Where is Brazilian Coffee Mainly Distributed? What Are the Advantages of Growing Coffee in Minas Gerais?

Brazil: The Kingdom of Coffee

When it comes to coffee, Brazil is indispensable. As the world's largest coffee producer and exporter, Brazil accounts for one-third of global coffee production, earning it the title "Kingdom of Coffee." This is thanks to Brazil's vast land area. Although most of the country consists of plains with generally low elevation, its fertile soil and strong industrial foundation have contributed to the nation's advanced agriculture.

Historically, Brazilian coffee has not been particularly distinctive like Ethiopian coffee with its fruit flavors and acidity. This has resulted in Brazilian coffee beans having relatively plain flavors, often used in coffee blends. This is also related to the fact that during Brazil's industrial coffee era, coffee bean quality was not emphasized. However, in recent years, Brazil has begun to focus on improving coffee quality, leading to the emergence of high-quality coffee estates.

Daterra Estate: A Legacy of Excellence

One example is Daterra Estate, which has a long coffee history in Brazil. The current owner is Donato, who manages the estate with his family. Originally, they were a family from Italy. In 1902, they sailed from Italy to Brazil and settled in Campinas, São Paulo state. They initially chose to grow coffee and Donato married a local girl. However, their happiness was short-lived as the couple passed away early, leaving the family's heavy responsibilities on their eldest son, Donato. When Donato was still lost and helpless, it was the financial support from his parents' friends that allowed him to sustain his livelihood.

It wasn't until 1976, after years of transformation, that the family's finances became stable enough to reinvest in agriculture. This was when Daterra Estate was formally established. They initially chose to grow fruits like avocados and raise cattle. Later, the family realized that the Cerrado region in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, was extremely suitable for coffee cultivation. So they moved to the Cerrado Mineiro region and acquired two farms, Boa Vista and Taboues, for coffee planting.

Minas Gerais: Brazil's Coffee Heartland

Brazil has a large territory, divided into 26 states, 17 of which produce coffee. Daterra Estate is located in Minas Gerais state, Brazil's coffee heartland. This state is also Brazil's most famous and highest-producing region, currently accounting for 30% of Brazil's total coffee production. The state has numerous rivers and extremely abundant water resources. Additionally, there are many mountain ranges that can effectively block sea winds from the Atlantic, providing excellent protection for coffee trees.

Minas Gerais has several well-known sub-regions, such as Cerrado and Sul de Minas. Cerrado is located in the central-western part of Minas Gerais state, and only areas above 1,000 meters elevation are considered Cerrado's premium coffee-producing areas. Cerrado's climate is cooler at night, which slows the growth cycle of coffee beans and allows for sugar accumulation. The fertile soil and abundant groundwater make it extremely suitable for coffee cultivation, giving coffee beans from this region superior flavor profiles.

FrontStreet Coffee's daily bean series also includes coffee from this renowned region. This entry-level selection of Cerrado Red Bourbon coffee beans uses the Bourbon variety mainly cultivated in Brazil, processed with the semi-washed method. After brewing, it presents nutty, peanut, and cocoa chocolate flavors, with low acidity and moderate body.

Daterra Estate's Commitment to Sustainability

The name Daterra comes from Portuguese, where "Da" means "from" and "Terra" means "land," collectively symbolizing "taking root and blooming," expressing gratitude for the earth's gifts. Over the years, Daterra Estate has maintained respect and love for the land, insisting on harmonious coexistence with nature and sustainable development. The estate has obtained multiple international certifications, such as Rainforest Alliance certification, environmental management system certification, and organic certification. Additionally, Daterra Estate has a professional coffee team, including agronomists and cupping specialists, who strictly control the quality of the estate's coffee cultivation and processing to produce high-quality coffee.

Currently, the estate cultivates coffee at an altitude of about 1,200 meters and grows numerous coffee varieties such as Bourbon, Catuai, and Mundo Novo. Daterra Estate also collaborates with the Campinas Agricultural Research Institute in Brazil to research the Aramosa variety. The Aramosa variety is a new interspecific hybrid between Arabica and Rocemosa. Since Rocemosa, like its parent variety Ligenioides, is a naturally low-caffeine variety, Aramosa has inherited Rocemosa's low-caffeine characteristics.

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