FAZENDA SÃO BENEDITO was purchased by the SERTÃO GROUP in 2003. Fazenda São Benedito has great potential for fine copies because of its localization. Further to the specialty coffee plantations of the Sertão Group, it also raises cattle of the Girolando breed. The group owns the well-known brand GIROLANDO DA SERTÃO, a symbol of the best national cattle raiser of this breed (www.gruposertao.com.br).

Antônio José is a member of APROCAM and its Vice-President. APROCAM gives priority to improving specialty coffees quality and commercialization, and a member of the Cooperative COCARIVE .

Coffee processing system

Coffee is picked manually on cloth in order to avoid that the beans touch the soil; the beans are transported to the drying area twice a day, where they are washed, pulped and spread out on the same day. Subsequently the beans are placed in the drier, and then in the temporary rest bins, and then they return to the drier and when humidity reaches they are sent to rest in permanent bins for 30 days after which they receive their final processing and are deposited at the Cooperative where they receive their final standard classification.

Coffee is washed and pulped using the water recycling and rational use process. Residues are transferred to decanting tanks and later they return to the plantations.

Concern with quality

Fazenda São Benedito has a modern infrastructure with leading edge equipment and improvements. Antônio José Junqueira Villela is always seeking new ways to increase the quality of the coffees produced in his farm and in the micro-region of Carmo de Minas. He constantly visits several national and international entities to exchange experiences with other professionals of the area to reach higher quality standards for his coffees. All coffee lots are cupped and supervised year after year. The option for specialty coffees demand the producer's constant attention and dedication. Traceability is indispensable not only to understand the property and the product but also to take decisions involving replacing a plantation and choosing the varieties that will be planted.