The Origin

Part of Marco Antonio Guardabaxo’s family estate, Fazenda Matão has a long history of high-quality coffee cultivation dating back to the 1960’s. Since Marco acquired the farm in the early 2000’s he has been renovating and expanding the farming infrastructure. Marco works closely with his farm manager, Marciano de Jesus, who lives onsite with his family. Both are passionate in their pursuit of high-quality sustainable produce and collaborate with our other farms in the area to constantly improve processes. The name Matão, literary green thicket, is well over 70 years old and reflects the lush vegetation that covers the fertile fazenda and surrounding areas. The farm is a bright green gem in the Mococa countryside.

A total of seven different varieties of Arabica are grown on Fazenda Matão (Order of Harvest: Mundo Novo, Acaiá, Catucaí, Catuaí, Rubi, Arara & Obatã.), all of which are processed either Pulped Natural or Natural. A state-of-the-art drip-irrigation system has been installed on the farm to ensure uniform irrigation of each crop. The system aids the regular development of the cherries, whilst also significantly reducing the farm’s water wastage. Matão’s long harvest season begins in April, with the lower altitude crops being picked first, and continues through to August. All young trees up to the age of 6 years old, or a size of less than 1.5 meters, are harvested manually, with the older trees being selectively harvested by machine using a two-step process. The fazenda has a total of 18,000M2 of concrete drying area, where the fruits are left for 10 to 20 days. The lots are then distributed amongst 8 dryers to achieve the ideal residual moisture, before storage in one of the farm’s 8 wooden silos. The coffee will usually spend 4-6 weeks in storage before being moved to a warehouse for dry-milling.

Marco and Marciano are deeply committed to implementing sustainable practices on Fazenda Matão. The team actively work to prevent soil erosion on the farm and to promote the diversification of local plant life, with trees such as Embaúva, Aroeira Vermelha and Pau Porva growing naturally on-site. Respect for the community is also a key priority at Matão, the farm’s 40 dedicated seasonal workers are paid a living wage, have secure terms and conditions, and collaborate with Marco and Marciano to constantly improve processes on the farm. Being so close to our Fazenda São Domingos also allows Marciano to utilise his neighbouring fazenda’s fantastic home-made bio-fuel, increasing the farms environmental profile.

Collect the Cards

Every coffee we source has an incredible story – an epic journey from its origin to your cup at home or in store. To honor this, we commission unique illustrated cards for each of our featured coffees.

These aren't just labels; they're collectible pieces of art that celebrate the very essence of each coffee. Each card is a small, beautiful tribute to the farm, the community, and the landscape where our beans are grown, captured by the hands of a talented artist.

We believe that every cup is an adventure, and these cards are your personal mementos. Collect them with every bag you purchase and build your own gallery of the world's most incredible coffee journeys. Each card is a new page in your coffee story.