Brazil

Alta Mogiana is located in the northeast of the State of São Paulo. Like the Mogiana region, the Alta Mogiana region, too, received its name during the time, when the railway company was carrying coffee from the origins to Campinas. From there, it was carried on towards the port to be shipped. The name is derived from the classification of three coffee growing regions based on distance from Campinas: Baixa, Média, and Alta Mogiana – which means lower, medium and upper.

In the Alta Mogiana region, the majority of farms are of medium and larger size. The topography, with its great plateaus at an average altitude of 800 masl to 1100 masl, allows to produce high quantities of quality coffee. The majority of farms are operating with mechanized harvest and are highly technified, seeking and applying knowledge about varieties, sustainable farm management and post-harvest methods. The mainly applied process is the natural processing method, which enhances the rich, nuanced sensory profile, with caramel sweet notes, unfolding the present complexity of these beans and creating a round and pleasant tasting experience.

Bahia is a Brazilian state located in the north-east of the country on the Atlantic coast and has long been a point of convergence between European, African and Indian cultures, where coffee cultivation was not developed until the 1970s. It is the northernmost appellation in Brazil and is considered one of the most technologically advanced regions in terms of production, harvesting and preparation. Mechanisation is the order of the day, with irrigation allowing the cherries to ripen evenly. The Catuai variety is representative of this region, and three quarters of production is Arabica. Bahia benefits from high altitudes for Brazil and a warm climate, producing coffees with a full body and medium acidity.  

Production takes place in a mountainous region, approximately 1400 meters above sea level. Due to the artisanal process, the altitude and the soil of the farm, they obtain a differentiated product and, with this, the coffees are classified every year among the best coffees in Brazil and in the world, both in quality and in sustainability.

The Serra do Caracol area is located in the Sul de Minas region. The region is, as its name suggests, the southern area of the greater Minas Gerais region. Known as one of the largest coffee producing regions in Brazil, the Sul de Minas region is a traditional production area for Arabica coffee (introduced in the 1850s), accounting for about 30% of national production. A hilly region with a mild climate and average altitudes of 850 masl, this region has some of the largest coffee-producing estates in Brazil. The main varieties grown here are yellow Catuaí and Mundo Novo.

The municipality of Caparaó is located on the slopes of the Caparaó Mountains. It began to be colonized in 1842 and one of the determining factors for the colonization of this town was the fertility of the land, triggering the appearance of farms dedicated mainly to coffee cultivation in 1848. From then on, the large farms were divided into several parts until they became what we call family farms.

The mountain range with high altitudes and the proximity to the national park (Pico da Bandeira) influences the whole area of the Caparaó region and creates a beneficial microclimate for quality coffee and special sensory profiles. Producers from the community are very aware of the fact that they have one of Brazil’s most treasured natural resources on their doorstep.

This region has steep mountains and big variations in altitude. Lots of micro-climate areas with crevices that provide for cold or hot air. Humidity is higher here yet still below 70% moisture in the air, which makes for a micro-climate still able to make naturals in a clean way but making their fermentation more intense. This region has higher acidity in relation to most in Brasil with a more intense fruit present.

A young coffee-producing region, Cerrado began production in the early 1960s and is today internationally recognized for its quality. Located in the state of Minas Gerais, in western Brazil, the Cerrado has however suffered from the increasingly important usurpation of its name and reputation by neighboring regions. A few years ago, 10 million bags left the country with the name "Cerrado", while the real production capacity of the region was 5 million bags.
In 2013, the producers obtained the Denomination of Origin (DO) "Cerrado Minerio". A sign of quality which certifies the authenticity of the coffee, proving that the latter does indeed come from the region and has qualities specific to its terroir of origin. Thus, consumers and roasters are guaranteed to taste an Arabica coffee (a blend of varieties with mainly Mundo Novo and Catuaí) produced in the region delimited by the certification, at an altitude between 800m and 1300m and that it has obtained at least 80 points following the SCAA punctuation during tasting.

Today, the DO brings together 4,500 producers spread over 17,000 hectares and is supported by 9 cooperatives, 7 associations and 1 foundation. An independent body certifies the quality of the coffees, in order to define whether they can be certified "Cerrado Mineiro" or not.

Although the state of Espirito Santo is one of the smallest in Brazil, it is known for its mosaic of landscapes, from rugged mountains to Atlantic coastal regions. Known for its historic robusta production, Espirito Santo is a new player in specialty coffee production. The production of Arabica used to have a bad reputation. The high humidity in the air coming from the ocean has been a real challenge to process and dry coffee properly.

A small appellation for Brazil, Espirito Santo is made up of small estates of 5 to 20 hectares located on steep mountains. Very mountainous terroir, the harvests are 100% manual with a high percentage of selective collection. Rich in native forests with a remarkable biodiversity, the region wishes to preserve the quality of its territory and its remarkable landscapes punctuated by the Atlantic coast and steep mountains.

This region has the most cloud cover, moisture and therefore rain out of any other in Brazil because of its close proximity to the coast. Coffees here have a distinctively sharper acidity and clarity to flavor. Think citrus fruit and brown sugar with light florals. This region resembles more like Colombia than the rest of Brasil !

The state of Sao Paulo is home to one of Brazil's best-known coffee-growing regions: Mogiana. The Mogiana region is named after a railway company, Companhia Mogiana de Estradas de Ferro, which created the "coffee railway" in 1883. This improved transport and, above all, increased coffee production in the region. Mogiana has altitudes of between 800 and 1100 m, constant temperatures of around 20°C throughout the year and hilly terrain that is ideal for coffee production, for a well-balanced, sweet cup.

This region is mountainous and hilly. It is a transitional region from Atlantic Rainforest (wet areas) and Cerrado (dry plains) and this region gets a lot of sun. The high amount of sun provides high levels of photosynthesis for the plant’s solar panels (its leaves). In the cup you will taste lots of sweetness and a long finish however also big, creamy, fatty body, mouthfeel. This is because the polysaccharides created are in high amount and as the roast, they break down into shorter sugar chain structures which in the mouth provide the feeling of thicker texture. Fruit tones are present but unless fermentation is pushed, they will appear more like dried fruits.

Mogiana is a traditional coffee region with long tradition and families working in big coffee farms over several generations. As an early region being explored for coffee production, one can find many historical fazendas (some of which still produce coffee, while others changed to cattle or sugarcane today). Another combination easily found in the region is the typical Brazilian combination of coffee and milk production.

In the Sao Paulo region, the Mococa terroir was the breeding ground for the Bob-o-Link project, since it was here, at the heart of their farm, that Marcos Croce and Silvia Barretto got the ambitious Bob-O-Link project off the ground.
On returning from the United States to take over the reins of the family farm, run initially as an intensive monoculture, the couple made the courageous choice to start from scratch, symbolically renaming the farm "Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza". With the aim of obtaining much more than just a specialty coffee, Sylvia and Marcos put all their energy into learning about coffee farming and into bringing their neighbours together around their project to obtain a "global quality" for all. They wanted to produce an economically, ecologically and socially sustainable coffee. A very difficult challenge indeed in a great coffee-producing country like Brazil, but one they are currently meeting.

The Sul de Minas region is, as its name suggests, the southern area of the greater Minas Gerais region. Known as one of the largest coffee producing regions in Brazil, the Sul de Minas region is a traditional production area for Arabica coffee (introduced in the 1850s), accounting for about 30% of national production. This is a mountainous region with high altitudes, a balance of high amount of rain yet lots of sun, a soil which is rich in biodiversity and also part of an old Volcanic Crater, making this region’s soil Volcanic Soil. This gives the coffees from here a flavor of high in sweetness yet with above average acidity. Present fruit tones and good body with a silky texture.

Altitudes are reaching from 850 masl up to 1250 masl. Average temperatures lay between 17°C and 24°C. The microclimate of the region contributes to an excellent terroir for growing coffee, showing acidity, citric and fruity aromas as well as a full body. Our main focus region for high quality coffee sourcing is the ‘Serra do Caracol’ – a mountain chain formed by a volcanic crater close to the touristic city Poços de Caldas.

The municipalities Andradas and Ibitiúra de Minas are home to the majority of our partner communities. There, small-holder and family farming properties cover the mountainous areas and slopes. Serra do Caracol Valley is a community located closeby the small city Andradas. The Topography of this region resembles the south of France and the mountain range is highly appreciated by paragliders. The main characteristic of the terroir of Serra do Caracol valley - creamy body, high sweetness and a slightly fruit taste.