Brazil Mixed Agricultural Cooperative of Paraguaçu (Coomap)

Harvest: May to August 
Altitude: 800m – 1100masl
Varietals: Mundo Novo, Bourbon and Catuai
Cooperative size: 770 members, 670 coffee growers
Region: Paraguaçu, South Minais Gerais
Process: Natural

Brazil is the largest producer of Arabica coffee in the world, famous for its rich chocolatey notes and natural sweetness. Our coffee comes from the Coomap cooperative, a group of 670 coffee farmers near the small town of Paraguaçu.

It’s not the biggest cooperative, but this means the Coomap group are able to give extra attention to the crops they have. Brazilian farmers elsewhere can have on average 30-50 hectares of land – at Coomap, the majority of farmers have less than 5 hectares each.

To make the most of this land, the Coomap group have access to several training schemes. This allows the producers to improve their agricultural practices, as well as taking part in business training sessions, to help farmers understand the commercial potential of growing coffee. The focus at Coomap is increasing the quality and yield of the coffee, so that they can maximise their income.

The coffee itself is processed in a very traditional Brazilian way – the way that people know and love. Coffee grows like a cherry, and when those cherries are picked, the fruit is carefully monitored and left to ferment around the two seeds (or beans) inside.

This fermentation is the secret to Brazilian coffee’s natural sweetness. After the fermentation, the seeds are removed, and left to dry in the sun. Once they’re dry, they are ready to be packed up and shipped across the ocean, where they are roasted. The end result is a coffee that has been produced and roasted with care and love, and tastes delicious.

We’re proud to support Fairtrade coffee – Coomap has been Fairtrade certified since 2015. Not only does this mean that farmers get a better price for their crop, it also allows the community to invest in the future. Coomap have supported several community causes, including regular health screenings as part of a women’s health project, providing food and furniture to a local nursing home, and helping to renovate the local town hall, to turn it into a community centre.

Honest quality and sustainability are key to the Extrawurst mission, and Fairtrade coffee helps us to achieve that. We know that the coffee produced at Coomap will be around for years to come. By investing in quality, we can give that quality right back to our customers.

With tasting notes of chocolate, plums and toffee, we think our coffee is pretty great – it’s even better when you know the journey it’s been on!