Brazil
Cerrado Mineiro
Flavio Lopez Santos
Cachoeira Santo Antonio e Esmeril
Topazio
Natural
June-July
Caramel, Citrus Fruit, Sweet
950 meters
N/A
59kg jute with liner
SOLD OUT
Cachoeira Santo Antônio e Esmeril is located in the Boqueirão community near Patrocínio, Minas Gerais, part of the Cerrado Mineiro region. “Cachoeira” is Portuguese for waterfall, and the farm is named for the nearby Santo Antonio Waterfall, a popular recreational site.
Flávio Lopes entered the business of coffee cultivation in 1995, when he worked for a large coffee producer in the region. Over time, he developed his entrepreneurial side and a passion for coffee, eventually starting his own farm where he could apply all his experience and knowledge.
He rented 18 hectares from his former employer, initially with minimal equipment but with maximum effort, and today has a cement drying patio and mechanical harvesting tractors. He has the support of both his father, Milton Lopes, who is always present, and of his son Bruno, who hopes to follow in his footsteps. Flavio’s goal is to offer high quality coffees to the market, investing in land management techniques that never endanger the environment.
Read more about coffee harvesting and processing in Cerrado Mineiro.
The Cerrado Mineiro region, located in northwest of Minas Gerais State is a world-recognized, high-quality coffee producing origin and is the first “Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)” in Brazil. A strong characteristic of this region is its well-defined seasons—a hot, wet summer followed by a pleasantly dry winter. Minas Gerais is Brazil’s principal agricultural state, and the Cerrado is home to many of the country’s most established coffee estates, with expertise in planting, harvesting, drying, and sorting. We love Cerrado coffees for their big body, rich chocolate notes, and velvety texture when pulled as espresso.
Cerrado coffee farms are cultivated in areas with elevations varying between 800 and 1,300 meters and are known for consistently producing high quality coffees with a repeatable profile. Independent of farm size, the spirit of professionalism is present across Cerrado’s coffee producers. Entrepreneurialism is part of farmers’ DNA, and many producers are second or third generation growers who also hold degrees in agronomic engineering, business management, and administration. While each family narrative is different, Cerrado is characterized by an enterprising attitude.
In Cerrado Mineiro, there are 210,000 hectares in production, 102,000 of which are certified by the Designation of Origin program, and 68,000 hectares use irrigation systems. The area’s 4,500 farmers produce a combined average of 5 million bags per harvest, with an average of 35 bags per hectare. Coffee from Cerrado Mineiro represents 12.7% of Brazilian production and 24.5% of Minas Gerais production.
