Producer Hélcio and his wife Glycia began managing the farm Santa Lucia from 1976, but it wasn’t until the 90’s that they began searching for the idea of quality in their coffee. With little to no access to knowledge, technology or information about the specialty market, Hélcio helped found Aprocam – the Association of Coffee Producers from the Mantiqueira Region. This group of pioneers sought the help of experts and scientists to improve processing methods and technological understanding, resulting in Hélcio being one of the first growers to acquire the facilities needed for the pulped natural processing method in the region. With every passing year, Hélcio’s coffees have improved and today, his farm is well recognised across the world.