Sitio Corrego Grande - Brazil

For three generations, the Reis family has farmed coffee. Today, Sergio looks to take the farm to new heights after placing 30th in the 2018 cup of excellence competition.

First acquired by Sergio’s grandfather, Horácio Eduardo, Sitio Corrego Grande has been a part of the Reis family for nearly 50 years. After purchasing the property in the 70s, Horácio managed the farm for several years before handing it over to his son, Ademar Eduardo. Ademar managed the estate throughout much of the 90s, diversifying their crop to include sugar cane. During this time, Ademar worked closely with his son, Sergio. Ademar decided to make it his mission to teach his son everything he knew so that Sergio could continue building the family’s history.

Today, Sergio has done just that and continues to grow his family’s legacy. Although a small portion of the farm is now reserved for growing cereals, the Reis family has always focused on producing spectacular coffees. So much so, Sergio recently graduated after studying agriculture to improve his work at Sítio Córrego Grande. Sergio’s hard work paid off, and in 2018 Sítio Córrego Grande was a finalist in the Brazil Naturals Cup of Excellence.

After entering his coffee in Cooxupé and SMC’s specialty coffee program, “Especialíssimo”, Sergio’s sample was identified as a coffee with high potential and entered into the competition. They were right, as Sergio was fortunate and placed 30th, confirming his hard work and effort was time well spent.

For cultivation, Sérgio works closely and receives support from the Cooxupé’s agronomists. This helps Sergio to manage the nutrition of his soil and plants, ensuring a quality crop.
Coffee from Sítio Córrego Grande is processed using both pulped natural and natural methods. For this natural lot, the coffee cherry is first picked when at its most ripe, before being taken to Sítio Córrego Grande’s patios. Here, cherry is classified and defined into lots by variety and day of picking. Next, the cherries are sorted to remove any under or over ripes. Once complete, the coffee cherry is next evenly spread over the patios, helping to create optimum drying conditions. Once a moisture content of 12% or lower is recorded, dried cherry is collected and transported to the mill. Here, the coffee is milled of its cherry, before being prepped for export.

For conservation, 20% of the property is left untouched. This allows for the continuation of local Flora and Fauna, including native trees that cover the space. Soon, Sergio also plans to begin his next project, building a system to tap into water sources present at the farm.