At Várzea da Onça, our goal is to cultivate quality coffee while protecting and sustaining the ecosystem surrounding our coffee trees.

Várzea da Onça (pronounced Var-zay-ah dah On-sa) means "The Valley of the Jaguar."  This valley sits 3,000 feet high on a mesa in the Borborema Mountains of Northeastern Brazil.  Hundreds of years ago, wild cats roamed the area and Native Indians resided in the valley because of its fresh water springs and fertile soils.  Today, Várzea da Onça is a family owned and operated shade coffee farm dedicated to sustainable agriculture and biodiversity.

Our Arabica typica variety coffee trees, some of which are over 100 years old, grow under a canopy of tropical hardwood and fruit trees. This canopy gives migratory birds, and other native animal and insect species, a safe habitat. The shade also allows our coffee to mature slowly and naturally, giving the beans a rich and intense flavor.

At Várzea da Onça, we are committed to ecological farming and the preservation of the soil, water, flora and fauna that inhabit our valley.  We encourage the presence of honey bees, tree frogs, endangered Saguin monkeys, and the migratory bird species that use our farm as a rest stop on their annual flight south.