Brésil - Cerrado - Jose Carlos Grossi - Natural - by Sail

We source this coffee in the Cerrado from the Grossi family. In 1879, Antônio Grossi, José Carlos's grandfather, left the Veneto region in Italy for Brazil to work on the coffee plantations in the State of São Paulo. A few years later, in 1950, his son Matheus Grossi invested in a small coffee plantation in northwestern Paraná. Born in Garça, in the interior of the State of São Paulo, José Carlos helped his father on the farm whenever he could, then joined the ESALQ/USP agricultural school in 1966 to deepen his knowledge in coffee cultivation.

In 1972, José Carlos Grossi left the family lands in Paraná to establish his first coffee plantation in the then little-known region of Cerrado Mineiro. With $10,000 in savings, he laid the foundation of the company JC Grossi & Filhos on this largely unexplored terroir.

In 1991, his efforts paid off. Eager to guarantee consistent quality, José Carlos adopted a strategy of vertical integration in production, allowing him to strengthen quality control and product traceability. He also conducted research work to adapt coffee cultivation to the conditions of the Cerrado and created an experimental plot in 1994.

This coffee comes from the IBC 12 variety, also called Uva ("grape" in Portuguese) in reference to its large, dark red cherries. Selected in Brazil, it is increasingly appreciated for its ability to combine good yield with high cup quality.

Since 2005, the family's farms have been UTZ and Rainforest Alliance certified.

This coffee crosses the Atlantic by sailboat, extending José Carlos's commitment to more responsible farming and logistics, from the Cerrado all the way to the roasters.

The history of the Grossi family is deeply linked to that of coffee in Brazil. It all began in 1879, when Antônio Grossi, José Carlos' grandfather, left the Veneto region of Italy to work on coffee plantations in the state of São Paulo. A few decades later, in 1950, his son Matheus Grossi pursued this trajectory by investing in a small coffee plantation in northwestern Paraná.

Born in Garça, São Paulo state, José Carlos Grossi grew up to the rhythm of the family farm. Whenever he could, he accompanied his father into the fields and developed a close relationship with the land and coffee farming. In 1966, he joined the ESALQ / USP agricultural school to deepen his agronomic knowledge and make coffee his profession.

In 1972, José Carlos left the family farm in Paraná to embark on his own adventure in the Cerrado Mineiro, a region still unknown for coffee cultivation at the time. With $10,000 in savings and remarkable determination, he founded his first plantation and laid the foundations for what would become JC Grossi & Filhos.

During this period, he also sold his yellow VW Beetle to help finance his project. This episode would leave a lasting mark on the family history and later inspire the name of one of their iconic coffees: Yellow Beetle.

In 1991, after nearly twenty years of work, José Carlos' efforts began to bear fruit. Anxious to guarantee consistent quality, he gradually implemented a vertical integration strategy across all operations, from production to coffee processing. This organization allowed him to strengthen quality control, improve traceability, and better control every step of production.

A visionary, José Carlos continued this approach by creating experimental plots as early as 1994 to study and adapt coffee growing to the conditions of the Cerrado Mineiro. Over the years, the family also developed significant agronomic work to improve naturally highly acidic soils and create favorable conditions for coffee cultivation. Crop rotation, on-site bovine compost production, and the utilization of local resources are now part of this approach.

The farm subsequently obtained UTZ and Rainforest Alliance certifications starting in 2005, testifying to a sustainable commitment to more responsible agricultural practices.

Today, the Grossi family produces natural, honey, and washed coffees, recognized for their sweetness, consistency, and clean cup. They also continue to evolve their agronomic and environmental practices, notably through soil work and on-site compost production, as well as exporting certain coffees by sailboat, in line with their vision of a sustainable and forward-looking coffee farming.