BRAZIL Claudio Nakamura (ESPRESSO)

The Nakamura family’s story began in 1929, when they came from Japan to Brazil in search of better living and working conditions. Initially settling in the municipality of Bastos, in São Paulo state’s highlands, they dedicated themselves to agriculture, cultivating various cereals and cotton.

In the 1940s, they moved to Londrina in the state of Paraná and started growing coffee. After a severe frost in 1975, part of the family relocated to the Mogiana Paulista region, seeking a new path in coffee farming. In 1986, seizing the opportunity to purchase a property in Chapada de Minas, Cláudio and his wife Elvia moved there, aiming to make a living from coffee cultivation — and this was where the story of Fazenda Nakamura began.

They spent several years preparing the land, carefully observing environmental standards before planting coffee seedlings. Today, the farm covers a total area of 250 hectares, with 60 hectares dedicated to coffee cultivation, 50 hectares of regenerative forest, and 100 hectares of preservation areas. The region is a transition zone between the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado. Looking ahead, they plan to implement irrigated areas to address the ongoing challenge of drought.

The family has faced difficulties due to climate, especially the dry weather and lack of rain. Added to this, there was a drop in coffee prices during the first harvests — but they overcame all these challenges. Throughout, they have benefited from strong collaboration, partnership, and understanding from the local community and neighbors, who saw in coffee farming an opportunity for life change.

They prioritize local labor, and the harvest is done 100% manually, without machines — focusing not only on producing the best coffee but also on supporting the region’s socioeconomic development. During peak harvest years, over 100 collaborators work on the farm, and if Cláudio has his way, this tradition will continue for many years to come.

All management practices are mechanized, further demonstrating the Nakamura family’s commitment to the region’s development. One of the key advantages of the region is the uniform maturation of the coffee cherries, as there is only one flowering; the harvest begins in mid-June and ends between August and September. Another important factor in determining quality is the fermentation techniques used, which continue to improve each year. After passing through the washer, the coffees are left in sealed barrels for 10 days, intensifying aromas and flavors.

With a focus on sustainable development, they now use photovoltaic energy to meet the farm’s entire energy demand.