Fazenda do Salto sits at 1,150 m in Carmo da Cachoeira, Sul de Minas, Brazil, where Otávio Reis, now the fifth generation of a century-old family legacy—oversees 800 ha of rolling coffee fields. Their estate grows an array of varieties, Yellow Catucai, Catuai, Bourbon, Robusta hybrids like Robusta and Icatu, Mundo Novo, Arara, and Topazio, and employs plot‑specific techniques that honor each terroir and cultivar.
They offer two main processes:
Natural: whole cherries dry under the sun on expansive patios for 15–20 days, then finish in rotary dryers for optimal moisture.
Honey: cherries are depulped, left to dry briefly on patios, and then brought down to target moisture with precise machine drying.
Both yield coffees prized for their clarity, balance, and award-winning complexity.
Better clear cups in Brazil
Guided by decades of family know-how and ongoing agronomic advice, Fazenda do Salto is an active member of the Brazil Specialty Coffee Association. Their lots consistently earn top placements in competitions, including the Cup of Excellence, while Otávio and the younger generation drive continuous improvements through experimental lots and new processing trials.
Committed to People and Planet
With a core team of about 40 permanent staff, the farm ensures year‑round care, from field management to administration, and provides housing, education, and schooling support for employees' families. Environmental stewardship is equally central: native forests and springs are conserved, wastewater is treated and returned responsibly, and pest control follows the latest preventive recommendations. These practices have sustained Rainforest Alliance certification for over 15 years
Process
For this lot, freshly harvested cherries ferment for 48 hours inside "big bags" (robust polypropylene and synthetic‑fiber sacks holding 500–1,000 kg+)—an ideal solution for large‑scale lots without sacrificing quality. After fermentation, they rest on patios for 15–20 days, developing the distinctive flavor complexity that defines this coffee.
