Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 13
International Taste Institute Gives 19 Coffees 3-Star Awards After 250 Judges Taste-Test
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 13

International Taste Institute Gives 19 Coffees 3-Star Awards After 250 Judges Taste-Test

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 13

Summary

  • Nineteen coffees won the International Taste Institute’s top three-star Superior Taste designation after blind judging by more than 250 chefs and sommeliers.
  • Products had to score above 90% for three stars, with judges rating first impression, vision, olfaction, taste and final sensation in silent tastings with no identifying markers.
  • Lavazza placed two U.S.-available coffees among the top winners — La Reserva de ¡Tierra! Colombia and Tales of Italy Canal Grande — while Italy led all countries with five whole-bean three-star coffees.
  • Category standouts included Colombia’s Café San Alberto as the only ground coffee winner, Malaysia’s Oriental Kopi Classic White Coffee as the only instant winner, and Costa Coffee Professional taking three pod and capsule awards.
  • The awards span whole-bean, ground, instant, capsule and decaf products, with the institute describing the certification as a global prestige marker for food and beverage taste quality.

Insights

Are these award-winning coffees genuinely superior, or does a gold star simply justify a higher price tag?
Can a panel of 250 experts truly define 'superior taste' for a diverse, global coffee market?
As single-serve pods win top taste awards, how can the industry justify their immense environmental footprint?