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History of the farm:

Fazenda Sertãozinho is in a mountainous region in the south of Minas Gerais, at an elevation of 1,200 meters. The average annual temperature is 19°C (66°F) and the average rainfall is 1,600 mm (63 in) per year. The geographical conditions of the farm and the excellent climate contribute to a microclimate conducive to the production of specialty coffees. The farm has 300 hectares of tropical forest reserves with centenarian trees. The water resources are also protected, with careful upkeep of riparian forests. The Jequitibá Rosa (Cariniana legalis) is the tree symbol of Fazenda Sertãozinho. An imposing exemplar of this species, 40 meters in height and an estimated age of more than 1,500 years, it can be sighted on top of one of the hills that surround the farm. The property is managed by the agronomist José Renato Gonçalves Dias. The oldest crop was formed in 1948 and continues to produce. The organic fertilizers produced on the farm are used to maintain the nutrition of the plants in balance. The objective is to preserve the microbiological life of the soil, which is very fertile. The farm has 160 permanent employees, who are assisted with unlimited health and hospital plans. The owners invest in training for their workers, as well as in professional development. The children of the workers are enrolled in a school on the property.

Coffee processing system:

The coffee from Fazenda Sertãozinho is prepared in an environmentally friendly manner. The handling, the harvest and the drying are performed manually, it should be pointed out that the picking work is done selectively, with only the ripe coffee cherries collected. After the harvest, the beans are transported to a pulper and are spread to dry under the sun on patios. When the drying process is well-advanced, cotton cloths are placed on the lines to protect the beans. Mechanical dryers are not used during the drying process. Upon reaching 11% humidity, the coffee is taken to wooden granaries, where it rests for at least 30 days. All of the processing – from the harvest to the reprocessing, including the classification by screens and density, as well as the electronic selection by color and manually selection – is done on the property.

Concern about quality:

Fazenda Sertãozinho is certified by the ISO 9001/2002 Quality Management System, which implies total control of the quality of the coffee, with the documentation and history of each lot. It is also certified by the UTZ Certified systems of socioenvironmental management and by BSCA.