International Coffee Tasting 2025, the international coffee competition, opens registrations for its 17th edition and launches ICT Benchmarks to support companies’ marketing

Registrations are now open for the new edition of the competition, presenting the new ICT Benchmarks, a tool that analyzes products and is specifically designed for participating companies’ marketing. Three days of sensory evaluation will take place in Milan from November the 18th to the 20th, ending with the awarding for the best coffees.

ICT Benchmarks: IIAC newest tool to support companies' marketing

International Coffee Tasting, the international coffee competition organized by IIAC – International Institute of Coffee Tasters, is the only competition that uses a strictly scientific method to recognize the best coffees. And this year it comes back, featuring the new ICT Benchmarks, a tool designed to allow companies to position their products with respect to the highest standards available on the market.

“Our purpose has always been to award the Gold Medal to the best products and to support them on the market, and this year we are introducing ICT Benchmarks, a tool meant for companies’ marketing, that gives them the opportunity to compare their products sensory characteristics with those of our Gold Medals, naturally in full compliance with due confidentiality” – says Carlo Odello, president of IIAC – “A tool available to all participating companies. The winner will, of course, receive our Gold Medal, a recognition given by a third party and based on a scientific method whose validity can be easily demonstrated, increasingly sought after by companies as a key factor in their market credibility."

From November the 18th to the 20th, IIAC sensory judges will be involved in three days of sensory evaluation on different categories of products (including single origin, blend, single-serve, instant coffee, ready-to-drink beverages, concentrate coffee).

While the market approach accelerates due to the innovation of ICT Benchmarks, the scientific core of the competition remains unchanged: sensory judges will continue to operate completely blindly, applying the strict rules of sensory analysis, the data the judges provide will be statistically validated and only the products that reach the threshold established by the regulations will be awarded the Gold Medal. The transparency of the competition is crucial as always: the formula for calculating scores assigned to the competing products is public and available on the International Coffee Tasting website, along with an explanation of the weight given to each sensory characteristics.