Pedro Santana & Delzute Araujo Mesquita

Pedro Santana and Delzute Araujo Mesquita are the owners of Cafundó, a notable specialty coffee farm situated in the Piatã municipality within the Chapada Diamantina region of Bahia, Brazil. The farm is positioned at an elevation of 1,360 meters above sea level, a high-altitude environment that is critical for the slow maturation of coffee cherries, which in turn contributes to the development of complex sugars and acidity in the final cup. The name 'Cafundó' is a colloquial Brazilian term that translates to 'very, very far away,' reflecting the remote and tranquil nature of the property.

The history of the farm is rooted in a significant lifestyle transition. Pedro Santana spent many years working as a banker in the high-pressure environment of São Paulo before deciding to return to his roots in Piatã. In 1989, he purchased the property from a friend with the intention of pursuing a simpler life centered around family and agriculture. Over the decades, the couple transformed the land into a dedicated coffee-producing operation, eventually shifting their focus toward the specialty coffee market.

Cafundó is recognized for its commitment to quality, specifically through the cultivation of the Catuaí variety. The farm utilizes the pulped natural processing method, a technique common in Brazil that involves removing the skin of the coffee cherry while leaving the mucilage intact during the drying process. This method is often chosen by producers in the region to balance the body and sweetness of the coffee, highlighting the unique terroir of the Diamantina Plateau.

The partnership between the producers and international specialty coffee importers, such as Melbourne Coffee Merchants, has been documented since 2015. This relationship highlights the shift in the Brazilian coffee industry toward traceability and direct trade, where the specific identity of the farm and its owners becomes a primary value proposition for roasters and consumers. By focusing on small-scale, high-quality production, Santana and Mesquita have positioned their farm as a representative of the high-altitude specialty movement in Bahia.

It is important to distinguish this specific farm and its owners from other entities sharing similar names in the Brazilian coffee sector. For instance, 'Fazenda Santana' is a name associated with different properties in regions such as Serra Negra, São Paulo, and Vianópolis, Goiás, which are distinct from the Cafundó farm owned by Santana and Mesquita in Piatã. The confusion often arises due to the commonality of the surname Santana in Brazil, but the specific traceability data for the Cafundó farm is tied exclusively to the Piatã location.

For the specialty coffee drinker, the work of Pedro Santana and Delzute Araujo Mesquita represents the evolution of Brazilian coffee beyond the traditional, large-scale commodity model. Their farm serves as a case study for how producers in the Chapada Diamantina have leveraged specific microclimates and careful processing to compete on the global stage. Their story remains a testament to the viability of small-holder specialty farming in a country historically dominated by massive industrial plantations.