Farm info

The history of coffee producer José Leandro Romão begins in 1996, when he reunited the family to help them promote their businesses by buying a property in Castelo, Espirito Santo. The acquisition of the farm started a new chapter in his life, one dedicated to producing specialty coffees. José Leandro was one of the first producers in the region to invest in quality coffees, beginning with investments in equipment and adequate soil health and growing coffee in tandem with bananas.

In 2002, he participated in the second quality contest for coffee from the Capixabas Mountains, where he earned first prize. This recognition awoke a new interest in producing quality coffees and pursuing innovation to always achieve better results.

José Leandro’s family helps him on the property. His daughter Andressa Romão returned from the city to help her father administer the farm, considering family agriculture the most important project. 

Sitio Bela Vista is 20 hectares with 15 planted with Red and Yellow Catuai and ranges from 920 to 1200 meters above sea level. Trees flower from October to December for the harvest in July through September.

Learn more about the Montanhas do Espirito Santo region of Brazil.

Region

Montanhas do Espirito Santo

The Montanhas do Espirito Santo region is dominated by small-scale coffee growers and is characterized by the presence of farmers who are actively engaged in the entire chain of the production process. Growers in Espirito Santo work with family members and build off of traditional knowledge to innovate and improve their quality of life and coffee. Located in the southern area of the Espirito Santo state, where mild temperatures (73ºF) and steep highlands (between 700 and 1000 meters) favor growing Arabica coffees, this region produces a superb quality coffee with a round body, nice acidity, and fine sweetness. Pulped Naturals are increasing in popularity as a processing style to capture the attributes of the region’s coffee.

The state of Espirito Santo has its capital in the city of Vitoria, and the coastal location of Espirito Santo to the south of Bahia, east of Minas Gerais, and north of Rio de Janeiro makes it a popular destination for its beaches. Inland, Espirito Santo is home to natural parks and preserves that protect the rich biodiversity of flora and fauna. Many communities in the mountains of Espirito Santo were settled at the beginning of the twentieth century by European immigrants from Italy and the Pomeranian region along the Baltic Sea coast, straddling the border between what are now Germany and Poland.