Anette Moldvaer wins SCAE World Cup Tasting Championship in Antwerp

18th May 2007

Norwegian-born Anette Moldvaer, representing the United Kingdom, took the 2007 SCAE World Cup Tasters Championship in late May, beating contestants from 18 other nations for the top prize.

The light-hearted but suspenseful competition marked the climax of the first full day of the SCAE Coffee Fiesta, held at Antwerp's Hilton Hotel, and attracted an appreciative audience of supporters.

The Coffee Fiesta, including a tabletop exhibition, workshops and training sessions, was launched with a conference introduced by SCAE president Colin Smith. He moderated presentations by Dr Nestor Osorio of the International Coffee Organization, Robert Simmons of LMC International, Dr Giorgio Graziosi of the University of Trieste and Utz Certified's Lucas Simons. (All of the conference presentations will shortly be available on this website to SCAE members who could not attend.)

The fourth edition of the World Cup Tasters Championship, hosted by its deviser Alf Kramer, tested an international group of expert cuppers against their peers from around the world. Moldvaer, who works at speciality trade house Mercanta in Kingston-upon-Thames, UK, came first, ahead of top Icelandic cupper Arni Ragnarsson, in second place, and Brazilian grower Jacques Pereira, who came third.

Coffees for the competition were sourced directly from estates around the world, Kramer explained, and then roasted at Belgian private label roaster Sas. In all, 19 cuppers participated in the competition, which tested their palates in determining small differences between 14 different coffee types.

Photo (by Charles Prager): Cup Tasting Champion Anette Moldvaer celebrates her victory with the British and Norwegian flags