12 NORTH CAROLINA COFFEE ROASTERS GO HEAD-TO-HEAD IN DILWORTH COFFEE-SPONSORED STATEWIDE COMPETITION

Dilworth Coffee is the exclusive sponsor of the NC Coffee Competition at the NC State Fair on October 13, where 12 roasters will battle for bragging rights of being the best coffee roaster in North Carolina.

This is the second year of the competition, which was co-founded and sponsored by Dilworth Coffee parent Stockton Graham & Co. in 2016. It’s the only statewide coffee competition on the East Coast.

The competition will be held in the Special Cooking Contest Area in the Education Building at the NC State Fair from 3pm – 5pm on Oct. 13, 2017.

Last year’s Grand Champion, Summit Coffee Company of Davidson, NC, will be returning to defend their title against 11 challengers:

Alamance Kaffee Werks, Graham, NC

Aromatic Roasters, Pittsboro, NC

Five Star Coffee Roaster, Holly Springs, NC

Fryeday Coffee Roasters, Belmont, NC

Joe Van Gogh Coffee, Hillsborough, NC

Larry’s Coffee, Raleigh, NC

Mello Coffee Roasters, Davidson, NC

Pine State Coffee, Raleigh, NC

Raleigh Coffee Company, Raleigh, NC

Sospeso Coffee Roasters, Waxhaw, NC

Well-Bean Coffee Company, Wake Forest, NC

The judges will be coffee industry professionals from top-tier roasters, equipment manufacturers and coffee shops across North Carolina.

The Tradition Enters Its Second Year

“After the great success of the inaugural event last year, we are very excited to continue this competition with Stockton Graham & Co.’s specialty brand Dilworth Coffee,” said Sarah Ray of Public Affairs at the NC State Fair. “Specialty coffee has risen to such a high level in North Carolina, and this is a wonderful opportunity to show off what the state has to offer.”

“There is such a great coffee community in North Carolina, and we are excited to bring members together again this year for some competitive fun,” said Thom Swain, Director of Business Development for Dilworth Coffee. “It is also a way for us to help showcase our state’s successes and introduce a whole new group of consumers to great specialty coffee. It will help promote the industry in North Carolina.”

Emcee for the event is Chris Bennett, the coffee roaster at Dilworth Coffee in Raleigh. A North Carolina native with a passion for coffee, Bennett has been in the industry as a barista and roaster for over eight years. He’s also a bass guitarist for Raleigh-based band Ghostt Bllonde.

The twelve competitors will be judged on aroma, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance and overall quality. In addition to ribbons, prizes will be awarded to the overall winners. The Grand Champion will be awarded $100, the Reserve Champion $75 and the Honorable Mention will receive $50.

About North Carolina State Fair:

The NC State Fair’s mission is to showcase and promote the state’s agriculture, agribusiness, arts, crafts and culture through the annual agricultural fair. The Fair offers the agricultural community a venue to showcase its crops, livestock and new technology. The Fair is also an opportunity for the state’s ever-increasing urban population to learn about agriculture through educational and competitive exhibits in the areas of livestock, horticulture, cooking, folk art and

much more. More than $600,000 in prize money is awarded each year.