Coffee is in Luiz Paulo’s veins—quite literally. As a fourth-generation producer from Brazil’s Carmo de Minas region, he and his brothers have carried on their family’s legacy, working alongside their cousins to preserve and elevate the area’s rich coffee heritage.

Although Luiz initially pursued a degree in Business Administration and built a career in banking, he couldn’t ignore his deep-rooted connection to coffee. In 2004, he returned home to manage part of the family business. Collaborating with his cousin, Jacques Pereira, he soon recognized that their region possessed a unique identity—distinct characteristics that set its coffee apart as some of the finest in the world.

However, despite the exceptional quality of their coffee, local appreciation remained limited. Seeing an opportunity to uplift both their coffee and their community, Luiz and Jacques turned their focus to specialty coffee, determined to showcase and validate the excellence of Carmo de Minas.

The project gradually expanded, and as it did, Luiz played a key role in reshaping the world's perception of Brazilian coffee. In 2007, he and Jacques established CarmoCoffees with a vision of building a sustainable coffee business. They focus on direct trade for exports and invest in research to advance specialty coffee in the Mantiqueira de Minas region.

By showcasing the region’s exceptional coffee, they have significantly improved the livelihoods of local growers and their families.

“My passion,” Luiz shares, “is the pursuit of quality. It’s about enhancing our coffees year after year. I love being part of that journey.”

Unlike traditional Brazilian coffees, which are often known for their nutty, chocolatey, and full-bodied profiles, AMA Geisha pushes the boundaries by showcasing the delicate and complex attributes typically found in high-altitude specialty coffees.

The Geisha coffee plant produces a lower yield than other varietals, with slower-maturing cherries and fewer per plant. Because of this, we hand-harvest each Geisha bean with great care, fully appreciating the effort required at every stage of the process.

During drying, the coffee is handled with food-grade precautions to prevent contamination. It is placed on hanging terraces under a UV-protected roof, ensuring a controlled temperature for consistent and uniform drying.

The producer remains actively involved in every step, all the way through to packing the coffee in waterproof bags.

This meticulous attention to detail results in a cup that is both vibrant and exceptionally flavorful.