People & Leadership
Best people. Specialty Coffee.
Roberta Bazilli
The first woman in Brazil to reach the podium in the national roasting championship
Roberta Bazilli & Theo Bazilli
With this honor, he becomes hors concours in the Cup of Excellence, the world’s leading coffee quality competition.
Roberta Bazilli is one of the most emblematic leaders of Brazilian specialty coffee today. A fifth-generation coffee producer from Caconde (São Paulo), located in Brazil’s Volcanic Coffee Region, she embodies a rare combination of origin, technical mastery, leadership, and international recognition.
Producer, Q-Grader, master roaster and entrepreneur, Roberta controls the entire value chain — from farming and post-harvest to roasting and international sales. Her work has helped position Brazilian coffees not only as high-quality products, but as cultural ambassadors, served in historic moments and exported to some of the world’s most demanding markets.
Beyond her individual achievements, Roberta represents a new model of leadership in Brazilian coffee: female-led, knowledge-driven, origin-rooted and future-oriented. This vision now expands to the next generation through her son, Theo Bazilli, who is already building his own creative path within the coffee universe.
Timeline of Achievements
1916 → Bazilli family begins coffee production in Caconde (SP), establishing a multi-generational legacy
2000s → Roberta specializes in coffee, becoming a Q-Grader and professional roaster
2007 → Café Bazilli is served to Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to Brazil
2013 → Café Bazilli is served to Pope Francis during his historic visit to Brazil
2010s → Café Bazilli begins exporting specialty coffee to Norway
2023 →
2nd place – Cereja Descascado (CD)
4th place – Natural Process
Volcanic Region Quality Contest
2024 →
Vice-Champion – Torrefação do Ano (Brazil)
Becomes the first woman in Brazil to reach the podium in the national roasting championship
2025 →
Vice-Champion – Brazil–Japan Roasting Championship, representing Brazil internationally
Theo Bazilli
Early 2020s → Creates Dino Coffee, a youth-driven coffee brand inspired by dinosaurs and storytelling
2024 →
2nd place – Best Coffee Packaging Design (Brazil)
Recognized nationally as one of the youngest coffee entrepreneurs in the country
Brazil’s first Indigenous female barista.
Celesty Suruí is widely recognized as Brazil’s first Indigenous female barista.
Celesty Suruí
With this honor, he becomes hors concours in the Cup of Excellence, the world’s leading coffee quality competition.
She belongs to the Paiter Suruí people, from the Sete de Setembro Indigenous Territory, located in the state of Rondônia, in the western Amazon.
Her journey represents much more than a personal achievement. It marks a symbolic shift in how Indigenous peoples are positioned within the global coffee narrative.
Why Celesty Suruí matter
1. From territory to cup
Historically, Indigenous peoples in Brazil have been associated with land protection, ancestral knowledge, or raw production — rarely with the act of communicating coffee. Celesty changes this paradigm by occupying the role of barista, the point where coffee meets the consumer.
She is not only connected to origin — she is present in the cup, in the sensory experience, and in the dialogue around coffee.
2. Indigenous protagonism, not representation
Celesty’s role is not symbolic or folkloric. By working with barismo, she becomes a mediator between territory, culture, quality, and market, speaking from her own place rather than being spoken about.
3. Amazon and future coffees
Coming from Rondônia — a region increasingly associated with Amazonian coffees and new narratives around sustainability, biodiversity, and Indigenous knowledge — her presence helps expand the understanding of what Brazilian coffee is and can be.
Global Coffee Legend
“The only Brazilian recognized as a GLOBAL COFFEE LEGEND!”
Luiz Paulo Dias Pereira Filho.
With this honor, he becomes hors concours in the Cup of Excellence, the world’s leading coffee quality competition.
The title “Legends of Excellence” was created this year and is awarded to coffee producers who consistently cultivate exceptional quality with innovation and dedication, earning multiple Cup of Excellence awards over the years.
Acid makes coffee better (Podcast)
Meet Edgard Bressani - the founder of Latitudes Brazilian Coffees
As a seasoned speaker and board member of various coffee associations, Edgard sheds light on sustainable sourcing practices and innovative brewing methods that are shaping the future of coffee. From authoring "The Barista Guide" to organizing barista competitions in Brazil since 2002, Edgard has left an indelible mark on coffee culture. He shares stories from his journey and discusses how education and community engagement are vital for the industry's growth. Additionally, Edgard presents his vision for the coffee industry, touching on topics such as sustainability, market trends, and the importance of collaboration among coffee-producing countries.
Key People — Brazilian Coffee Ecosystem
Mariselma Sabbag
Role: President, IWCA Brazil (International Women’s Coffee Alliance).
Organization: IWCA Brazil
Region: Minas Gerais, Brazil
Focus areas:
Women’s leadership in coffee, gender equity, sustainability practices, producer community development, origin visibility
Contacts & Links:
Edgard Bressani
Role: Founder, CEO, Coffee Educator & International Judge
Organization: Latitudes Brazilian Coffees
Region: Brazil (national scope)
Focus areas:
Brazilian coffee promotion, specialty coffee education, international markets, barista competitions, green coffee exports.
Contacts & Links:
Renata K. Silva
Role: Researcher & Coffee Specialist
Organization: Embrapa – Brazilian Agricultural Research Innovation
Region: Brazil (national scope)
Focus areas:
Robusta/Amazonian coffees, research, sustainability, regional development.
Contacts & Links:
Professor Borém
Role: Professor, Researcher & Coffee Science Specialist
Organization: Federal University of Lavras (UFLA)
Region: Minas Gerais, Brazil
Focus areas:
Coffee post-harvest, quality science, processing, coffee education, academic research.
Contacts & Links:
Paula Varejão
Role: Coffee Influencer, TV host
Organization: TV Record Rio
Region: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Focus areas:
Coffee MC, communication, Audio-visual.
Contacts & Links:
Alberto Martins
Role: Coffee Educator, Sensory Researcher & Founder
Organization: Café Gerações
Region: Cerrado Mineiro, Brazil
Focus areas:
Coffee education, sensory analysis, coffee culture, accessible learning methodologies.
Contacts & Links:
Helga Andrade
Role: Coffee Consultant & Q Grader (SCA)
Organization: Helga Café
Region: Minas Gerais, Brazil
Focus areas:
Coffee sensory analysis, quality control, professional consulting.
Contacts & Links:
Léo Montesanto
Role: Coffee Entrepreneur & CEO
Organization: Coffee +++
Region: Minas Gerais, Brazil
Focus areas:
Coffee business development, branding, market innovation.
Contacts & Links:
Letícia Paiva
Role: Coffee Consultant & Q Grader (SCA)
Organization: Letícia Paiva
Region: Espírito Santo, Brazil
Focus areas:
Sensory analysis, coffee quality, education.
Contacts & Links:
Marcos Matos
Role: CEO, Public Affairs & Institutional Relations Leader, Professor & Agribusiness Professional
Organization: Cecafé
Region: São Paulo, Brazil
Focus areas:
Institutional relations, public affairs, export strategy, agribusiness education, coffee policy and governance.
Contacts & Links:
Luisa Nogueira
Role: Director Mkt Plata Digital
Organization: Plata Digital
Region: Varginha, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Focus areas:
Speakers and debate mediator, Presenter Play No Agro, GIROAgro Ambassador and Husqvarna, Farmer Producer
Contacts & Links:
Gustavo Rennó
Role: Agronomist, Coffee Producer, Consultant & Digital Influencer
Organization: Gustavo Reinnó Café
Region: Minas Gerais, Brazil
Focus areas:
Coffee agronomy, farm management, rural administration, coffee production systems, education and technical training.
Contacts & Links:
José Braz Matiello
Role: Agronomist & Coffee Research Pioneer
Organization: Fundação Procafé
Region: São Paulo, Brazil
Focus areas:
Coffee agronomy, varietal development, agronomic technology, post-harvest research, modern coffee cultivation techniques.
Contacts & Links:
Gelma Franco
Role: Coffee Professional & Educator
Organization: Il Barista
Region: São Paulo, Brazil
Focus areas:
Barista education, specialty coffee skill development, sensory training, professional coaching, coffee community building.
Contacts & Links:
Isabela Raposeira
Role: Founder, Coffee Entrepreneur & Cultural Curator
Organization: Coffee Lab
Region: São Paulo, Brazil
Focus areas:
Specialty coffee culture, sensory experience, coffee education, café innovation, consumer engagement.
Contacts & Links:
Marisa Contreras
Role: CEO & Brand Ambassador
Organization: Capoeira Coffee
Region: Minas Gerais, Brazil
Focus areas:
Specialty coffee brand strategy, producer engagement, Brand Ambassador @ 3 Corações
Contacts & Links:
Felipe Croce
Role: Managing Partner / Director
Organization: FAF Coffee – Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza
Region: Alta Mogiana, São Paulo, Brazil
Focus areas:
Specialty coffee, regenerative agriculture, producer networks, sustainability.
Contacts & Links:
Sérgio Parreiras
Role: Coffee Researcher & Agricultural Scientist
Organization: IAC
Region: São Paulo, Brazil
Focus areas:
Coffee agronomy, plant physiology, crop improvement, sustainability in coffee production, future of coffee cultivation.
Contacts & Links:
Mariana Proença
Role: Project Director, Content Strategist & Coffee Industry Connector
Organization: Mariana Proença
Region: São Paulo, Brazil
Focus areas:
Specialty coffee communication, project management, editorial curation, events, diversity & leadership, industry storytelling.
Contacts & Links:
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