São Paulo – Brazilian brand Xodó da Amazônia plans to supply açaí coffee to Arab countries and has moved in that direction after the product caught the attention of importers from the region who visited Brazil. Luiz Henrique Ribeiro, director of V&L Soluções Lácteas, which owns Xodó da Amazônia, says açaí coffee was completely new to Arab buyers and that the company sees strong business potential in the region.
V&L Soluções Lácteas took part in a business matchmaking event organized by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce in São Paulo through the Brazil Halal Project, an initiative the institution carries out to increase the supply of Brazilian halal products to Islamic markets. Taking part in the B2B meetings was V&L Soluções Lácteas’ first move toward the international market and Arab countries. “It was very positive,” Ribeiro told ANBA about the company’s participation in the meetings.
The company’s goal is to begin exporting, and the director wants to sell to Arab countries with support from the Arab Brazilian Chamber, of which V&L Soluções Lácteas is a member. “It is a market that values natural and sustainable products with high levels of assurance,” he said. The company is in the process of obtaining certification from Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa), as well as certifications for vegan and organic production. The next step will be to obtain halal certification. This certification attests that products are made in accordance with Islamic rules and are therefore suitable for Muslim consumption.
The story of V&L Soluções Lácteas began when Ribeiro and his brother, Vinícius Costa, started working as commercial representatives for whey and dairy blends in Manhuaçu, Minas Gerais. Soon afterward, they began buying and reselling the same products and then expanded their operations to Pará to work with cocoa and cupuaçu kernels. “And at the end of 2015, açaí coffee emerged. We created the Xodó da Amazônia brand, with the final roasting done here in Manhuaçu, the national coffee capital,” Ribeiro says.
The business has been operating since 2020, but sales of açaí coffee, for which the company has ambitious growth plans, began in March this year. Ribeiro says that although the product has more than 30 years of history in Pará, it is little known in Brazil. “We saw an opportunity to make use of the açaí seed, which was being discarded,” he says. Xodó da Amazônia açaí coffee is sold in small shops, grain stores and natural-product stores, but the company is seeking space in larger retail outlets and supermarket chains.
Açaí with earthy notes
Ribeiro explains that açaí coffee is a beverage made entirely from roasted açaí seeds. “It contains no caffeine; it is not coffee. It has an authentic açaí flavor, with earthy notes. It is natural and sustainable. It is a product aimed at health and well-being. Studies by Brazilian universities point to its rich potential in antioxidants and fiber, and research indicates that it may help balance the gut flora and potentially assist in controlling cholesterol and blood glucose,” the businessman says.
V&L Soluções Lácteas collects the açaí seeds from registered pulp processors in Pará, which use raw material from legally owned land and licensed crops, with sustainable and traceable origins, according to Ribeiro. The product undergoes physicochemical analysis, cleaning and other necessary processes in Pará itself. Final roasting and testing of each beverage batch are carried out in Manhuaçu, at the company’s facility, which has a monthly capacity of 100 metric tons of finished açaí coffee. Ribeiro says the secret lies in getting the roasting point right. “When ground, the smell is very similar to coffee,” he says.
The businessman cites the full traceability of the beans, with sustainable origins, specialized roasting to avoid an astringent effect, and the fact that açaí coffee is 100% natural, caffeine-free, sustainable and associated with health as some of the product’s competitive advantages. He believes the product also benefits from academic research highlighting its potential benefits, the company’s work with a complete Amazonian portfolio — açaí, cocoa and cupuaçu — and the sustainability of its operation, which makes full use of discarded seeds and works with producers whose land is legally owned and whose crops are licensed, with sustainable management and traceable origins.
Contact:
V&L Soluções Lácteas – Xodó da Amazônia
Website: www.xododaamazonia.com.br
Email: [email protected]
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Translated by AI
