Reports From the Field - Felipe Croce of Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza 02.

Last year, our Head of Sustainability & NZ Procurement, Fraser, spent some time in Brazil visiting our longtime partners and mates at Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza (FAF) — producers we’ve proudly sourced coffee from for over a decade. With more than 12 years of experience sourcing in Brazil, Fraser has witnessed firsthand how the coffee landscape is shifting, with climate change bringing new challenges for farmers, roasters, and coffee drinkers alike.

Extreme heat, shrinking shade cover, and unpredictable rainfall are taking a toll on coffee quality and yield. The need for change is more urgent than ever. While there’s still hope (and a strong dose of resilience), one thing’s clear: the coffee industry is entering a new era, and adaptability will be key.

While on the ground, Fraser caught up with Felipe, from FAF, to talk about the tough season they’ve just faced, what the future might hold, and how regenerative farming is offering a way forward.

Q: Hey Felipe. First off, could you tell us who you are and what you do?
A: Hey everyone, I’m Felipe, director of FAF Coffees. We’re here at Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza, our model farm in Brazil, where we test and refine ways to grow better coffee more sustainably.

Q: How’s this year’s harvest been?
A: It’s been a tough one. We’re seeing the impact of extreme weather, record heat, long dry spells, and the earliest end to rain we’ve ever had. The summer rains helped with cup quality, but the lack of follow-up rain has stressed the trees. It’s not just us, it’s happening all over Brazil.

Q: And it’s not just rainfall, temperature’s playing a bigger role now too, right?
A: Everyone talks about rainfall,but what we’ve never stopped to think about before is temperature. Coffee trees function at full efficiency at 24°C — that’s when they grow, photosynthesise, absorb carbon, and fill their beans. But for every degree above or below that, they lose around 10% efficiency. At 34°C, they basically shut down — and that’s been our daily reality this year.

The stress zone starts at 30°C, which is why shade is so important. Even though the canopy here is still forming, it’s already keeping temperatures 5-10 degrees cooler. You can see the difference in the trees — they’re healthy, productive, and not heat-stressed. But this isn’t the norm. Most farms in Brazil still follow monoculture systems, which may have worked in the past, but not anymore. Those large-scale, full-sun farms will be the hardest hit if they don’t change. 

We’ve got to change mindsets quickly. That’s why we’re working on systems that support regeneration but also allow for mechanisation, because if we want scale, we need to make this transition viable.

Q: What are you expecting for next year’s crop (2025)?
A: It’s already been affected. We had a flowering in September, and we’re watching to see how well it sticks. If we get rain soon, it’ll help, but even so, the 2025 harvest won’t be what the world hoped for. Timing in farming is tough — you can’t rush it.

Q: What are you doing to adapt?
A: We’re leaning into agroforestry. I planted this area in 2018, and only now are we seeing real shade benefits. This plot is healthier than most, thanks to soil work and windbreaks. We’re also seeding cover crops to protect the soil from heat. The plants respond well — you can see it in how flowers are forming and turning into healthy fruit.

Q: Do you think these practices are the future?
A: Definitely, regenerative and sustainable farming isn’t just a progressive idea anymore — it’s a necessity. Climate change is forcing our hands. What we want are healthy, productive plants, and we need to act now. Wild to think, but scientists say in ten years we might look back and think 2024 was a cool, rainy year. That says it all.

Q: Do you think there’s hope for the future of coffee?
A: Absolutely. It’s not doomsday — coffee isn’t disappearing. We’re seeing challenges, but we’re also seeing solutions. For me, the way forward is agroforestry. It’s better for soil, biodiversity, nutrition, and water. It also diversifies income and makes farms more resilient.

The big challenge now is scale, making it efficient and viable. And to do that, we need to bring consumers along. If people only hear about coffee when prices spike, they’re missing the bigger picture. We need to educate and connect them to what’s happening on the ground.

That’s where you come in. With the right storytelling and support, we can help more farmers make the shift. 

Let’s get to work.