Global Coffee Awards crown the best roasters in US & Canada

Key takeaways

• The Global Coffee Awards (GCA) recognise the world’s best roasters and the producers who grow their coffees.
• The US & Canada edition was held on 10 & 11 August 2026.
• The overall winner is Sweet Bloom Coffee from Denver, Colorado, US.
• All Gold, Silver, and Bronze category winners are invited to compete in the 2026 GCA World Championship, held at PRF Mexico on 18 & 19 March 2027.

The US & Canada edition of the Global Coffee Awards (GCA) took place on 10 & 11 August 2026. 

Each sample went through a double-blind assessment by a head judge and at least three other judges. Every judge holds a Q grader qualification and has worked at competitions such as the World Barista Championship, Best of Panama, and Cup of Excellence, and an expert panel interviewed and selected each one before the competition began.

Judges scored entries using an objective system, giving every roaster feedback they can use to refine their roast profiles.

Read on to find out who won and to learn more about the GCA’s upcoming competitions.

Learn more about the GCA here.

Awarding excellence in a mature specialty coffee market

The GCA runs its competitions regionally. Roasters of all sizes can enter, from small-batch independents to large-scale national brands, and each submits their most exceptional coffees across defined categories.

“It’s uniquely objective by design, which is extremely valuable in the very subjective world of coffee sensory assessment,” says Lane Mitchell, manager at Artisan Coffee Imports and Marketing & Business Relationship Development at Carrboro Coffee Roasters. Lane has over a decade of experience working in coffee and has served as a judge at the Global Coffee Awards, Cup of Excellence, Taste of Harvest, and US Coffee Championships.

“The competition is consumer-oriented,” Lane adds. “It recognises there are many types of coffee drinkers with diverse preferences, and the variety of coffees it represents is one of its greatest strengths.”

Consumer awareness of quality is growing in mature markets like the US and Canada. According to the 2026 National Coffee Data Trends Specialty Coffee Report, specialty coffee consumption remains at a record high in the US, with 47% of American adults having had specialty coffee in the past day, surpassing past-day consumption of traditional coffee at 42%. In Canada, meanwhile, 71% of Canadian adults drank coffee in the past day, making it the country’s most consumed beverage.

Roasters from across the US, including California, Washington, New York, Oregon, Virginia, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Idaho, Washington DC, Texas, Arizona, North Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Illinois, and Missouri, took part. In Canada, roasters from provinces including Alberta, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick and more submitted coffees.

“The GCA is a prestigious and internationally well known and respected competition,” says Nelicia Miranda-Troup, head roaster at Sweet Bloom Coffee, the 2026 GCA US & Canada Overall Winner. “It’s exciting to be challenged and interact with other roasters and people in the industry who understand what we do and how we get excellence from the producers to customer, plus getting feedback is important.”

Breaking down the GCA judging process

All judging at the Global Coffee Awards follows a strict double-blind protocol. None of the judges or coffee professionals involved, including the Sensory Judges and the barista team preparing the samples, receive any identifying information about the coffees they’re assessing.

As a result, judges score every coffee on quality alone, not on a roastery’s reputation.

Judging was held at green coffee importer Copan Trade in Houston, Texas, US. The judging panel is made up of a Head Judge, a certified Lead Sensory Judge, certified Q grader Sensory Judges, a Head Barista, and a barista team. At least three judges, plus a Head Judge, assessed every sample.

Before judging starts, each judge attends a one-day calibration session to align on scoring categories and criteria. Real-time check-ins then maintain this consistency throughout the judging process.

“One of the things I lament about the coffee industry is how much a coffee roaster’s reputation can shape the perception of their quality,” says Phil Robertson, co-founder of Phil & Sebastian, a 2026 GCA US & Canada Gold Winner. 

“I’m excited about competitions like the Global Coffee Awards because they allow us, as coffee roasters, to be evaluated more objectively, decoupled from our reputation and popularity, and based solely on the quality of the coffee itself.”

Adding value for roasters

Every coffee entered receives written feedback in line with set assessment protocols. Judges evaluate entries purely on sensory quality, giving roasters clear, practical insight into their roasting styles and how to improve them.

“The Global Coffee Awards is one of the few coffee competitions where roasters receive actionable feedback on their submissions that they can apply to day-to-day operations to support sales,” says Mark Zhou, founder of MTPak Coffee, a leading global supplier of custom-printed coffee packaging and the Global Coffee Awards Gold Sponsor.

“As part of our focus on exceptional coffee packaging, we pick one roaster at every edition of the GCA whose design stands out as the most inventive, eye-catching, and ahead of the curve.”

Categories at GCA US & Canada

The categories were Filter, Espresso, Flat White Dairy, and Flat White Plant-Based Milk, plus the Ready to Drink (RTD) bonus category. Each category included several subcategories, such as Washed, Gesha, and Blend.

“We’re very excited to be part of the GCA,” says Justin Morehead, the CEO of Harris Woolf California Almonds, a grower-owned and vertically integrated almond processor and the Global Coffee Awards Silver Sponsor.

The team prepared all coffees as a consumer would experience them in a café, using specific brew parameters and brewing protocols to maintain consistency and ensure fair, accurate judging.

Harris Woolf Almond Milk 2.0 was used in the Flat White Plant-Based Milk category. “We wanted to create an almond milk that hits not only on taste, nutrition, and sustainability, but also functionality in terms of what the coffee industry needs – latte art, tight microfoam, and the longevity of milk foam,” Justin says.

Equipment Partner Hiroia provided automated pour over systems. Equipment Partner Geva Coffee provided espresso machines, grinders, automated tampers, and ceramic cups. Water Sponsor Bluewater Group provided water purification and remineralisation systems.

Each category had its own separate objective scoring system. All judges used a judging form to assign a numerical score across multiple criteria, including aroma, flavour, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, sweetness, and mouthfeel. 

“There is no packaging in front of the panel, no logo, no brand name – only the cup,” says Alsu Karimova, head roaster at Shavi Coffee Roasters, a 2026 GCA US & Canada Gold Winner. “The judges have no idea who roasted the coffee, so marketing can’t give you an upper hand. A good result means exactly one thing: an international sensory panel scored that cup highly.”

You can find detailed information about the judging criteria here. 

The winners of the 2026 Global Coffee Awards US & Canada

The winners of the 2026 GCA US & Canada edition are:

Overall winner: Sweet Bloom Coffee from Denver, Colorado, US

Category winners:

• Filter – Cafe Kreyol from Manassas, Virginia, US
• Espresso – Lucky’s Coffee from Upland, California, US
• Flat White Dairy – Soul Cafe Coffee Roasters from New York City, New York, US
• Flat White Plant-Based Milk – Sweet Bloom Coffee
• Ready to Drink – Pulp Coffee from San Antonio, Texas, US

Here are the gold winners of each sub-category (roaster and producer, exporter, or co-operative). Entrants who received identical scores in a subcategory both placed first, ensuring fair results.

Filter

• Gesha – Sweet Bloom Coffee and Angel Paz of San Vicente Coffee Exporters in Santa Barbara, Honduras 
• Single origin
  • Wush Wush Honey from Mt Zulu Coffee in Levittown, Pennsylvania, US and Fabio Nelson Castaño at La Isla Finca in Risaralda, Colombia
  • Pink Bourbon from Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters in Sandpoint, Idaho, US and Diego Parra Beltran of Finca El Mirador in Huila, Colombia
  • Washed Sidra from Shavi Coffee Roasters in Washington DC, US and Paola Trujillo of Finca Patio Bonito in Cauca, Colombia
• Single origin experimental
  • Red Bourbon from Theory Coffee Roasters in Redding, California, US and Jhoan Vergara of Finca Las Flores in Huila, Colombia
  • Dear Mama Colombia El Paraíso RosaTe Castillo from Soul Cafe Coffee Roasters and Finca El Paraíso in Cauca, Colombia
• Washed
  • Heirloom Gerse from Camonn Coffee in San Francisco, California, US, and multiple smallholders in Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
  • Pink Bourbon from Little Amps Coffee Roasters in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, US and Jorge Elías Rojas of Finca el Jardín in Tolima, Colombia
  • Gesha from Lima Coffee Roasters in Fort Collins, Colorado, US and Wilder Garcia in Cajamarca, Peru
• Co-fermented
  • Melon d’eau Smash Caturra from Bean et Bonheur Torréfacteur in Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada and Edwin Noreña of Campo Hermoso in Quindío, Colombia
  • Bombe Mtn Anaerobic Mosto Heirloom from Neighbors Coffee Roasters in Rockville, Maryland, US and Samson Z & Eden Getachew of And Specialty Coffee in Sidamo, Ethiopia
• Natural
  • Sweet Bloom Coffee and Angel Paz of San Vicente Coffee Exporters
  • Natural Gesha from Merit Coffee in San Antonio, Texas, US and Eduar Troyes of El Romerillo in Cajamarca, Peru
  • Guji Dikitu Typica Heirloom from Cafe Kreyol (producer undisclosed)
• Honey – Semi-washed Gesha from Mt Zulu Coffee and Sebastian Velásquez of Finca La Cumparsita in Caldas, Colombia
• Experimental blend – Heat Waves Summer Profile (60% washed Colombia Recruitment Lot, 25% natural Ethiopia Banko Gotti, and 15% mixed fermentations Colombia Development Lot) from Upshot Coffee in St. Louis, Missouri, US and multiple producers from Colombia and Ethiopia
• Barrel aged – Bounty of Gaia Caturra from LongStory Coffee in Belleville, Illinois, US and Cumbres in Huila, Colombia
• Blend
  • Central American Fusion from Smelly Cat Coffeehouse & Roastery in Charlotte, North Carolina, US and Finca La Julia in Sabanilla de Alajuela, Costa Rica and multiple growing regions in Guatemala
  • Amor Eterno (80% Natural Veracruz: Bourbon, Typica, Mundo Novo and 20% Washed Chiapas: Bourbon, Catuai, Catimor, Caturra, Pacamara, and Typica) from Talavera Coffee in Magnolia, Texas, US and multiple producers from Ixhuatlan, Veracruz and Chiapas, Mexico
• Decaf
  • Ready To Die Lychee Peach Decaf from Soul Cafe Coffee Roasters and Finca El Paraíso
  • EA Decaf El Nevado Colombia, Caturra & Castillo from Moxie Coffee Co. in Phoenix, Arizona, US and multiple producers in Tolima, Colombia
• Classic roast profile – Colombia & Caturra from What’s Brewing? in San Antonio, Texas, US and Luisa Lopez of Finca San Antonio in Nariño, Colombia

Espresso

• Single origin – Sweet Kept Secret Ethiopia Landrace from Paix Coffee in Richmond, Virginia, US and Habtamu Fekadu Aga in Guji, Ethiopia
• Single origin experimental – Candy Cloud Morkie 72 Hour Anaerobic Natural Kurume 74158 from Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters in Calgary, Canada, and Alo Coffee PLC in Sidama, Ethiopia
• Experimental blend – Cloister Reserve Blend (various varieties) from Mystic Monk Coffee in Meeteetse, Wyoming, US and various producers in Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, and Ethiopia
• Co-fermented – Watermelon Castillo & Caturra from Lucky’s Coffee Roasters and Julio Cesar Madrid Tisnes of Finca Milan in Quindio, Colombia
• Blend
  • Reel to Reel (Castillo, Caturra, Typica, 74110, 74140, 74112, and 74165) from Philly Fair Trade Roasters in Reinholds, Pennsylvania, US and Inconexus in Bogotá, Colombia and Abdulwahid Sherif in Limmu Kossa, Ethiopia
  • Rainbow Hopper (Guji Heirloom and Bourbon) from Regalia Coffee in New York City, New York, US, and multiple producers in Ethiopia and Colombia
• Classic roast profile
  • Finca San Antonio Blend (Colombia & Caturra) from What’s Brewing? and Luisa Lopez of Finca San Antonio
• Decaf
  • Red & Yellow Caturra from Cafe Kreyol and Shady Bayter of El Vergel in Tolima, Colombia 
  • Sunset Serenade from Talitha Coffee Roasters in San Diego, California, US and various smallholders in Honduras

Flat White Dairy

• Single origin – Gesha Sweet Bloom Coffee and Angel Paz of San Vicente Coffee Exporters
• Experimental – Careless Whisper Castillo Lychee Peach from Soul Cafe Coffee Roasters and Finca El Paraíso
• Blend – Alchemist 1 (Gesha and Caturron) from Tug Hill Artisan Roasters in Lowville, New York, US and Luisa Maria Lopez of Finca San Antonio in Nariño, Colombia and Diego Gomez of Finca La Floresta in Huila, Colombia
• Classic roast profile
  • Espresso Classico from Mystic Monk Coffee and multiple producers in Brazil and India
  • Candy Bar (Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, Mundo Novo, Garnica, Marsellesa, Cuscatleco, Parainema, Arara, and Obatá) from Square One Coffee Roasters in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and multiple producers in Coatepec, Mexico and San Miguel, El Salvador
• Co-fermented – Caturra and Pink Bourbon decaf from Upshot Coffee and Sebastian Ramirez of El Placer in Huila, Colombia

Flat White Plant-Based Milk

• Single origin – Chelchele Heirloom from Sweet Bloom Coffee and multiple producers from Banko Chelchele washing station in Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia 
• Co-fermented – Caturra and Pink Bourbon decaf from Upshot Coffee and Sebastian Ramirez of El Placer
• Blend – Alchemist 1 (Gesha and Caturron) from Tug Hill Artisan Roasters and Luisa Maria Lopez of Finca San Antonio and Diego Gomez of Finca La Floresta
• Classic roast profile
  • Bullet Profile from Reunion Coffee Roasters in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and multiple producers at Fazenda Santa Hedwirges in Sul de Minas, Brazil, Empresa Agrícola San Francisco Cotzal in Triangulo Ixil, Guatemala, and Café Orgánico Marcala Sociedad Anónima in Marcala, Honduras
  • Lucem (Mundo Novo, Red Catuai, Bourbon, IHCAFE 90, and Pacas) from Merit Coffee and multiple producers from Los Volcanes in Minas Gerais, Brazil and Boncafe in San Pedro Sula, Honduras
• Experimental
  • La Laguna Caturra from MillCross Coffee in Culver City, California, US and William Mora in Tarrazú, Costa Rica
  • Unicorn Dreams (Pink Bourbon, Caturra, and local arabica landraces) from Kissing Rock Coffee in Gold Beach, Oregon, US and Anna Maria Donneys of Cafe Primitivo in Quindío, Colombia, Palacios Family of Finca La Providencia in Tacuba, El Salvador, and smallholder farmers organised around EDN Ethiopian Coffee in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

MTPak Packaging Award winner: The Boy and The Bear in Los Angeles, California, US

All participating roasters received detailed feedback forms for each sample submitted. 

“Roasters who value an unbiased quality evaluation from a highly qualified and internationally calibrated sensory panel, along with expert feedback from industry experts, should submit their coffees to the Global Coffee Awards,” says Lane.

“Each coffee submitted receives detailed written feedback that describes the taste experience and can unlock opportunities for quality improvement from soil to cup.”

For example, for a Natural entry in the Filter category, the judges suggested extending the Maillard phase slightly to enhance sweetness, body, and overall structure. They also recommended a different transition into first crack, or increased airflow toward the end of the roast, to highlight the floral notes and reduce bitterness.

“When I was behind the roaster day in and day out, I wanted that kind of feedback,” says Christian Ott, Field Implementation Manager at Tradecraft Coffee & Tea. Christian has served on the judging panel at US Barista Championships and was a Sensory Judge at the GCA US & Canada. “I sent a coffee I loved to a competition years ago. I didn’t place, and all I received was a score. Nothing actionable or tangible.

“Hearing from a more experienced roaster who could say, ‘Your roast had characteristic X; you could try this approach to bring out Y instead,’ would have been invaluable,” he adds. “As a young roaster, I craved that kind of useful feedback in return for submitting a coffee.”

Roasters also received digital Certificates of Achievement and Global Coffee Awards seals in Gold, Silver, and Bronze. These distinctive marks of excellence can be displayed on packaging, marketing materials, websites, social media channels, and menus.

You can find all the GCA US & Canada category and subcategory winners here.

Key takeaways from the GCA US & Canada

Filter coffee has a longstanding history in the US and Canada and is vastly popular both in and out of the home. Naturally, the Filter category was the most popular at the GCA US & Canada, too. The most popular Filter subcategories were Single Origin, Washed, Natural, and Single Origin Experimental.

The top five highest-scoring coffees were:

• First: Alchemist 1 in the Flat White Plant-Based Blend subcategory
  • The coffee was produced by Luisa Maria Lopez of Finca San Antonio and Diego Gomez of Finca La Floresta and roasted by Tug Hill Artisan Roasters
• Second: Sidra in the Filter Single Origin Experimental subcategory
  • The coffee was produced by Adrian & Nestor Lasso at El Diviso in Huila, Colombia and roasted by Lucky’s Coffee Roasters
• Third: Sweet Kept Secret in the Espresso Single Origin subcategory
  • The coffee was produced by Habtamu Fekadu Aga and roasted by Paix Coffee
• Fourth: Angel Paz Gesha in the Filter Gesha subcategory
  • The coffee was produced by Angel Paz and roasted by Sweet Bloom
• Fifth: Watermelon Castillo & Caturra in the Espresso Co-fermented subcategory
  • The coffee was produced by Julio Cesar Madrid Tisnes and roasted by Lucky’s Coffee Roasters

Upcoming Global Coffee Awards editions

The 2026 GCA Europe edition will be held in October. Judging will take place at Belco in Bordeaux, France. The entry kit is here, and all samples must be received by 21 October 2026.

All Gold, Silver, and Bronze overall category winners of the 2026 MENA, Africa, Asia, US & Canada, Latin America, and Europe editions will take part in the 2026 GCA World Championship, which will take place at Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF) Mexico on 18 & 19 March 2027.

During the two-day forum, the Global Coffee Awards & PRF Annual Dinner will be held. All winning roasters and producers from the regional competitions will be invited to attend and will be formally recognised, along with the newly crowned World Champions.

Tickets to the Global Coffee Awards & PRF Annual Dinner are open to all PRF attendees and will be available in the coming weeks. You can also view the information kit here.

The Global Coffee Awards & PRF Annual Dinner will provide an exclusive opportunity for attendees to network with leaders in the specialty coffee industry from around the world, including award-winning roasters and Cup of Excellence-winning producers.

The 2026 GCA will be the biggest edition yet, featuring more roasters from around the world than ever before.

Through its international competition circuit, the GCA identifies the best roasters across regions and pits them against one another in the World Championship to find the World’s Best Roaster.

Contact info@globalcoffeeawards.com and the GCA Sales and Partnerships Manager, Emi Rueda, via WhatsApp here for more information.

Apply to compete in the GCA here.

Photo credits: Slow Pour Supply, Flannery Lenz, Sweet Bloom Coffee, Cafe Kreyol, Lucky’s Coffee Roasters, Soul Cafe Coffee Roasters, MillCross Coffee, The Boy and The Bear

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