A Global Event: Celebrating Coffee with EIICA
As the year comes to a close, one of my favorite annual moments for coffee recently occurred, shining a much-needed, positive light on 2020.
The meeting of 27 coffee growers from nine countries, an A-list international fashion model and Giada de Laurentiis for the 2020 Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award (EIICA), this year’s annual celebration of growers whose sustainably nurtured harvests are of the world’s highest quality, as judged by illy’s own experts and an independent panel of judges. (Giada was among those judges, and the model, Arizona Muse, a dedicated sustainability activist who served as the event’s emcee).
EIICA festivities are typically held in New York City in October, starting with a celebration for the international community of coffee growers at the United Nations, topped off with a gala at a landmark NYC venue. The three top growers from each of nine countries travel to the event courtesy of illy, one of which, by evening’s end, is named “Best of the Best” by the expert panel. A separate “Coffee Lover’s Choice” honor is bestowed upon the beans voted as tops by illy fans who got an early taste at illy Caffè shops in key cities.
This year being a year like no other, EIICA went virtual for 2020, and because of it, was truly global in nature. Hundreds of coffee-interested journalists, culinary experts, coffee industry leaders and others from around the world tuned in live on December 3. Along with, of course, the 27 growers themselves. The ceremony was produced jointly in Milan and Trieste - illy’s hometown - with illy family members, our global CEO and others appearing to share the stage with Arizona.
When all was said and done, quite incredibly, one grower took home both awards: Cooperativa Cocabel from Honduras. The co-op has been an illy supplier since 2017 and consists of 84 members, who are chiefly small-scale growers able to achieve incredible quality. I can tell you that their harvest was exceptional, having tasted the evidence in my cup. Their beans, along with those of first-place winners from the other eight countries, will contribute to next year’s illy blend.
Arizona, our emcee, fulfilled her role with not just stage presence, but also a sense of shared values and mission. Her knowledge and appreciation of illy’s pioneering role in sustainability and ethics was hard to miss, highlighting the role that direct coffee trade and guaranteed profits play in creating a virtuous circle, where growers can be prosperous for achieving great quality coffee, which in turn is enjoyed by coffee lovers, who see the value and are willing to pay as well for this amazing quality experience in their cup.
Who knew a virtual event could be so amazing? With each EIICA, my appreciation for coffee growers remains with me, as I hope it does for coffee lovers all over the world.
If you have time this holiday season, check out the archived video of the event here at www.EIICA2020.com
