A Geisha grown in Costa Rica in July brought a record $300 per pound at the Cup of Excellence (COE) auction.
Luis Ricardo Calderon, 60, who farms near Copey de Dota, sold the 529-pound lot of honey-processed coffee for $158,780. The buyers, Maruyama Coffee in partnership with Sarutahiko Coffee and Yamada Coffee, paid a premium “that exceeded by far our expectations,” said Noelia Villalobos, executive director of the Specialty Coffee Association of Costa Rica.
The Alliance for Coffee Excellence, based in Portland, Ore., conducts several competitions annually in coffee producing countries. The previous COE record was $130.20 per pound.
In the Best of Panama auction, an Elida Estate Geisha sold for $803 per pound. The previous high was $601.