Origin Story
Sítio Capão is a twelve-hectare coffee farm, sitting at the relatively high elevation of 1,300m above sea level and located just outside the small town of Piatã, in Bahia’s Chapada Diamantina region
Piatã’s terroir is unique in Brazil, and contributes greatly to its strong regional distinction. The soil is nutrient-rich and slightly humid, creating a healthy and diverse ecosystem that is home to some 1,600 individual plant species.
The farm is owned by third-generation producer Aneiuson Souza and wife Rosemeire, who live onsite with their three children. Aneiuson is only in his 40s — but has already been working in coffee for nearly two decades and is part of the next generation of coffee producers in the town of Piatã.
An agronomist by training, Aneiuson has implemented several initaives to further preserve the biodiversity of his property, performing annual soil analyses on the property, and intercropping the estate with nutrient-rich crops like cauliflower and broccoli to nurture his soil.
Processing
Aneilson takes great pride and care in the way that he harvests and processes his coffee, from the preparation of the land through to the final storage of parchment. During harvest, all cherries were selected by hand only when fully ripe, with most of the labour being provided by a team of 25 expert seasonal workers, trained in the best picking practices. Aneilson also prefers to process naturals early or late during the season, as the weather is typically less humid, which simplifies the drying of the lots.
The freshly picked coffee cherries were washed and then placed to dry slowly in greenhouse conditions on raised beds at the front of Aneilson’s home. Coffee was laid in very thin layers of about four centimetres and raked about six times a day. Once the coffee reached its optimal moisture content, it was separated into numbered lots and dry milled and prepared for export.
