh position, followed by Chimaltenango, Sacatepéquez (where the famous Antigua region is located), Alta Verapaz (where Cobán region is located) and Santa Rosa. Mane’ Alves, head judge and international coordinator, emphasized that “the national jury did an excellent job and thus, the international jury had a hard time eliminating coffees. There are great coffees”.

Eduardo Ambrocio, master cupper of Anacafé, indicated that “the averages were so even that every decimal counted in order to qualify the winning coffees. This proves that coffee growers understand the importance of processing and maintaining quality”. To highlight this point, Ambrocio indicated the names of farms whose coffee lots have been selected in previous auctions. “El Injerto I; La Merced; Buena Vista y Anexos; La Bolsa; Danilandia y Anexos; Granja El Tempixque; and Huitz Matig”.

Due to the enthusiastic comments of the international jury, a new microclimate, organic coffee, Anacafé anticipates aggressive biddings on June 15 for the exceptional coffees. “Within the coffee crisis there are also great opportunities and the auction program is one of them”, said vice-president Rasch during the closing ceremony where the 23 owners of the winning coffee lots received public recognition and the international jurors were presented to the Guatemalan coffee sector.

Anacafé officials also informed that the registration process for bidders will is now open, at http://coffee.stoneworks.com/auction/index.cfm. The cost for registering is $50.00, which includes shipping of samples of all winning coffees. The Internet coffee auction is schedule on June 15, and will utilize the Specialty Coffee Association of America, SCAA, Internet platform.

List of winning coffees

1. Miralvalle, Huehuetenango
2. El Injerto I, Huehuetenango
3. Vizcaya, Jalapa
4. La Merced, Chimaltenango
5. Coop. Hoja Blanca, Huehuetenango
6. Buena Vista y Anexos; Sacatepéquez
7. El Morito, Jalapa
8. La Aurora, Alta Verapaz (OCIA and JAS certified)
9.La Bolsa, Huehuetenango
10.Danilandia y Anexo, Santa Rosa
11.La Esperancita y Anexo, Huehuetenango
12. Vista Hermosa, Huehuetenango
13.El Granadillo, Huehuetenango
14.Puerta Verde, Sacatepéquez
15.Pachujul, Sololá
16.El Desoriente, Guatemala
17.Las Nubes, Suchitepéquez
18. La Burbuja y Anexos, Huehuetenango
19.El Porvenir, Guatemala
20.Granja El Tempisque, Sacatepéquez
21.Linda Vista, Santa Rosa
22.Huitz Matig, Huehuetenango
23.La Tacita, Sacatepéquez

Quotes of the international jury members

“I feel that the quality of the coffee improves thanks to the auction programs. I look forward to participating in the auction again”. Takashi Nagata, Caravan Coffee, Japan:

“It has been very interesting because the national jury did a huge job selecting very good coffee lots. Since we have different type of taste, in the final stage we had difficulties selecting coffees, but of course, in any kind of competition, there is always a winner and this was not the exception”. Lasse Tackman, Gustav Paulig, Finland.

"I started to use Guatemalan Coffees in these last years and I really like them. This cupping showed me that my feeling for Guatemalan Coffees has always been right. This is an origin of Specialty Coffees!” Ouji Kuramitsu, Current Co. Ltd., Japan.

"The Cafés de Guatemala were introduced in my company recently and acquired a good market position as a Specialty Coffee. I’m impressed with the coffees that I cupped during these three days and, of course, I intend to buy some of them at the AUCTION." Gunto Kato, President of Hamaya Co. Ltd., Japan.

" I knew Guatemalan Coffees some years ago and, since the first cup, I had a good impression. During the cupping promoted by ANACAFÉ, I found 3 or 4 exceptional coffees and I hope to buy them in the auction." Toshihide Horiguchi, President of Horiguchi Coffees – Horiguchi Kohikobo, Japan.

"The Japanese people consider Guatemalan Coffees as very fine coffees. After four days of cupping many exceptional coffees, I understood how different and sophisticated these coffees are. So, in my next lectures, I will explain to the Japanese Coffee Lovers how outstanding Guatemalan Coffees are." Prof. Eng. Yukio Hirose, Kanazawa University, Chair of Light Materials, and Director of Japan Specialty Coffee Cultural Association, Japan.

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For more information, please contact Gabriela Cordón, gabrielacv@anacafe.org; http://portal.anacafe.org.

phone: (+502) 3664583; fax: (+502)3633158.