Exploring FAF Coffee Farms in Brazil:
The Journey Behind Conker Coffee Liqueur.
Discovering Sustainable Coffee Farming in Brazil.
In 2019, we were invited by the Croce family to visit their FAF coffee farm in Mococa, São Paulo, to see for ourselves how they are leading the way in sustainable coffee farming in brazil.
On their organic estate, we saw the sustainable arabica coffees behind Conker Coffee Liqueur growing in harmony with nature.
We met the people whose lives have been transformed by their ethical ‘Bobolink’ farming cooperative.
Here’s what we discovered…
The Croce Family - A Legacy of Ethical Coffee Farming.
Silvia Croce recalls how her late father was an environmentalist well before the idea of Sustainable farming.
Instead of clearing land for agriculture, he protected trees and let nature take the lead.
In 2001, Silvia inherited his farm. She described the profound shift required to move from being a consumer to becoming a producer.
She returned to Brazil with her family to continue her father’s legacy and transform the farm into a certified organic coffee estate.
“We need to have a balance, and we need to keep nature alive. And then we have nature helping us.” – Silvia Croce
What is FAF? - A Fortress for Sustainable Coffee in Brazil.
FAF stands for Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza—beautifully translating to Environmental Fortress Farm.
Led by the Croce family, FAF champions ethical coffee by working with nature—not against it.
They grow exceptional Brazilian coffee through regenerative farming and forest-based cultivation.
But their impact stretches beyond the family farm. Through their Bobolink project, they partner with micro-lot farms across the Mogiana Mountains.
These FAF coffee farming partners receive hands-on education, tools, and support to:
Eliminate harmful inputs
Improve yields naturally
Access the global speciality coffee market
Together, they’re building a future where sustainable coffee farming in Brazil is viable for generations to come.
Coffee Trees as Nature Intended
Coffee trees thrive when grown in their natural environment – under the canopy of a forest—not in exposed, overworked farmland.
In natural ecosystems, each plant has a role. Tall trees offer shade and protection. Rich living soil feeds the roots. Wildlife helps pollinate and spread seeds.
FAF honours this model. Their coffee trees grow in the partial shade of native forests, and with companion trees and nitrogen-fixing plants planted with the coffee crops.
This agroforestry approach supports biodiversity and produces high-quality coffees for our Cold Brew Coffee liqueur in a natural, balanced way.
Turning dirt back into soil.
Healthy coffee begins with healthy soil.
In the wild, nutrients return to the ground through cycles of growth and decay. No fertiliser needed—just nature at work.
But monoculture farming stresses and breaks this cycle. It strips soil of nutrients and depends on artificial inputs like nitrogen and phosphate.
At FAF, things are different. Coffee grows in living forest soil, supported by nitrogen-fixing companion plants.
The result? Rich, self-sustaining ecosystems. No artificial fertilisers. Just vibrant coffee trees in balanced, biodiverse soil.
Sustainable coffee farming starts with clean water.
When we spoke to the Bobolink partner farms in Brazil, the conversation kept returning to one theme: water.
“I would not drink the water downstream of my neighbour’s farm. But now I do.”
That hit home.
With the help of FAF, partner farms have installed natural water treatment systems— where gravel and reed beds reduce harmful farm runoff.
These systems prevent coffee fermentation waste, fertilizers, and pesticides from polluting rivers, protecting both aquatic life and community health.
Clean water is vital—not only for great Brazilian coffee, but for healthy coffee farming communities and thriving wildlife.
Education: The Heart of Sustainable Coffee Farming in Brazil.
Why do unsustainable practices persist? Often, it’s because farmers haven’t seen a better way.
Without access to knowledge or support, families are forced to choose methods that harm the land just to survive.
The result? Farms that can’t sustain families, and children leave their land behind in search of opportunity elsewhere.
FAF is changing that.
They offer on-farm schools and workshops that teach sustainable, ethical coffee practices.
From soil health to harvesting techniques, farmers learn how to grow better coffee—naturally.
And by hosting visitors from the global speciality coffee world, FAF creates a living exchange of ideas, tools, and progress.
Bobolink: A Sustainable Coffee Farming Community Built on Purpose
Through the Bobolink initiative, smallholder farmers become part of a movement.
They gain:
Training in regenerative coffee farming
Access to the speciality coffee market
Long-term relationships with ethical buyers
Support with tools, education, and technical skills
Pride in producing coffee with a purpose
It’s a transformation—from isolated growers to global contributors.
“teenagers who wanted to go to the city, now they can see there is opportunity in their lands” – Marcos Croce
This isn’t just about better coffee. It’s about restoring livelihoods, keeping families on their land, and building a future in sustainable farming in Brazil worth staying for.
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