Releasing coffee from the JS Project in Brazil is always special for us. The work being done in Mata de Minas by local producers brings to light some key statements in specialty coffee: a very high-quality product and changing the lives of those producing it. Inacio Soares is one of our first direct trade partners and he has been leading the charge in the region.

São Sebastião do Anta the region Inacio’s farm resides is not that well known for coffee growing, in fact, Inacio’s father primarily traded in conventional coffees during his youth. This was indoctrinated by green traders, who told Jairo he would never be able to produce specialty-grade coffee on his farm period. Even Inacio himself was not intending on taking over the farm from his father, but when Jairo came down with a serious illness Inacio returned to the fazenda and his passion to continue his father’s legacy blossomed.

On his father’s passing, Inacio made it his mission to improve the farm from the ground up. He’s a young ambitious farmer that is open to new ideas from soil management, and processing to drying and the results in the cup really speak for themselves. The farm is small enough that no mechanical picking machines are used, which is generally uncommon in Brazil. The care and attention to detail in picking and processing are paramount to Inacio, he believes that by investing in the farm he can lift the entire community up. Even on his second harvest, the community was benefiting immediately as the prices he had achieved had greatly increased from when the farm was focused on high-yield conventional production. In the cup, you can taste the dedication, work, and change that has been put into coffee growing on this small farm. The quality achieved is remarkable and the stories even more so.

In this particular lot of naturally processed Red Catucai, you can expect notes of white flowers, stone fruit, and caramel!

Enjoy!