Cerrado Grande, Espresso - Brazil

"For me, the Cerrado Grande farm is the best place in the world. I am very grateful and happy to have had the support of some amazing people throughout my journey in coffee. The good results we are enjoying today are the result of the collective work and professionalism of the entire team."  ~ Raquel Ribeiro Aguiar

This incredible woman was born and raised among coffee trees. She remembers following her father to the coffee plantation when she was little. These kinds of moments were priceless to her and gave birth to a passion and love for coffee that she built over the years.

When Raquel returned to her hometown of Oliveira, she immediately started working on the family farm. Her father has always been an inspiration and has always offered advice and support. A few years later, Mr Ronaldo decided to divide his real estate among his children and Raquel was given the right to continue his inheritance at the Fazenda Cerrado Grande in the Campo das Vertentes area.

At first, Raquel was hesitant and overwhelmed by the responsibility of continuing her father's life's work. In addition, she was a young woman, freshly graduated and without much experience in a male-dominated field. The support she received from her colleagues on the farm was fundamental for her to gain confidence and gradually introduce her management, improving operational processes and shifting the focus to specialty coffees.

Today, Raquel's dream is for her children to love coffee as much as she does so that she can pass the farm on to the next generation in the future.

• Region: Campo das Vertentes - Santo Antonio do Amparo
• Country: Brazil
• Elevation: 900 - 1,150 masl
• Variety: Topazio
• Process: Natural