Two coffees from the Texas roaster received top honours at the 2026 Global Coffee Awards, pairing an established blend with a forthcoming seasonal offering.
Merit Coffee Company has received two gold medals at the 2026 Global Coffee Awards, recognising its Lucem everyday blend and a limited-edition Peru Gesha Natural. The result gives Merit Coffee separate recognition for an established retail coffee and a product planned for its holiday range. Both coffees were assessed through a double-blind process by an international panel of certified coffee professionals.
Lucem is positioned as one of Merit’s most widely available coffees, linking the award to the company’s café, retail and online distribution. The blend is made with coffees sourced from Honduras and Brazil and is sold across Merit’s 15 cafés, as well as through select H-E-B, Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, Kroger and Central Market locations in Texas. It is also available through the company’s online shop.
The second medal went to a Peru Gesha Natural that Merit plans to introduce as part of its holiday coffee rollout later this year. The company has not yet provided further details on the coffee’s sourcing, character or availability, saying those details will be shared closer to its debut. The award therefore gives the forthcoming product an early point of distinction before its wider introduction.
Both coffees were roasted by Merit’s head roaster and Q Grader, Carlos Riaño, who recently qualified for the United States Coffee Roasting Championship and is scheduled to compete in December for the opportunity to advance to the global finals. The competition evaluates sensory qualities including aroma, flavour, balance, sweetness, acidity, body and overall cup performance, while also recognising the work of producers and roasters.
Merit received five additional bronze medals, bringing its total recognition at the 2026 Global Coffee Awards to seven medals. Camino de Oro, Patlanalan Community, Saddle Up and Sugarcane Decaf were among the other coffees recognised, extending the result beyond two individual products. For the Texas specialty coffee company, the combination of broad availability and seasonal development presents a measured example of how formal quality recognition can support both an existing coffee programme and a future product introduction.
