4 | EDIBLE PORTLAND SPRING 2025 When Augusto Carneiro started Nossa Familia Coffee, it was with the deep-rooted desire to share and honor his family's rich coffee tradition in Brazil. This legacy spans over a century. The vision was to collaborate with his family to handpick the finest of their harvest and compensate them with a premium price, ensuring the family's coffee legacy for generations to come. As Carneiro connected with farmers from diverse coffee origins, who are now friends and trusted partners, he extended the same approach: fostering enduring, mutually beneficial relationships. Nossa Familia is a family business centered on "exceptional coffee rooted in exceptional relationships. When I spoke with Carneiro, his appreciation of family history was evident. He spoke of his early experiences living in Rio de Janeiro and eagerly waiting for summer vacation so that he could travel to the family farm. Carneiro's great-grandfather and three brothers planted the family's first coffee crop in 1890. Nestled in the Brazilian highlands, known as 'Sul de Minas,' the farm is inland from Rio de Janeiro, where Carneiro grew up. He fondly refers to it as a summer camp where he could hang out with his 27 cousins, ride horses, rise at 5:30 am daily to have his cup of coffee, and be ready to explore. As is always true on a farm, there was lots to do. Besides coffee, the farm also produced cattle, corn, potatoes, eucalyptus, and other foods such as fruit orchards, rice, beans and chickens. Edible Portland’s mission is to bring you the stories of the people and places committed to the earth's health and its occupants. At Nossa Familia, sustainability is the bedrock of every aspect of the business. Since its inception, it has been a B Corp Certified coffee roaster, a testament to Carnieros and his family's commitment. From a family-trade coffee business, they evolved to feature coffees from around the world. They only purchase coffee that scores 84 points or above on the Specialty Coffee Association cupping scale. When they source green coffee, they do so through transparent, familiar channels. They meet with farmers, visit their farms, and maintain an open and communicative relationship. They only work with responsible and trusted importers who consistently pay farmers a fair, sustainable price for their coffee. They also identify and support farm improvement projects and community development needs. The company purchases coffees that may be certified Organic, Utz certified (part of the Rainforest Alliance), BSCA certified, Board of Certified Professionals certified, or Fair Trade America certified. When they purchase from farms/cooperatives that do not carry certifications, choosing not to certify due to financial or political reasons, they use their relationship with the farm to ensure the use of environmentally and socially conscious methods. Nossa Familia Coffee is a certified Organic handling facility by Oregon Tilth. Another way Nossa Familia Coffee chooses sustainability is through its eco-friendly roasting practices. As Carneiro took us on a facility tour, we were impressed with the Loring Smart Roast machines. Nossa Familia's is a Loring Smart Roast S35 Kestrel and an S70 Peregrine, designed and built in Santa Rosa, California, utilizing components manufactured in the United States. Loring roasters use 80% less energy and emit 80% less emissions than a standard roaster. In 2015, Nossa Familia also switched to 100% renewable (wind) electricity through Portland General Electric for their facility. We noticed on our arrival that there were a number of bikes and bike racks in the parking lot. Nossa Familia employees are Nossa Familia Gives Back By Deborah Trusty
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