SÃO PAULO, Brazil – The Prêmio Ernesto Illy de Qualidade Sustentável do Café para Espresso marks its 32nd edition, unveiling the Brazilian growers and regions most worthy of recognition for quality and sustainability that will represent their country at the 8th Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award.
The three winners are Luis Manuel Ramos Fachada M. da Silva (Chapada de Minas), Raimundo Dimas Santana Filho (Matas de Minas), and São Mateus Agropecuária (Cerrado Mineiro), all from the state of Minas Gerais.
They were selected by a panel of judges composed of national and international illycaffè specialists, among more than 500 samples submitted by the best Arabica coffee regions across Brazil. They all received checks worth R$10,000.
The 3 winners will represent Brazil at the 8th Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award, the recognition that illycaffè gives to the best coffees among those grown in the regions that contribute to illy’s unique blend.
Starting from the Brazilian experience, in 2016 illycaffè extended the award to all the producers with whom it works all over the world to emphasize the importance of working hand-in-hand with them to continue pursuing the virtuous cycle that generates sustainable quality coffee.
The centrality of the person and the importance of building long-term relationships are the basis of the new recognition that was introduced this year: the Clube Illy do Café Emerald Card, awarded to coffee growers who have supplied illycaffè for more than 30 uninterrupted crop years. The recipients of the Emerald Card named on the night were: José Carlos Grossi and the Naimeg family.
Brazil is the first country in the world where illycaffè has introduced a direct collaborative effort with coffee growers. In 1991, the company launched the Prêmio Ernesto Illy de Qualidade Sustentável do Café para Espresso for the country’s best coffee farmers, which has become one of the driving engines for the improvement of production processes.
The pioneering initiative has already recognized more than 1,500 Brazilian coffee growers and handed out more than R$8 million in prize money.
