There is no doubt that Rafael's commitment to producing quality coffee in harmony with nature runs deep. His farm produces certified organic coffee through regenerative cultivation methods, where he uses innovative natural solutions to replace pesticides, among other things. It has not only been easy, but the hard work has paid off: Today, Rafael produces two organic specialty coffee beans that deliver top marks for both quality and aroma.

Coffee and more

-Come – I want to show you our bees! Don't be afraid of these
does not sting. We are on a tour of Fazenda Santo Andre and Rafael is an enthusiastic guide who takes us between the coffee bushes. At a long row of banana trees that create shade for the coffee bushes, we stop and listen to the buzzing of small, sweet bees that hover around the banana flowers. The bees are also good pollinators in the coffee blossoms. In addition, they produce the farm's honey. Rafael also produces tea from the coffee flowers. He likes to think creatively in his production.
But even though tea and honey are nice by-products, it is of course the specialty coffee that is in focus.

We enjoy every sip as we sit down to rest on the terrace of the old farm house. Rafael has served us homemade cakes and coffee. In the tree next door, a dozen parakeets chirp as they dart in and out of the branches. The cozy farmhouse has been Rafael's base since he took over the farm from his father in 2018.

However, it wasn't meant to be that way. Rafael worked in the big city for a multinational food company. But when he took a year off to work with regenerative agriculture in Kenya and Madagascar in Africa, among other things, he had a vision of what he wanted to do next: Organic coffee production – where he could also have the opportunity to employ people in vulnerable situations and help them in their lives.

-That was the driving force when I took over, says the 33-year-old.

His father had previously run the coffee production, but it wasn’t going so well and he didn’t want to continue. Rafael decided to take over and do things his own way. Becoming certified as an organic grower is a demanding process where you have to be open to finding innovative solutions to agronomic problems. The process of getting approved took around three years. He says that labor is the biggest expense in organic coffee production, because it requires a lot of hands.

"On a coffee farm of this size using traditional methods, you could get by with three or four people. I have 15 employees," he says.

Rafael says the certification also requires a lot of documentation and paperwork. At one point, when the neighboring farm had sprayed, a trace of pesticide was found on his coffee – probably due to wind. This meant he had to go through a long process to prove that he was not the one who had sprayed. Such situations can be frustrating and time-consuming, but he still feels that he gets a lot back for producing in harmony with nature. Especially in the quality and taste of the beans.

The coffee produced here is characterized by fruity notes and a rich aroma and has quickly become a favorite among Acorda's customers.

But Rafael's approach doesn't just represent the highest quality coffee. He also sets a new standard for social entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector. Passion and dedication are the watchwords of this coffee farm – and they translate into excellent coffee.