BSCA to promote Brazilian specialty coffees in Rio

The BSCA (Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association) will promote national specialty coffee varieties at the “Art of Coffee” space in Casa Brasil (Pier Maua, Rio de Janeiro) during the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games (4 August to 18 September).

The events result from a partnership between the BSCA, the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brazil) and the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae).

The special area will offer several presentations about Brazil’s specialty coffee varieties, exploring their history, producing regions, characteristics and most interesting methods of preparation.

“There will also be demonstrations of preparation methods, and the variety used for each demonstration will be offered to the audiences. This is the same model we used at Expo Milan in Italy (also in partnership with Apex-Brazil), which was quite successful,” explains BSCA Director Vanusia Nogueira.

The coffee varieties being promoted are produced by partners and associates of the BSCA and small farmers supported by Sebrae, grown in several producing regions of Brazil. “Due to the diversity of varieties, we will make a number of different presentations with explanations on the characteristics of the beverage and varieties from each producing region that are available in the market,” he adds.

Numbers

BSCA estimates that Brazil will produce up to 8 million bags (60kg) of specialty coffee in 2016, which accounts for 35.5% of global demand (22.5 million bags) as projected by the International Coffee Organization (ICO).

Last year, Brazil exported 6.75 million specialty coffee bags (18% of the country’s total coffee exports of 37 million bags) and consumed one million bags of specialty coffee domestically (or 5% of the total 20.5 million bags of coffee that Brazilians drank in 2015).

The main market for Brazilian specialty coffees is the United States, but the highest prices paid for the country’s products are obtained in sales to Japan, South Korea, Australia and Taiwan.

China has emerged as a very promising market, despite its lack of tradition in drinking coffee. Between 2012 and 2015, for example, China’s total imports of specialty coffee increased 29% to 1.8 million bags, also according to the ICO.

Brazil is the leader in the global ranking of coffee production and exports and the second largest consumer of the beverage in the world, after the United States.

Coffee is cultivated in 23 producing regions, which means the country can produce varieties for all demands and tastes in the planet, always under the national banner of economic, social and environmental sustainability, and generating revenues for all segments of the production chain.

The producing regions

BSCA partners and Sebrae selected specialty coffee varieties from ten different producing regions for this special promotion event. They are:

Southern Minas Gerais (MG): the favourable climate and relief, combined with artisanal production techniques, are the secrets of this region’s award-winning coffee. Minas Gerais’ success comes from sheer dedication at all stages of production, solid infrastructure and investment in research. The southwest of the state has important producing towns such as Guaxupé (which has the largest coffee grower cooperative in Brazil), Cooxupé, Varginha and Três Pontas. Southern Minas enjoys both mild temperatures (ranging between 18-20 oC/64-68 oF) and high altitudes (up to 1,400 m/1,600 ft), and has become one of the leading producers of specialty coffee in Brazil. Other coffee-growing municipalities include Poços de Caldas and Muzambinho. Traits of this region’s coffee: Southwest – medium body, high acidity, sweet, with floral and citrus notes; Mountains – velvety body, high acidity, sweet, with caramel, chocolate, almond, citrusy and fruity notes.

* Mantiqueira de Minas (MG) PGI: located on the Minas Gerais side of the Mantiqueira Mountains, in the south of the state, this region has a long tradition in the production of quality coffee. The Mantiqueira mountain range is now one of the most renowned coffee-producing regions in Brazil. In 2011, the area was recognized as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) region due to its tradition and worldwide reputation for producing specialty coffees with a highly-differentiated sensory profile. These are rare, surprising coffees, reflecting the combination of a unique terroir and local know-how that continually strives for excellence. Carmo de Minas, a small town that has won a number of awards, is one of the main producers. Other towns in the region that stand out for their coffee production are Conceição das Pedras, Paraisópolis, Jesuânia, Lambari, Cristina, Don Viçoso and Pedralva. Traits of this region’s coffee: (i) Wet processing (shelled/pulped) – citrus and floral notes, creamy and dense body, medium-high citrus acidity, high sweetness, long finish; (ii) Dry processing (natural coffee) – citrus, floral, fruity, creamy and dense body, medium-high acidity, high sweetness.

Matas de Minas (MG): this region emerged on the specialty coffee market after it started producing shelled cherries. Some of the area’s producers have been finalists in many specialty coffee contests, and export to Japan, Europe and the United States. The main producing towns are Diamantina, Presidente Kubitschek, Manhuaçu, Ervália, Araponga and Viçosa. Traits of this region’s coffee: medium- to full-bodied, medium acidity, high sweetness, chocolaty aroma and citrus flavour.

** Cerrado Mineiro (MG) PDO: coffee cultivation started in this region in the 1970s, mainly by farmers from the state of Paraná fleeing frosts or from the state of São Paulo who had been facing problems with nematode pests back home. The Cerrado Mineiro (i.e. the section of Minas Gerais state that is covered by the Cerrado biome) has dry weather during the harvest period, which makes the coffee more resilient to moisture after harvest. The region, which covers 55 municipalities in the Triângulo Mineiro, Alto Paranaiba and Northwest areas of the state, earned Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status in 2013 (it was the country’s first coffee-producing region to receive the distinction).

* Alta Mogiana (SP) PGI: a traditional coffee producer, this region comprises 15 municipalities in the state of São Paulo (Altinópolis, Batatais, Buritizal, Cajuru, Cristais Paulista, Franca, ltirapuã, Jeriquara, Nuporanga, Patrocínio Paulista, Pedregulho, Restinga, Ribeirão Corrente, Santo Antônio da Alegria and São José da Bela Vista) and eight in the state of Minas (Claraval, Capetinga, Cassia, Ibiraci, Itamogi, Sacramento, São Sebastião do Paraíso and São Tomas de Aquino). Coffee production is distributed over three main hubs: Franca, Pedregulho (one of the highest-altitude cities in the state) and Altinópolis. Traits of this region’s coffee: striking aroma, fruity with chocolate and nutty notes, creamy and velvety body, medium, very well-balanced acidity and a long finish, with caramel sweetness and dark chocolate notes.

Média Mogiana (SP): in this region, the highest concentration of coffee is in São João da Boa Vista. The area is climatically suitable for coffee, hilly (some municipalities are above 1,000 m/3,280 ft altitude), with high-yield, high-quality products. One limitation is mechanisation in sharp relief areas. Specialty coffee production covers five of the area’s sixteen agricultural municipalities, including Espírito Santo do Pinhal, Santo Antônio do Jardim and São João da Boa Vista. Traits of this region’s coffee: good acidity, medium sweetness, medium body, and chocolate, chestnut and nutty notes.

Planalto Baiano (BA): a number of properties do selective harvesting (i.e. only pick ripe beans) at this plateau region in the state of Bahia – comprising Chapada Diamantina, Vitória da Conquista, and Serrana de Itiruçu/Brejões, which favours the production of shelled coffee. In addition to the harvesting of ripe fruit, the establishment of farmer cooperatives and associations was a key factor to achieve quality products and ensure the success of family farming, which is prominent in the state. With average altitudes of 850 m/2,800 ft and mild temperatures, this region is ideal for the cultivation of Arabica coffee. Harvesting is done during the rainy winter, and requires greater attention from producers at the time of drying. The Chapada Diamantina area includes award-winning coffee growing towns such as Piatã, Mucugê, Ibicoara, Vitória da Conquista, Barra do Choça and Poções. Traits of this region’s coffee: full-bodied and velvety, sweet, with citrus acidity, chocolate and nutty notes, and a long finish.

Montanhas do Espírito Santo (ES): the coffee produced in this mountainous region (above 400 m/1,312 ft of altitude) is of the Arabica variety. Efforts to improve the quality of the beans began in the 1980s, when traditional techniques were replaced with new machinery that allowed for greater control in grain processing. The main producing towns are Afonso Cláudio, Venda Nova do Imigrante, Alfredo Chaves and Castelo. Traits of this region’s coffee: full-bodied with medium-to-high acidity, sweet and with good complexity of aromas