What an auction price does to farm-gate prices
The weeks after a win, and who actually benefits.
The signal
A high auction result is public information. Within a month, neighbouring farms quote the number when you ask for a price.
The effect is real but uneven: farms with a competition record can raise prices, farms without one mostly cannot.
An auction sets a price for one lot and a rumour for the rest.
Who buys the winning lot
Winning lots usually leave the island. That is good for the farm's reputation and bad for a local drinker who wanted to taste it.
The practical consequence: the coffee you can buy here is the second and third tier, and it is excellent.
Disclosure: this article contains no affiliate links. Prices and dates checked in October 2026. Our methodology.