Sanglard Cafés Especiais: Tradition, Innovation, and the World’s Best Coffee

Located in the Serra do Brigadeiro, in Araponga (Minas Gerais,Brazil) Sanglard Cafés Especiais has become a global reference in specialty coffee: Sanglard Cafés Especiais, led today by Matheus Sanglard and his family.

Our team from Kukuza Agronegócio had the privilege of visiting the farm, walking through the drying patios, and listening firsthand to the historical exploits of a family that combines tradition, resilience, and innovation. The visit followed Matheus’s participation at the 7th Araponga Coffee Festival, where he shared the trajectory that led Sanglard to international recognition — including winning “Best Coffee in the World” at the Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award 2024 in New York.

A Legacy Rooted in Quality

The pursuit of excellence at Sanglard goes back decades. In 2003, Matheus’s father, Carlos Sérgio Sanglard, introduced suspended drying beds on the farm, a pioneering move at the time. That same year, they won 1st place at the Cup of Excellence Brazil, proving they were on the right track. Since then, the family has consistently invested in innovation, infrastructure, and knowledge to elevate coffee quality.

Today, the farm has 100% of the beans dried on suspended beds patios, ensuring uniformity, stability, and longevity in flavor. This structure became the foundation for developing their unique drying and fermentation processes, capable of producing stable coffees that maintain exceptional cup quality for up to 12 months after harvest.

Innovation Born from Adversity

Resilience is also part of the Sanglard DNA. The 2024–2025 season was atypical, with seven months of drought that challenged productivity. To adapt, the family carried out pruning and renewal practices (“esqueletamento”), focusing on ensuring the farm’s long-term sustainability.

From these challenges, innovations emerged. One of the key contributions of Sanglard is a new post-harvest methodology, where traditionally separated lots, such as “cereja descascado” and “boia”, are carefully blended during drying. The result? Coffees with more body, complexity, and stability, highly valued by roasters, especially for espresso.

It was exactly this process that led Sanglard to win both national competitions and the global award with Illy, positioning their coffee as a benchmark of quality and consistency.

Precision and Traceability

Another highlight of Sanglard’s work is its rigorous lot traceability system. Coffees are separated not only by variety and plot, but also by harvest day. This meticulous approach allows the family to identify micro-variations in terroir, sun exposure, and maturation, differences that can change a score by up to four points even within the same plot.

This micro-management is essential for competitions, but also ensures that buyers around the world receive coffees with unique identity and consistent excellence.

Cultivating the Future of Coffee

For Matheus, productivity remains vital for economic sustainability, but specialty coffees demand another layer: curating lots that express terroir at its best. Through careful monitoring, innovative processes, and an unwavering commitment to quality, Sanglard Cafés Especiais continues to inspire producers across Minas Gerais and beyond. Our visit reaffirmed that specialty coffee is much more than a beverage, it is the result of knowledge, persistence, and passion passed down through generations.

At Kukuza Agronegócio, we are proud to highlight producers like the Sanglard family, who not only elevate Brazilian coffee on the global stage but also set a living example of how innovation and tradition can walk hand in hand.

Stay tuned to Kukuza’s channels for more stories of producers who are redefining the future of coffee.