Project boosts productivity and sustainability in coffee.

Syngenta and JDE Peet's, which markets brands such as Pilão and L'OR, announce the partial results of the Sustainable Coffee Project, an initiative that promotes regenerative agriculture in Brazilian farms. Focusing on climate resilience and soil health, the initiative has already recorded significant advances in productivity and beverage quality in strategic regions such as Cerrado Mineiro, Sul de Minas and Mogiana.

Data collected in the second year of monitoring indicate a real transformation in the crops. In southern Minas Gerais, areas under regenerative management jumped from 26,1 to 40,6 sacks per hectare, a 55% increase in productivity compared to conventional management. In the Mogiana region, the increase was 25%, while in the Cerrado region the rise was 7%.

Initiated in July 2024, the project encompasses 30 coffee farms, totaling 90 hectares under regenerative management. The strategy combines crop protection technologies, biological solutions, advanced laboratory analyses, and practices such as assisted pollination and the use of cover crops. The central objective of the initiative is to demonstrate that it is possible to increase productive efficiency while reducing environmental impact, following the principle of more productivity with less impact.

In addition to volume, coffee quality has also improved. On the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) scale, participating farms recorded advances of up to 1,97%, which represents easier access to premium markets and better margins for coffee growers. Another environmental highlight was the drastic reduction in soil pest pressure, with a decrease of up to 71% in the presence of nematodes in the plantations.

For Syngenta, the project embodies the vision that innovation is the engine of sustainability. “We believe that healthy soil is the fundamental pillar of agriculture. With Sustainable Coffee, we show that adopting regenerative practices protects natural resources, guarantees the profitability of the producer, and the longevity of the crop in the face of climate change,” celebrates Natália Vasconcelos, Sustainability Manager at Syngenta. 

For JDE Peet's, the key to the future of coffee farming lies in partnerships within the sector. “No company can face the challenges of coffee alone, and this project with Syngenta allows us to combine our expertise – agronomic knowledge, engagement with producers, and market access – in pursuit of common goals: strengthening the resilience of coffee farmers and improving agricultural practices over time,” says Bruno Ribeiro, Responsible Sourcing Manager at JDE Peet's.

Even better quality for those who already promote sustainability.

Fazenda Nonno Marchi, in Serra Negra (SP), exemplifies the success of the initiative. Recognized for its production of 100% Arabica specialty coffees at an altitude of 1.150 meters, the property achieved scores exceeding 89 points on the SCA scale in the project areas, consolidating itself as a benchmark in sustainable management and innovation. The farm has a total of 18 hectares and, in the last two years, the average yield in the standard area was 40 bags per hectare. In the regenerative area, it was 58,5 bags per hectare.

In 2025, Nonno Marchi won the title of 3rd best coffee in Brazil at the Florada Premiada competition. “Because of this pioneering trajectory in coffee, we made a point of including them from the initial phase of the project. We were able to see that, even on a farm that already has more sustainable management practices, joining our project contributed even more to improving soil quality, increasing productivity and grain quality, since in the standard area the score was 83,84 points, while in the regenerative area the average was 89,19 points,” highlights Natália.