The Cup of Excellence competition is the most thorough and competitive screening process a coffee farm will put their coffee through. The goal of COE is to bring out the best coffee a current region has to offer in the current crop year. After the competition is over, the COE award is given to the top farmers who represent the best coffees that this region has to offer. These coffees are then put in front of the world on an on-line auction which rewards these farmers for their focused attention to improving quality coffee, and puts a spot light on this region show-casing their excellence.

Direct Trade coffee is a relatively new term which refers to the purchasing practices of coffee roasters who choose to make a direct relationship with the farmers they buy from. It is also known as “relationship coffee”.

We offer a few different roast profiles & blends in order to ensure we satisfy the different preferences of what “espresso” should be. Espresso is not limited to blends, and more people are begging to pull Single Origin (SO’s) espressos. Blends are typically used as they are more consistent in flavor profile from day to day and season to season as the roaster is able to adjust the blend according to the seasonality of the green coffee. What you will find with our blends is a complex flavor profile that comes through as a straight shot, or in milk based beverages.

Watch for a continuous change in this category. We will regularly be featuring unique coffees from around the world that we are finding exceptional at any given time. We purchase coffees that stand out from one another, each show casing a different character and roasted in a way to amplify those special nuances.

These coffees are certified both Fair Trade & Organic; however, for us these coffee were purchased for their cup quality, not simply because they are certified. Fair Trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as social and environmental standards.

Fratello Coffee has wanted to support a greater cause when purchasing our coffees. We are choosing to work directly with farmers, and when possible purchase Rainforest Alliance (RFA) products. Rainforest Alliance auditors measure farms against ten key principles of sustainable agriculture. These 10 key factors were designed by Rainforest Alliance and other members of the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) – a coalition of nonprofit conservation organizations that work together to promote socially responsible and environmentally sustainable agriculture. We want to support our partners in the coffee growing communities, and we want to ensure that the farmers and workers are not only paid well, but are well looked after. We also want to ensure that the total environment is looked at, not simply that they are organic.