Ecoagrícola Café Ltda - Brazil 2019 Verified listing

History of the farm

The family bought land in the Serra do Cabral region in 1975 to do forestry projects. In 2000, it started planning for the next 30 years and decided to diversify. Among many possibilities, coffee was chosen for the great fit with the region: favorable altitude, climate, water, terroir. The goal to keep producing with sustainability, using technology and to be able to produce quality driven products (specialty coffee) was key.

The managing partners of Ecoagrícola are brothers Marcelo and Roberto Flanzer, who have been working together since they were young and managed the company with their father Henrique, who is now retired. Marcelo, 48, is a Production Engineer and Roberto, 51, a Business Administrator.

The family started to plant its first coffee nursery in 2006 and the first harvest was in 2009. Since 2012 it has been Rainforest Alliance and UTZ certified. In 2014/2015 it was chosen by illycaffè as its “Sustainable Supplier of the Year” and it has been among the finalists of their “Ernesto Illy Prize” for the last few years. Since 2015 it has collaborated with the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), led by Professor Flavio Borém, to continually increase quality. In 2016 it began, as exporters, its direct-trade program reaching important clients in North America, Europe and Oceania. The coffees are not only used in blends but are also offered as single origin.

In 2017, Ecoagrícola achieved multiple recognitions and prizes, including:

• two Cup of Excellence winners (Natural and Pulped Natural),
• first place in the Rainforest Alliance contest, as the best sustainable, certified coffee in Brazil,
• two first places at the Concurso de Qualidade de Minas Gerais, for Natural and Pulped Natural, for the Chapada de Minas region,
• sixth place at the AROMA BSCA contest, Coffee of the Year finalist, among others. The Serra do Cabral is such a beautiful place. It is part of the Cerrado biome, with its particular characteristics, micro-climate and a unique terroir. Ecoagrícola is the pioneer coffee farmer in this region and its exclusive producer. Sustainability and ethics are part of the origin. Many decades before sustainable production became fashionable, Ecoagrícola had already preserved vast areas of its land. Hundreds of hectares almost untouched by man, and more than 50% of the total area.

Coffee processing system

Natural.

Concern about quality

The water used for irrigation and the wet processed coffees comes from the farm’s own springs and is pure and crystalline. As over 50% of the land is preserved on the farm, there are few pests and less disease. Ecoagrícola uses natural methods to control these, such as pheremone traps to further reduce the incidence of coffee borer beatles. The farm produces its own organo-mineral compost from coffee residue.

Since 2015, the farm has a partnership with the Federal University of Lavras through Professor Flávio Borém, to continually improve quality. Ecoagrícola uses selective harvesting and African beds as well as mechanized harvesting and patio drying. They have a well-trained quality control team, led by Q-Grader Danilo Buzatt.

Certifications

Rainforest Alliance, no IMA-F-000314, valid until 18/12/2020

UTZ, no UTZ_CF1000001609, valid until 10/06/2020