Brazil Vargem Alegre

Sítio Vargem Alegre is located in the picturesque village of Cristina in the south of Minas Gerais. This family business was created by dividing the century-old Sítio Furnas between Sebastião Daniel da Silva and his sons, Cleverson and Eduardo.

Cleverson Daniel da Silva and his family have dedicated their lives to growing coffee sustainably and in harmony with nature. The farm has protected forest reserves that are home to rich flora and fauna. Among the local species one can spot wolves, armadillos, birds such as canaries and hawks.

We take coffee from Cleverson every year and are proud to include it in our menu. We even had the pleasure of meeting the farmer in person last spring. Together we tasted his exceptional coffee in our roastery, which was an unforgettable experience.

At Sítio Vargem Alegre, harvesting is done by hand, with the utmost care. The coffee cherries are picked only when they are perfectly ripe and placed on tarpaulins to avoid contact with the ground. On the same day, the coffee is transported to a processing centre on the farm, where the cherries are washed and then dried on concrete terraces under greenhouses. This minimises the risk of unwanted fermentation. If necessary, drying continues in the dryer until the coffee reaches the ideal moisture content.

After drying, the beans rest for at least 40 days in wooden containers, where they acquire their characteristic flavour. Finally, the coffee is sorted into batches and stored in a small warehouse on the farm.