5 - Fazenda Cotrim D'Alessandro - Brazil 2024 (Dry)

Fazenda Cotrim e D’Alessandro, located in Manhumirim, in the Matas de Minas region, has its roots in the union of the tradition coffee cultivation of the family of Luci Cotrim and the innovative vision of the Italian immigrant, Mario D’Alessandro. Coffee growing began in the 1970s, with the first seedlings being brought by cargo bicycle by Mario. Still a student of agronomy at the Federal University of Viçosa, Sério Cotrim D’Alessandro began managing the farm at 20 years of age, continuing the work begun by his parents. He introduced moder practices and kept the focus on producing specialty coffee with a commitment to sustainable quality.
Despite the challenges associated with manual production on mountainous lands, the natural beauty and happy spirit of the region’s workers brings inspiration and passion, driving the continuity of this legacy for future generations of the Cotrim and D’Alessandro family.
The farm is currently run by the third generation, with agricultural engineer Sério Cotrim D’Alessandro at the head, and his sons, Matheus and Mario, already involved in the family succession process. The new generation has played a crucial role at several fronts, such as the prospection of new international clients, building a brand for the farm, developing branding and digital marketing strategies to strengthen its presence in the world of specialty coffees. In addition, they have dedicated themselves to implementing management and strategic planning techniques aligned with the medium- and long-term goals to guarantee the sustainability and growth of the business.
One of the highlights at Fazenda Cotrim D’Alessandro is its rigorous coffee processing system. The post-harvest follows good agricultural practices strictly, with each lot being carefully tracked from harvest to final processing. Women on the team play a central role in the bean preparation stage, which undergoes careful selection and cleaning in the several stages. The coffee lots go through the washing, hulling and a drying process with low temperatures combined with resting periods. All this care preserves the quality of the various differentiated specialty coffee lots.
This meticulous care ensures that the coffee lots at the farm achieve a high standard of excellence. The lot participating in this competition, for example, was picked with a high percentage of ripe cherries, washed and dried slowly, resulting in a balanced drink with a unique flavor. The concern for quality beings in the fields and continues at each processing phase, reflecting the farms commitment to offering the best coffee possible to the consumer.
The farm has Certifica Minas Café certification (N°802/2023, valid until 22 November 2024), from the state of Minas Gerais, and has participated in the SEBRAE MG Educampo Café project for over 15 years. Governance of the farm is based on collaborative, respectful work, in which men and women play their roles in harmony. The new generation, in addition to giving support with new processes and management, is also continually seeking ways to expand the farm to new markets, without ever foregoing quality and passion for producing coffees at Fazenda Cotrim e D’Alessandro.