Farmers in the Cầu Đất region of Đà Lạt won first prize in the UCC Group coffee quality selection competition. The contest emphasizes the sustainable production of Arabica coffee.
On April 23, at Da Lat University, the 12th “UCC Quality Contest 2026” took place with the participation of numerous farmers, businesses, and coffee experts from both Vietnam and abroad. The first prize of the competition was awarded to farmers from the Cầu Đất region of Đà Lạt.
The event was jointly organized by UCC Vietnam Company, Là Việt Coffee Company, and Da Lat University, under the patronage of Japan’s UCC Coffee Group.
In the final results, first prize went to farmer Lê Văn Tý (Cầu Đất, Xuân Trường Commune – Đà Lạt) with a coffee sample scoring 81.29 points.
Second place was awarded to Nguyễn Phi Long (80.71 points). Third place went to Trương Công Thắng (80.23 points), while fourth place was Nguyễn Hoàng Minh Tâm (80.03 points).
The score gap among the top contestants was minimal, reflecting a very close level of quality among the finalists.
According to the organizers, the idea for the competition was formed in 2013, focusing on Vietnamese Arabica coffee and aiming to share solutions for cultivation, processing, and quality evaluation of coffee beans in line with SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) standards.
Post-harvest and processed samples undergo physical testing at the farm level, followed by random sampling, test roasting, cupping, and preliminary scoring to select the top 10 samples for the final round.
In the final stage, both domestic and international experts evaluate the samples using the SCA 100-point scale, based on 10 criteria such as aroma, flavor complexity, aftertaste, brightness of acidity, body, uniformity, and overall balance. From these, the organizers select the best 8 samples for awards.
