Brazil
Cerrado Mineiro
João Rafael da Luz
Fazenda Cachoeira
Catuai 144
Natural
May–July
Dark Chocolate, Almond, Grape
1075 meters
N/A
60 kg w/ GrainPro
SOLD OUT
Coffee producer João Rafael da Luz began his career in 1985 when he won three hectares of land in the municipality of Carmo do Paranaiba after purchasing 1 of 1000 tickets in a land raffle. He farmed coffee and passion fruit on this plot for eight years, but then lost all of his crops to a heavy frost in 1993. Following the frost, he sold the land and went on to purchase the 35 hectare Fazenda Cachoeira, where he still farms today.
João initially planted only five hectares of coffee at Fazenda Cachoeira, but production has since blossomed to 30 hectares in total. He chose this plot specifically for its altitude, its geography, and its location which protects the crops from potential frosts.
João’s motivation in his work has always been his passion for coffee, which continues to grow to this day. Of his family which includes seven brothers, João is the only person who works in coffee. Today, he is happy to share his passion for coffee with his son, who is already looking ahead to becoming the second generation to work in the family business with his father.
This lot of Catuai 144 coffee underwent Natural processing. Catuai was developed by the Instituto Agronomico (IAC) of Sao Paulo State in Campinas, Brazil by crossing Mundo Novo and Caturra varieties. Catuai coffees are cultivated widely across Brazil, and are known for their high productivity potential.
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.
