Registrations are now open for the eighteenth edition of International Coffee Tasting, the business-oriented coffee competition
- Apr 28
- 2 min read
International Coffee Tasting 2026, the competition organized by IIAC - International Institute of Coffee Tasters, is now accepting submissions for products that want to compete for the Gold Medal. Participating companies will also have access to numerous business-oriented tools such as sensory profiles and market benchmarks.
Registrations are officially open for International Coffee Tasting 2026, the international coffee competition organized by IIAC - International Institute of Coffee Tasters, a point of reference for the scientific evaluation of coffee quality, which awards a Gold Medal to the best products.
The competition represents a concrete opportunity for companies and roasters wishing to stand out in the market, thanks to independent recognition based on a scientific method and a statistical validation of the results. After the introduction of new categories in 2025, the eighteenth edition will continue to include a wide range of products: espresso blends and single origins, capsules, pods, instant coffees, concentrates, and ready-to-drink beverages. This choice reflects the evolution of consumption and opens up new business opportunities for companies.
Along with the sensory profile of their products, sent to all participating companies, International Coffee Tasting 2026 returns with ICT Benchmarks, a tool launched last year and developed to support companies in the competitive positioning of their products. This system allows participants to deeply analyze the sensory characteristics of their products, understand their positioning based on Gold Medal standards, and obtain strategic insights that can be directly used in research and development, marketing, and sales.
"International Coffee Tasting is the only competition based on the application of a statistically validated tasting method that allows companies to obtain quality data. We don't just award medals; we are a competition that is useful to companies and extremely business-oriented," says Carlo Odello, president of IIAC. "Participating in International Coffee Tasting therefore means not only validating the quality of your product on a neutral and independent testing ground but also equipping yourself with concrete tools to communicate that quality effectively to consumers."
The spirit of the competition remains unchanged, with sensory judges performing completely blind evaluations based on strict sensory analysis rules and statistical data validation, allowing for a result that focuses entirely on the result in the cup. The scoring formula is transparent and can be consulted on the official website.
The regulations and the application form are already available at www.internationalcoffeetasting.com
For further information:
● Email: andrea.terzi@goodsenses.it
● Phone number: +39 030 381558
● WhatsApp: +39 375 848 5110
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