This coffee's story

Ocafi Essência, sourced exclusively from Ocafi's own farms in Brazil, is a premium coffee blend that offers a wellbalanced and sweet profile with prominent chocolate and hazelnut flavors. This blend consists of four varieties (Catuai, Catucai, Acaia, and Mundo Novo) that are naturally processed and achieve an SCA score of 83. The prime goal of the Blend is to create a consistent year-around quality paired with full sourcing transparency. Its cultivation at an altitude of 800-900 meters and a harvesting period from April to August ensures freshness and a robust flavor profile. Additionally, Ocafi Essência contributes to sustainability through bio energy usage and ensures a higher return to the farmgate, providing 67% of the final sales price to the local farm, significantly above local alternatives.

Fazenda Pinheiro, Fazenda Matão, and Fazenda São Domingos are Ocafi’s own farms, central to crafting the Essência blend. These farms showcase Ocafi's dedication to sustainable, transparent coffee production from farm to cup. Fazenda Pinheiro, acquired in 2003, serves as the heart of Ocafi’s operations, combining innovative agricultural practices with traditional coffee cultivation. It hosts Ocafi’s main lab and roastery, ensuring strict quality control and continuous experimentation, essential for producing key components of the Essência blend.

This farm integrates coffee cultivation with sustainable livestock and agricultural practices, enhancing its ecological footprint and productivity. Fazenda Matão, situated in the elevated regions of Mococa, is celebrated for its perfect coffee-growing conditions. The
farm employs advanced sustainable techniques, including a state-of-the-art irrigation system that conserves water while ensuring the optimal development of coffee cherries. The unique terroir of Matão contributes robust and distinct flavors to the Essência blend. Fazenda São Domingos complements the blend with beans processed using advanced technologies for consistency and
quality. Its commitment to environmental preservation supports regional biodiversity, integral to its operations. The collaboration among these farms ensures the Essência blend is a true representation of Ocafi’s farm-to-cup ethos.

Processing

At Ocafi, the processing of the Essência blend is a carefully controlled journey that combines traditional craftsmanship with modern precision to unlock the coffee’s fullest flavor potential.

Selective harvesting
Ripe cherries are handpicked between April and August at elevations of 800–900 meters. This selective harvesting ensures only the best fruit makes it to the next stage.

Natural drying process
Once harvested, the cherries undergo an initial 8 days of sun drying on patios, where they are regularly turned by hand to promote even drying and prevent mold or over-fermentation. This sun drying intensifies the coffee’s natural sugars, imparting signature notes of chocolate, hazelnut, and caramel.

Controlled mechanical drying
After the patio phase, the beans proceed to a 20-hour mechanical drying cycle in advanced dryers. This step precisely reduces the moisture content to optimal levels while preserving delicate flavors and preventing over-drying, crucial for a balanced and consistent cup profile.

Extended maturation in tuhla silos
Following drying, the beans rest for 21 days in Tuhla silos—specialized storage containers designed for ideal aeration and moisture regulation. This maturation phase allows the beans to stabilize, harmonizing flavors and enhancing sweetness, body, and aroma before roasting.

Quality assurance and innovation
Throughout these stages, Ocafi’s expert team at Fazenda Pinheiro continuously monitors quality with cupping sessions and laboratory analysis, ensuring each lot meets their exacting standards. Experimentation with processing parameters also enables ongoing refinement of flavor and consistency.

Sustainable practices
All processing is powered by renewable bioenergy, while water use is carefully managed to minimize environmental impact. This commitment to sustainability supports healthy ecosystems, contributes to coffee quality, and returns a premium 67% of the final sale price to the farmgate.

Farm-to-cup transparency
Owning the entire process from cultivation through processing and roasting, Ocafi ensures full traceability and direct trade benefits, fostering long-term relationships with farm workers and upholding the brand’s ethos of quality and ethical responsibility.