Coffee lovers, wine enthusiasts, tea devotees—here’s a move set to redefine the industry. The International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) has struck new partnerships with Cup of Excellence (CoE) and the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE), aiming to amplify women’s roles in coffee’s most prestigious platforms. These memoranda of understanding (MOUs) are more than paperwork—they’re a blueprint for equity, designed to open doors for women producers, jurors, and buyers in a male-dominated field.
CoE’s green coffee competitions and auctions have long been a gold standard, lifting microlots to record prices and global acclaim. Yet women remain underrepresented in these high-stakes arenas. The new MOUs seek to change that. By 2026, 11 CoE programs will span 11 countries, offering women a direct pipeline to recognition. IWCA CEO Blanca Maria Castro calls CoE “one of the best” tools for elevating producers, while ACE’s auction networks promise to connect women with buyers hungry for quality. This isn’t just about visibility—it’s about economic power.
The partnership also taps into ACE’s mission to standardize coffee quality, ensuring women’s coffees meet—and exceed—industry benchmarks. CoE’s executive director, Erwin Mierisch, emphasizes that women are “the backbone of the coffee industry,” yet their contributions often go unacknowledged. These MOUs aim to flip that script, creating programs that reward women’s labor and lift their livelihoods. The 2021 MOUs laid groundwork, but the latest agreements add urgency, backed by IWCA’s Vital Impact Fund, which targets the most pressing needs of women in coffee.
The stakes are clear: this isn’t charity—it’s strategy. By integrating women into CoE’s elite networks, IWCA and ACE are reshaping who gets to define excellence. The annual global convention in Bali, Indonesia, will be a proving ground for these efforts. But the real test? Whether this collaboration translates to lasting change.
How can the coffee world ensure these initiatives don’t fade into another well-intentioned promise.
What’s your take? How can the coffee world ensure these initiatives don’t fade into another well-intentioned promise? Share your thoughts below.
Questions & Answers
What is the IWCA’s role in the coffee industry?
IWCA supports women in coffee through training, mentorship, and networking. It aims to increase women’s participation and leadership in coffee production and trade globally.
What does the MOU with Cup of Excellence mean for women in coffee?
The MOU helps women access premium coffee markets. It provides training and resources to improve quality and competitiveness in the specialty coffee sector.
Information sourced from industry reports and news outlets.
