Brazil
Cerrado Mineiro
Antonio de Lima Alves
Fazenda Barra do Salitre
Paraiso
Natural
May–August
Cacao Nib, Herbs
925 meters
N/A
60 kg w/ GrainPro
EU - Hamburg, Germany - Schwarze
Antonio de Lima Alves began his journey as a producer in 1986 when he planted his first plot of coffee. His wife Leila, who he married the following year, has had a crucial role in organizing the farm from the start, bringing exceptional skills in rural management learned from her father. Over the years the property expanded, primarily growing Catuai and Mundo Novo, and today covers 400 hectares of land planted with 150 hectares of coffee.
The farm’s history reached a new chapter in 2012 when the couple’s oldest son, Guilherme, returned to the farm after graduating in agronomy. His technical expertise brought innovation to production, and since then the focus has been on constantly improving productivity through the application of new fertilization and management techniques. The family team grew again in 2017 when Leandro, the youngest son, joined the operation, showing a deep interest in all aspects of the supply chain. Finally, in 2019, the family directed their efforts toward improving coffee quality, studying and understanding post-harvest processes and introducing new varieties such as Paraiso, Arara, and Topazio.
This lot of Paraiso underwent Natural processing.
The Cerrado Mineiro region, located in northwest of Minas Gerais State, is a world-recognized, high-quality coffee producing origin and became the first Protected Geographical Indication in Brazil in 2005, with full Designation of Origin in 2013. A strong characteristic of this region is its well-defined seasons—a hot, wet summer followed by a pleasantly dry winter. The dry climate during harvest eliminates potential problems with humidity during the drying process.
Minas Gerais is Brazil’s principal agricultural state, and the Cerrado is home to many of the country’s celebrated 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.
Today, the area’s 4,500 farmers produce a combined average of 6 million bags per harvest, with an average of 35 bags per hectare. To reach these production levels, producers had to first adapt to the region’s conditions. Coffee farmers first arrived in Cerrado in the 1970’s, after being pushed out of the state of Parana by frost and out of the state of Sao Paulo by nematodes. They found the soil in Cerrado to be very acidic, which they rectified with the application of calcium to create the healthy soils they enjoy today.
Cerrado coffee farms are cultivated in areas with elevations varying between 800 and 1,300 meters above sea level and are known for consistently producing high quality coffees with a repeatable profile. Independent of farm size, the spirit of professionalism is present throughout 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.
