Brazil - Sergio Barbosa - Aerobic Fermentation

Grower / Farm: Sergio Barbosa / Joia Rara

Region / State: Cerrado Mineiro, Minas Gerais

Varietal: Acauã

Elevation: 950-1100 m asl

Process: Aerobic Fementation – Dried in the fruit on a patio

Another astonishing coffee from the Barbosa family. A unique microlot grown and processed by Sergio Barbosa.

The Barbosa family, a truly Brazilian, family-owned company, has thrived with a clear mission: to foster the sustainable growth of the Cerrado Mineiro region through the production of exceptional, sustainable coffees. Their farming legacy spans back to the 1900s. The tradition of producing coffee was passed down from Danilo's great-grandfather Elias Barbosa to his son Claudio Barbosa de Paula, and then to Danilo's father, Jairo Barbosa de Paula. In 1979, it was Danilo's turn to spearhead the Barbosa family business. 

Following in their ancestor's footsteps, Danilo's wife Imaculada Barbosa and sons Vitor Marcelo and Sergio Ricardo work together on their farms, keeping their passion alive generation after generation. Their extended family is also involved in the business, making a day in the office feel like a natural extension of their homes.

Over the decades, they have relentlessly sought to perfect their craft, incorporating the most advanced technologies available to unlock the full potential of this unique terroir in coffee production.

By adopting outstanding coffee varieties and cutting-edge technology, the Barbosa family quickly realized that they were producing something truly unique. 
In 2018, Danilo lead the family business through a pivotal moment in their journey, shifting their focus to producing specialty coffees, a move that underscored their adaptability and innovation.

An essential part of this new journey and a merit of Danilo's vision was working closely with Deyvid Leandro, another local producer with over 20 years of experience in coffee production but a focus on Q-grading, quality control, and fermentation processes.
This transition was successful immediately, with their coffees reaching prominent positions in competitions and awards from the very first harvest. 

Their excellence was further recognized when they became the Brazilian Champions of the Cup of Excellence in 2021, the highest recognition in coffee competitions, a testament to their dedication and innovation. 

From the choice of the varietal to the harvest season, the Barbosa family works hard to

deliver the best coffee. All the processes are closely watched, and the Quality Control

team follow all the stages of the traceability program, from the tree to the warehouse,

and from the warehouse to the world.

The Cerrado Region has all the conditions to produce specialty coffee. During the dry

season, humidity is low, temperatures are lower, and the coffee quality is highlighted.

Defined seasons, soil and topography combined with experienced crop management;

provides everything we need to deliver the best coffee.

For many decades the family produced and sold the coffee to exporters around the

region. With a huge demand from buyers, crop after crop, the vision became to trade

directly with importers all around the world. After thoughtful research on quality,

sensorial analyses, consistency, screens, the family is now exporting great coffee to

North America on the Direct Trade basis with Orange Brown’s partnership, from our

farm to your cup.

fOrange Brown is Brazilian owned and a partners with the Barbosa family, leveraging

strong relationships built over the years in the industry. The work is transparent, and full

traceability of all coffees is available. Orange Brown is happy to provide pictures,

videos, and updates of what is happening in the farms. Origin trips are always

recommended and can certainly be organized.

 Natural coffees – those which are picked and dried unprocessed in the whole fruit before milling – have long been the preferred method in Brazil, but only recently have they caught the attention of quality-conscious roasters.