After the founding of the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP), producers in the Boquete and Volcán regions of Panama, with the cooperation of the Specialty Coffee Association of the Americas (SCAA), began a movement to create a system for having their country's coffee evaluated using international cupping standards.
Then, with the cooperation of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Panama Tourism Board, the first Best of Panama (BOP) coffee quality competition was held in 1996.
Contest participants included Price Peterson of Esmeralda Farm, Francisco Serracín of Don Pachi Estate farm, and Wilford Lamastus of Elida Estatat farm.
The evaluation criteria were established under the guidance of SCAA's Ted Lingle and George Howell, and SCAA cuppers were invited to serve as judges.
The evaluation was blind, with the names of the farms not being revealed.
The competition was a success thanks to Panamanian producers' voluntary adoption of international standards, SCAA experts' ensuring transparency in the evaluation process, and the government and international organizations' providing infrastructure support, and it has continued to be held ever since.
Comments