San Antonio-based Merit Coffee captured two gold medals at the 2026 Global Coffee Awards, an international competition that evaluates entries through rigorous double-blind sensory assessment by certified coffee professionals. The winning coffees—Lucem, the company's flagship everyday blend, and a limited-edition Peru Gesha Natural slated for a holiday release—were judged on aroma, flavor, balance, sweetness, acidity, body, and overall cup performance.
The Winning Coffees
Lucem, sourced from Honduras and Brazil, has grown into one of Merit's most commercially accessible products. It is stocked in all 15 Merit cafés across San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, and Houston, and sits on shelves at select H-E-B, Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, Kroger, and Central Market locations throughout Texas—a retail footprint that illustrates how specialty-tier recognition can reinforce positioning in competitive grocery channels. For operators and retail buyers tracking beverage industry trends, a gold medal on a widely distributed SKU carries tangible shelf-justification weight.
The Peru Gesha Natural gold medal offers an early signal for Merit's holiday lineup. Gesha varietals processed via natural fermentation consistently command premium positioning in the specialty coffee segment, and the competition recognition gives Merit a marketing proof point ahead of the coffee's formal launch. Full sourcing details and availability will be announced closer to the debut.
The Talent Behind the Roast
Both gold-medal coffees were roasted by Carlos Riaño, Merit's Head Roaster and Q Grader, who recently qualified for the United States Coffee Roasting Championship. Riaño will compete this December for a chance to advance to the global finals—a storyline that amplifies Merit's credibility in specialty foodservice circles and provides continued brand momentum well beyond the award cycle.
Beyond the two golds, Merit collected five bronze medals for additional coffees including Camino de Oro, Patlanalan Community, Saddle Up, and Sugarcane Decaf, bringing its total recognition at the 2026 competition to seven medals. That breadth signals a programmatic commitment to quality across the entire portfolio rather than a single showcase roast. For restaurant and café operators evaluating specialty coffee partnerships, consistent recognition across multiple SKUs is a meaningful differentiator when sourcing roasting partners or wholesale supply.
Founded in 2009, Merit has expanded steadily into one of Texas's most recognized specialty roasters, bridging direct-to-consumer café culture with mainstream retail distribution. The 2026 Global Coffee Awards results reinforce that dual-channel strategy as the company builds toward its holiday season rollout. Details on the Peru Gesha Natural and Merit's full holiday coffee lineup will be shared through the company's website and social channels in the coming months. Coverage of this story originally appeared in Food & Beverage Magazine.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
