Guatemala carried out the international electronic auction Cup of Excellence Guatemala 2026, in which the country’s historical record price in this type of event was reached: US$449.10 per pound.
27 lots of coffee participated in the auction, and the El Injerto I production unit, located in La Libertad, Huehuetenango, obtained the highest price by selling its lot for US$449.10 per pound, according to information from the National Coffee Association (Anacafé).
The previous record price was US$180.20 in 2020. While last year it stood at US$143.10. That is, the current price is two and a half times higher than that of 2020 and three times that of 2025.
The auction was organized by Anacafé and the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE), also known as Cup of Excellence, and took place on Thursday, July 23.
In addition, to date Guatemala registers the highest price per pound in Latin America, a region in which international electronic auctions have been carried out in Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador, the association added.
The 27 winning lots of the 2026 edition of the international Cup of Excellence Guatemala program participated in the Guatemala auction, selected from among 194 samples from all the coffee-growing regions of the country. This is the largest amount recorded by the program in the last nine years, “an aspect that reaffirms the quality, diversity and innovation of Guatemalan coffees,” says the entity.
According to Anacafé, the maximum price was US$449.10 per pound. In addition, an average price of US$35.60 per pound was obtained by auctioning a total of 16,492 pounds, which generated income equivalent to US$587,046.36 from the sale of the 27 lots, acquired by international buyers.
The productive units that reached the highest prices in the 2026 edition were:
- El Injerto I (La Libertad, Huehuetenango), with US$449.10 per pound
- Macadamias (La Libertad, Huehuetenango), with US$135.60 per pound
- Los Aguacatones (Huehuetenango, Huehuetenango), with US$90.10 per pound
- Cascada Encantada (San Pedro Necta, Huehuetenango), with US$42.60 per pound
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Anacafé points out that Cup of Excellence has established itself as one of the main platforms to connect coffee producers with specialized markets around the world and that, since its first edition in Guatemala, in 2001, it has allowed coffees produced in the country to be positioned in international markets.
Different categories
The association explains that, in 2026, five lots were recognized as Presidential Coffees, exceeding 90 points in the sensory evaluation and standing out for their exceptional profile and outstanding quality. “This distinction represents a special recognition within the Cup of Excellence program, reserved only for elite coffees worldwide,” adds the association.
The 2026 Presidential Coffees were:
- El Injerto I, La Libertad, Huehuetenango, 91.86 points, Exotic Process category
- Las Macadamias, La Libertad, Huehuetenango, 90.77 points, Washed Exotic category
- El Morito, Mataquescuintla, Jalapa, 90.75 points, Exotic Washed category
- El Socorro, Palencia, Guatemala, 90.57 points, Exotic Washed category
- Enchanted Waterfall, San Pedro Necta, Huehuetenango, 90.20 points, Exotic Process category
In addition, the association highlighted the classification by categories, since, for the third consecutive year, the national competition recognized the winning coffees in three categories, which allowed the richness of varieties, processes and sensory profiles of Guatemalan coffees to be highlighted:
- One of a Kind Guatemala: traditional varieties with washed, honey or natural processes that incorporate innovation processes
- Washed Exotic: exotic varieties with washed process
- Exotic Process: exotic varieties with honey or natural process
According to Anacafé, this classification strengthens the competitiveness of Guatemalan coffees in the international market, by allowing specialized buyers to more accurately identify the differential value of each lot.
Of the 194 samples received, 134 lots were selected and advanced to the National Competition, where they were rated by nine judges.
Subsequently, the classified coffees were evaluated during the International Competition by a panel made up of 14 international judges, two national judges and three observers, led by Keita Matsumoto, lead judge of Cup of Excellence Guatemala 2026.