Sucafina’s Fazenda Salto: green coffee with a capital G

Gepubliceerd op: 28/03/2023

Sucafina Specialty, the leading green coffee importer, is featuring Fazenda Salto in its online showcase this month. This Brazilian family-run farm has been committed to sustainability for 70 years and is now one of the first to meet Sucafina’s new IMPACT standard. It doesn’t get any greener than this!

Although coffee production in Brazil is best known for its large scale, a new generation of coffee farmers is emerging that focuses on quality and sustainability. The Araujo Reis family of Fazenda Salto is one of the driving forces behind this new group of producers, which is transforming Brazil’s coffee landscape.

For 70 years, social and environmental responsibility have been priorities for the company in Carmo de Cachoeira, a region in Minas Gerais—one of Brazil’s largest coffee-producing regions. Today, Fabio Araujo Reis is at the helm of the farm, which spans 800 hectares. In keeping with the work of his ancestors, he focuses on sustainability in coffee production. He is proud to be one of the first farms to have earned IMPACT certification, a new standard for responsible sourcing established by Sucafina.

Sucafina’s new IMPACT certification

Sucafina launched its new responsible sourcing program, IMPACT, because it believes that the future of coffee must go hand in hand with caring for people, protecting nature, and investing in coffee farms. With IMPACT, the green coffee importer aims to ensure that all parties in the supply chain—from farmer to roaster—can benefit in a way that is fairer and more sustainable. IMPACT comprises 80 social, environmental, and economic indicators, modeled after the Global Coffee Platform’s Sustainability Reference Code, making them easy to compare with other verification programs.

Guidelines for Sustainable Producers

To receive the “sustainably produced” label, farmers must meet 10 mandatory key indicators in accordance with IMPACT’s guidelines, such as no child labor, the right to education for children, and no use of banned pesticides. In addition, at least half of the 70 improvement indicators must be met. To retain the certification, farmers must also continue to improve this score. That’s what makes IMPACT unique! With the premium they receive, producers can take new steps toward sustainability and command higher prices. All IMPACT-certified coffee is fully traceable down to the farmer level. Supply chains are audited by a third party every three years.

Even Greater Impact for Fazenda Salto

For the Araujo Reis family, the partnership with Sucafina and obtaining the IMPACT certification are a natural extension of their existing focus on the social and environmental aspects of coffee production. IMPACT supports the family in preserving the natural ecosystem, creating a safe and dignified environment for workers, and ensuring a safe and ethical food system for consumers. Read here to learn, for example, how the family provides housing and education to its workers and how they maintain, among other things, 400 hectares of protected natural forest.

Want to learn more about Fazenda Salto or Sucafina’s IMPACT program? Stop by Sucafina’s booth (T14, T15, and T19) during The Amsterdam Coffee Festival from March 30 to April 1. Tip: Be sure to check out the cupping sessions on Thursday and Friday, and don’t miss the chance to meet coffee producer Carlos Pola from El Salvador!