EP 01: Verticalization in coffee
What about an integrated business model that connects coffee farms, a mill and a warehouse in Brazil to a coffee shop and a roastery in New York?! Does it sound crazy? According to the agribusiness director of FAL Coffee, Byron Holcomb, it might get tricky but managing the entire length of a coffee chain is financially a great deal.
The company began with a roastery in Red Hook, Brooklyn and later added distribution and retail spaces in New York. Years later, the group Falcafé purchased Santa Izabel and Monte Verde farms and established a milling and export operation here in Brazil in order to produce high quality coffee for internal purposes and also for external clients in the world.
Trading New York City to Ouro Fino, a small town in the countryside of Minas Gerais state, was just the begining a big life change for the agribusiness director of FAL Coffee, Byron Holcomb. Learning more about production processes, trying new varietals and understanding the whole Brazilian burocracy system are some of the things you will learn in this episode.
Prepare your coffee and enjoy the ride!
Guest:
Byron Holcomb, agribusiness director of FAL Coffee
RESUMO
Você sabe o que é verticalização de negócios na cafeicultura? Basicamente, gestores apostam em controlar todas as fases da cadeia produtiva para maximizar seus lucros. Ou seja, quando uma empresa ou fazenda cuida desde o plantio (porteira para dentro) até o fase final de consumo. Manejo do solo, beneficiamento, controle de pragas até torra, comercialização para exportação e para o consumo final.
Muitas fazendas/empresas fazem isso há tempos aqui no Brasil, mas o convidado de hoje – o diretor agrícola da FalCafé – Byron Holcomb – explica como isso é feito entre Brasil e Nova York. Com duas fazendas em Minas Gerais (Santa Isabel e Monte Verde) e um armazém, ele fornece café não apenas para diversos clientes no mundo como também envia seus melhores lotes para uma torrefação e cafeterias Nobletree do mesmo grupo lá em Nova York.
Curioso para saber como esse operacional acontece? Então é só dar o play, mas lembre-se que o áudio está em inglês.
Short Cut
If you don’t have time to listen to the episode, we prepared a nice short cut with important topics so you can go straight to the point that you are interested.
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4:21
How did Falcoffee and Nobletree start with verticalization in coffee business?
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13:04
Brazilian burocracy can be challenging for foreigner companies.
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22:26
Cultivating coffee in Brazil can be really different when compared to other origins.
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24:18
Do you remember some polemic issues related to workforce at Monte Verde farm?! Byron explains what exactly happened.
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