AUSTIN, Texas — Casa Brasil Coffees, a specialty Brazilian coffee roaster, is launching the first Brazilian Designation of Origin coffees in the U.S. The roaster is an official ambassador brand of the The Cerrado Mineiro Region, the only officially protected D.O. in Brazil.
Casa Brasil Coffees is the first roaster to partner with the Cerrado Coffee Growers Federation, which represents the region, to bring Brazilian D.O. coffees to retailers, restaurants and coffee shops in the U.S.
This is the first time coffees with a Brazilian seal of origin will be sold in the U.S., making the region the first demarcated Brazilian region with products on U.S. shelves.
Improving transparency and quality
Designation of Origin in the coffee industry promises to improve transparency and quality, similar to geographical indications used for specialty cheese and meats, wine and liquors, and fruits and vegetables throughout the world.
The new coffee lots are the result of the Casa Brasil Coffees Founder Joel Shuler and General Manager Ian Myers, who visited accredited farms through the region to hear grower stories and evaluate the coffees during the 2017 harvest.
Soil, climate and altitude together with the know-how of producers in the Cerrado Mineiro Region are the perfect definition of a product with Designation of Origin.
A pioneer in specialty coffees
“We were the first company to focus only on high-quality Brazilian coffees, at a time when Brazil had not established itself as a source of gourmet cafes,” Shuler said.
“Nowadays, Casa Brasil is once again a pioneer, representing the Designation of Origin of the Cerrado Mineiro Region. We believe in the value added by D.O., both for our customers and for our producing partners, and it is a real pride to be together with Cerrado Mineiro at this innovative and important moment for coffee.”
The D.O. region is a demarcated area composed of 55 municipalities located in the northwest of the state of Minas Gerais, with altitudes ranging from 800 to 1,300 meters, and coffee grown and certified in the region offers unique benefits of quality, taste and innovative traceability.
Stringent requirements
To achieve the Federation’s official Origin and Quality Certification, a coffee must meet eight requirements, including the geographic boundary, minimum elevation, storage standards, a signed statement of responsibility by the producer, and a minimum Specialty Coffee Association quality score of 80.
For Superintendent of the Cerrado Coffee Growers Federation Juliano Tarabal, this project converges with the purpose of the Cerrado Mineiro Region.
“This project represents one of the pillars of our brand purpose that is to connect producers to consumers, thus bringing value and perception to Cerrado Mineiro D.O.,” said Juliano Tarabal, superintendent of the Cerrado Coffee Growers Federation.
“Above all, it is a project that involves chain coordination, as it encompasses producers, cooperatives, exporters, roasters and two large retail chains, end-to-end traceability leading controlled origin to the American consumer.”
Every coffee is traced by a unique number and QR code from the farm, through international transport, and is marked with the same identification number on 12 oz. retail bags of roasted coffee.
Coffees grown in the region have unique attributes due to the edaphoclimatic conditions and terroir, including intense aroma, hints of chocolate, slight acidity, and moderate to full body.
Five new microlots
Casa Brasil Coffees will launch five new microlots from the region and one blend this season. Two microlots are currently available, one produced by Gil César de Melo and another by Yuki Minami, who also produces the Sweet Cerrado blend.
The coffees will be available online at casabrasilcoffees.com and in Texas retailers including Hardie’s Fresh Foods, Central Market and Whole Foods Market at the end of April.
“For me and my family it is an honor to be part of this project led by Casa Brasil Coffees and the Federation of Cerrado Coffee Growers that unites local and global through this universal drink which is the coffee,” Minami said.
There will be an opportunity to meet Yuki Minami and sample the microlot from her farm at demo events this week in Austin, Texas.
To find complete details on the requirements of the D.O. visit cerradomineiro.org. For further information of each of the coffees visit casabrasilcoffees.com. Casa Brasil Coffees is a roaster of specialty Brazilian coffees in Austin, Texas.
