The Flanzer family began farming in the 1970’s in the Serra do Cabral plateau in the state of Minas Gerais. Originally planted for forestry, brothers Marcelo and Roberto decided to diversify their land when they took over management from their father, Henrique, in 2000. Coffee had never been produced in the region before so Marcelo and Roberto started with a blank slate. They knew the altitude, climate, water, and terroir of their land were perfect for coffee production and determined that pivot irrigation would be the most efficient way to use the natural water available to them (something not often accessible to producers in Brazil). Their coffee trees are planted in concentric circles and a long sprinkler arm rotates from a center pivot allowing each tree to be individually watered. This type of irrigation typically uses less water than other methods and is just one example of how the Flanzers are committed to preservation and sustainable agriculture. They have reserved vast areas within their land for preservation and the land is rich with biodiversity. Marcelo and Roberto are members of the board of the Serra do Cabral State Park and operate a native-species nursery where they raise seedlings and then donate the plants to parks, neighbors, associations, etc. Their first coffee harvest was in 2009 and already they’ve won a Cup of Excellence award. We’re delighted to have the chance to present their coffees on our menu and look forward to seeing more great coffees from them in the future.
