Ten hectares are enough for Douro’s family produce exquisite coffee, an average of 200 / 300 bags per year. This specialty coffee reality, however, is new and it is possible because brothers Denizar (same name of his father) and Thiago changed the business strategy in the last years. Now, the brothers’ goals are towards quality and some technical changes were necessary in order to produce great coffee. 

Machines such as a coffee de-pulping and washer were the first acquisitions in 2011. After that, selective harvest and a covered drying yard became part of the processing at the farm. These essential changes were enough to guarantee four prizes in different quality contests in their region. Those trophies and extra money were the proof that specialty coffee market is the future for the family.

A point was made by the young brothers and the whole family was convinced. The future is quality, not quantity. This contestation grew stronger after Bourbon Specialty Coffee become a partner and introduced this beautiful coffee to the world. “Nowadays, the quiet town of Marechal Floriano is in the map of specialty coffee thanks to this family”, says Bourbon’s trader, Thiago Trovo.

In the quest of finding fine beans Bourbon Specialty Coffee’s professionals found this tiny property with great potential. Surrounded by a rich biome with Mata Atlântica forest, they cultivate the varietals IAC 44 and Catuaí 2SL with an altitude of 900 meters to 1050 meters.

Their History with coffee started 60 years ago, when José Douro (the grandfather) decided to live and start a small coffee plantation at Marechal Floriano city. His son Estevão Denizar Dutra (53 years old today) kept the business according to his father’s believes and techniques. “Before 2011, the production pattern was traditional and the coffee was processed as natural. The beans were sold with the peel and everything”, states Estevão Denizar.

In the last years, however, some paradigms were questioned and broken by the young brothers Denizar and Thiago, 27 and 22 years old respectively. “Our compromise is quality. We want to bring more prestige to the family and to the art of producing great coffee”, explains Denizar (the son). After buying new machinery and adopting selective harvest, prizes at quality contests in 2014 were a natural consequence of these significant changes. “Two samples of Catuaí 2 SL were responsible for these victories. So, we elected this varietal as our favorite with great potential”, concludes Thiago.

Coffee education, business administration knowledge and trips to other coffee producer countries were the key for this new horizon. After a visit in some Guatemalan farms, Denizar learned about processing methods with biological fermentation in boxes. Now, they are testing some of these new ideas at their property. Understanding all the phases in the coffee chain is important to control and make profits with all these phases. For this reason, they invested in a roaster and launched their own coffee brand in their region. In order to improve quality, studies in roasting technology and techniques are mandatory.