Cerrado Mineiro is a large region in the state of Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil. The region’s farms sit between 800 and 1300 masl, and are predominantly flat. There are well-defined seasons which means cherries typically ripen at the same time. The relatively flat landscape combined with high minimum wages has led to opt for mechanical harvesting over selective hand-picking. In the past, this mechanization meant that strip-picking was the norm; however, today’s mechanical harvesters are increasingly sensitive, meaning that farms can now harvest only fully ripe cherries.
This natural coffee from the Cerrado Mineiro region in Brazil showcases the technological improvements that have been made in Brazilian coffee production. The coffee has intense notes of caramel and nuts, gentle citrus acidity, medium to full body, and long-lasting chocolate finish.
CERRADO MINEIRO COFFEE GROWERS FEDERATION is a non-profit organisation created to represent its producers, control the quality and focus on the future of the farmers and the region, applying sustainable practices. The area has 210 thousand hectares, and produces an average of 5 million bags of coffee a year, being responsible for 12.7% of the Brazilian production and 25.4% of Minas Gerais production.
Cerrado Mineiro was the first region in Brazil to receive the quality recognition through the Designation of Origin (DO) certification in 2014. DO is one of the many steps towards increased traceability in Cerrado Mineiro. In order to receive Cerrado Mineiro DO, coffee must be specialty (80+ pts) arabica grown above 800 masl and has to actually come from Cerrado Mineiro region (similar to the rules protecting Champagne), and also other requirements.