Brazil - Santa Ines, Acaia Natural

Santa Ines is a Pereira family farm in the Carmo Coffees' portfolio, helmed by Luiz Paulo Pereira. It is located on the ridge of Mantiqueira Mountain in the city of Carmo de Minas.

Acquired by the Sertao Group in 1979, it was thereafter replenished with new crops and developed further with the establishment of concrete terraces and the installation of post-harvest processing facilities, such as for pulping, washing, and drying.

Farm operations are run with respect for the natural environment by its residents, who are also Carmo Coffees' registered employees, supported with housing and essentials such as education, healthcare, and food.

Acaia is known as a Brazil-origin variety that descended from the Mundo Novo. Its name is reportedly derived from an indigenous Tupi-Guarani term that refers to a “big-seeded fruit," referencing the Acaia's larger seeds, compared to that of other coffee cherries.

According to the Fundação Procafé , Acaiá was developed through selective breeding within Mundo Novo progenies, with plants chosen for their seed size and uniformity, and had been initially distributed to farmers in 1977 and officially registered in the National Cultivar Registry (RNC) in 1999.

It is widely cultivated in Brazil, particularly in Minas Gerais, due to its adaptability to the different microclimates across diverse growing regions and its expediency for mass-scale harvesting. It is valued for its reliably uniform ripening, making it a practical choice for producers.

Its cup character is observed to typically express a balance of subtle fruitiness and rich sweetness.