Happy Accident, Green Coffee

Happy Accident is a coffee that, purely by chance, turned out to be one of the best lots of this year’s harvest. Edu Melo had intended to process this lot as a classic natural lot, which would have scored around 83 SCA points. However, it began to rain while the cherries were drying, causing them to ferment naturally. This lot has thus evolved from a classic chocolate profile into strong notes of tropical fruit and citrus. It boasts a very sweet and pleasant aroma, with a distinct hint of tropical fruit. This coffee from the Espigão do Palmital farm has a higher citric acidity and a delicate body.

The Melo family's journey begins with Miguel Constante, Gil César de Melo's grandfather, a dedicated coffee grower who cultivated a deep passion for the culture and worked diligently on his plantation in Campos Altos, located in the interior of Minas Gerais. Gil's close relationship with both his parents and his grandfather sparked his love for coffee at an early age. Gil followed in the footsteps of his grandparents and parents and later started growing coffee with his cousin, but the latter soon withdrew from the partnership due to low coffee prices. Gil continued and still grows coffee today, supported by his wife Luciana and two sons, Edu Leandro and Hugo Leandro, who bring freshness and innovative ideas to the family business with their youth.

Edu joined the company to implement continuous improvements and focus on specialty coffee production. Hugo, who is very enthusiastic about the coffee supply chain, contributes his expertise from the earliest stages of production to the final touches. Both sons work closely with their parents at Coffee O'Melo, united by a common goal: to produce exceptional coffee with a strong commitment to social and environmental responsibility.

The latter point is particularly important to the family, as evidenced by their efforts to obtain Carbon Neutral Certification through the use of regenerative agriculture. They collaborate with the EPAMIG institute – Minas Gerais Agricultural Research Company – to ensure a new and more efficient approach to sustainable coffee production with unique profiles, using modern technology in the processing.

Catiguá, Mundo Novo, Catucaí, Catuaí, Arara, IAC125RN, and Bourbon are the main varieties they grow, although they maintain an experimental plantation with various exotic varieties for research purposes. Coffee O'Melo has good infrastructure and machinery and uses three processes for its coffee: natural, washed, and pulped natural.

Cerrado de Minas is the first Brazilian coffee-growing region to be given the status of designation of origin (Cerrado Mineiro), giving it a status similar to wine-growing regions. With an altitude of 800-1300 masl and well-defined seasons (humid summers and mild, dry winters), this region is very suitable for growing coffee. Popular species here are Mundo Novo and Catuaí.