In 2014, our sister export company NKG Stocker and the coffee nonprofit HRNS do Brasil began considering how they might together assist Brazil’s smallholder producers in improving not only their agronomy practices and cup quality but also their profitability. The result was the Forca Café Championship — a contest to celebrate the best coffees from smallholder producers in Matas de Minas, Circuito das Aguas and Campo das Vertentes, Brazil, paired with an online auction through which buyers could compete for the top lots.
This year's 10th Annual Brazil Força Café Championship delivered outstanding coffees yet again. As in the past, this was a multi-layer group project. Regional submissions were collected and cupped by the team at Stockler. Next, those selections were evaluated by an international panel of judges — primarily exporters and roasters who came together for an intensive calibration and cupping — to rank the finalists. The final lots made it to auction, and InterAmerican won most of the coffees we had our sights on! Every dollar spent during the auction, above the initial purchase price, goes directly back to the producers.
Casa da Criança
The Força Cafe Competition also continues to benefit Casa da Criança, a community center that offers crucial youth services and adult classes for the coffee community of San Antônio do Amparo. For every bag won at auction, InterAmerican elected to pay a per-pound premium toward Casa da Crianca. (You can read more about the center here.)
We're delighted to offer the coffees we won at auction!* By producer name, they are:
Maria Helena Carvalho Siqueira
10 bags
Farm: Fazenda Palmital
Region: Circuito das Aguas
Varieties: Arara
Notes: Stone fruit, melon, chocolate, almond; juicy acidity, elegant.
Marie Nakao Sasaki
9 bags
Farm: Fazenda São Francisco
Region: Cerrado
Varieties: Yellow Catuai 62
Notes: Strawberry, marzipan, apricot, toffee; juicy acidity, smooth body.
Rafael Bastos Silva
26 bags
Farm: Fazenda Bastos Coffee (1,250 masl)
Region: Matas de Minas
Varieties: Catuai 144, Vermelho
Notes: Plum, dark chocolate, honey, nuts; complex acidity, smooth body.
Marco Antonio de Freitas
20 bags
Farm: Fazenda Represa
Region: Camp das Vertentenes
Varieties: Mundo Novo
Notes: Floral, black currant, toffee, milk chocolate; tropical acidity, round body.
Jung Han Kim
9 bags (sold)
Farm: Fazenda São Sebastião (1200 masl)
Region: São Tomé das Letras - Minas Gerais
Varieties: Yellow Bourbon, Yellow Topazio, Paraiso, Tupi, Acaua, Mundo Novo
Notes: Ripe cherry, strawberry, honey; bright acidity, velvety body.
Samuel Almerindo Mendes
4 bags (sold)
Farm: Cafés Bromelias (1250 masl)
Region: Córrego São Félix
Varieties: Red Catuai 144
Notes: Ripe cherry, strawberry, honey; bright acidity, velvety body.
*All bag quantities are the original amounts; please ask about current availability.
