The journey of O’Melo group starts with Mr. Miguel Constante, the grandfather of Gil César de Melo, a devoted coffee grower who nurtured a deep passion for the crop and worked diligently on his plantation in the city of Campos Altos, nestled in the interior of Minas Gerais. Gil’s close relationship with both his parents and grandfather sparked his own love for coffee from an early age.

A pivotal moment came when Gil’s cousin, who owned a farm, proposed a partnership in coffee cultivation. Together, they began by planting 6 hectares, which rapidly expanded to 22. But there came a time when the price of coffee plummeted to just 33 dollars per bag, leading Gil’s cousin to step away from the partnership. Confronted with this challenge, Gil made the bold decision to continue on his own, buying out his cousin’s share and taking full control of the farm.

Throughout this journey, Gil’s wife, Luciana Alves Leandro Melo, stood by his side, offering unwavering support for his choices. She soon became actively engaged in socio-environmental initiatives on the farm and took part in managing various aspects of the business which spreads over three farms (Espigão do Palmitão | Santa Luzia | Esperança), located in the municipalities of Campos Altos and Pratinha within the Cerrado Mineiro region.

Now, the couple has even more motivation to keep pushing forward—their children. Representing the fourth generation of the family, Edu Leandro Melo and Hugo Leandro Melo bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to the business. Edu has joined the company to implement ongoing improvements and to focus on the production of specialty coffees.

Meanwhile, Hugo, deeply passionate about the coffee supply chain, contributes his expertise from the earliest stages of production to the finishing touches. Both sons work closely with their parents at Coffee O’Melo, united by a common goal: producing exceptional coffee with a strong commitment to social and environmental responsibility.

The last last point is especially important to the family, evident in their efforts to obtain Cabron Neutral Certification by using regenerative agriculture. They partnered up with EPAMIG – Minas Gerais Agricultural Research Company – to ensure a new and more effective approach to growing coffees with unique profiles sustainably, using modern technology in the process.

Catiguá, Mundo Novo, Catucaí, Catuaí, Arara, IAC125RN and Bourbon are the main cultivars produced, although an experimental field with different exotic cultivars is maintained for research purposes. With a good structure and machinery, Coffee O’Melo uses four processes for their coffees: natural, pulped natural and washed.