Story
The second single farm, natural processed coffee from Brazil on our menu is a Yellow Catucaí harvest fully emblematic of the terroir of southern Minas Gerais, and grown with the highest standards of environmental responsibility. Produced by teacher turned full-time farmer Tiago Lopes Manzoli on 7 hectares of land shared with his father, Beto Manzoli, in Ibitiúra de Minas. Nestled in the Serra da Mantiqueira mountains at 1,300 MASL, the father/son team also plant parcels of Arara, Mundo Novo, and Red Catuaí. We purchased this lot through family-run exporters Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza, or FAFCoffees (our fourth purchase, the latest being Fernanda Moraes). In the cup, we taste toffee, blueberry muffin, and shortbread.
FAFCoffees works with over 150 specialty farmers around the Região Volcanica, straddling the state lines of Minas Gerais and São Paulo. In this region bursting with diverse flora and historically rooted in coffee production, FAF’s Felipe Croce believes the industry in Brazil is still far off from the eco-responsible farming they wish to see. With climate change bringing increased droughts and flooding to Brazil, the conventional reliance on monocultural farming practices and pesticide-use having weakened the soil, and economic uncertainty surrounding import tariffs, regenerative agriculture is no longer “optional,” but truly vital in sustaining both the business and the land. Thus, FAF’s goal is not only to bring the flavours of their region to every cup, but to empower everyone throughout the value chain to be “protagonists in a future farming model that is in the benefit for all.”
For Felipe, “when we add back diversity in the system, we gain so many benefits.” The organization and farm’s end-to-end commitment to leveling up both quality and circular ecology has turned this mission into higher earnings for coffee and access to international specialty coffee roasters. Through longstanding partnership with the Reduto drymill, FAF has invested in top-of-the-line equipment and precision calibration, and perform cuppings and green gradings in a mobile van to improve feedback and transparency. Their community development efforts have taught producers how to protect natural springs and construct water filtration systems. They’re even developing a new linguistic index around sustainability to reclaim the way we talk about nature and value!
Having won a regional coffee quality competition in 2024 with a lot scoring 88 points, and being selected for FAF’s “Future Farmer” program, reflects Tiago Manzoli’s ongoing devotion to implementing regenerative agriculture practices. His farm uses biodynamic nutrients to quell dependence on chemical pesticides, as well as native trees for shade, biodiversity, and soil enrichment. And he’s currently building a house on his farm to live closer to the land (literally!).
Tiago hand picks cherries for the highest quality every harvest. He separates them during washing, processing this lot of Yellow Catucaí naturally to remove the sugars and stop fermentation, ensuring a straightforward flavours and aromas. The coffee is then dried in full sunlight on their patio. The result is a fruity, creamy, and blissful experience cultivated using ecologically responsible farming methods and care.
