What SMC Specialty Coffees does

SMC Specialty Coffees is the specialty coffee trading and export division of Cooxupé (Cooperativa dos Cafeicultores de Guaxupé), a Brazilian agricultural cooperative with over 90 years of tradition. Founded in 2009 in Poços de Caldas and relocated to Guaxupé in 2014 alongside Cooxupé's headquarters, SMC sources specialty green coffee from Cooxupé's 18,000+ producer families across 9 major Brazilian coffee regions (Sul de Minas, Região Vulcânica, Cerrado Mineiro, Média Mogiana Paulista, Alta Mogiana Paulista, Campo das Vertentes, Matas de Minas, Mantiqueira de Minas, and Serra da Canastra) covering 300 municipalities. The company's core technology is a traditional specialty coffee evaluation infrastructure: a Quality Control team performing blind cupping with barcode-only identification, Q Graders and a head judge conducting annual evaluations under the SCA scale (83+ qualifying as specialty), supported by professor Flávio Borém from UFLA for the Especialíssimo program, and a customer-facing traceability portal providing origin documentation, property details, and producer media.

SMC operates a B2B specialty coffee export business, selling directly to global importers, roasters, and specialty coffee shops without intermediaries. Revenue is generated transactionally through specialty lot commercialization: producers deliver coffee to Cooxupé, it is evaluated, and qualifying lots (83+ SCA) are exported via SMC. The company supports its commercial activity with three branded programs: Especialíssimo (created 2016, providing free producer training and an annual award recognizing the top 50 coffees), Donas do Café (launched 2020, supporting women producers), and the Gerações Sustainability Protocol developed with SCS Global Services for tiered environmental, social, and economic certification. Distribution is purely direct field/enterprise sales supplemented by participation in international trade events such as World of Coffee Brussels; marketing relies on organic social channels (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook) and the Hub do Café content platform. SMC owns its own warehouse (opened 2017) and inaugurated a new head office in 2022.

Name

SMC Specialty Coffees

Legal name

SMC – Comercial E Exportadora de Café S/A

Website

https://smccafe.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SMC Specialty Coffees is the specialty coffee export division of Cooxupé cooperative, sourcing Brazilian green coffee from 18,000+ producer families across 9 regions and selling directly to global importers, roasters, and specialty coffee shops with full traceability and SCA-scored quality assurance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Export and Trading

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing (AFAFADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Beverage Wholesale (AFAIAGAD)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee export
• Brazilian coffee sourcing
• Specialty coffee trading
• Coffee traceability platform
• Cooperative coffee exporter

Headquarters

HQ city

Guaxupé

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Specialty Coffee Export and Sales: SMC generates revenue through the export and sale of specialty coffees to global importers, roasters, and specialty coffee shops. The company sources coffee from Cooxupé cooperative members, evaluates quality, and commercializes specialty lots. Producers deliver coffee to Cooxupé, which is evaluated, and if qualified as specialty (83+ SCA score), can be commercialized through SMC directly to buyers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SMC Specialty Coffees is the specialty coffee trading and export division of Cooxupé cooperative, sourcing and commercializing specialty coffees (SCA score 83+) from more than 18,000 producer families across nine major Brazilian coffee-producing regions. The company prepares client samples based on desired sensory profiles, manages export logistics, and provides full farm-to-cup traceability to international buyers. Its operations also include the Especialíssimo producer development program, the Donas do Café women's leadership project, and the Gerações sustainability protocol.

Product overview

SMC Specialty Coffees operates as a specialty coffee trading and export division of the Cooxupé cooperative, combining a core trading platform with producer-support programs. The portfolio centers on the SMC Specialty Coffees brand (specialty coffee sourcing and global export), complemented by three dedicated programs: the Programa Especialíssimo (producer development and award program), the Projeto Donas do Café (women's leadership initiative), and the Protocolo Gerações (sustainability verification protocol developed with SCS Global Services). A customer-facing traceability platform and the Cafés Cooxupé online store support client transparency and direct sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Especialíssimo Program: A specialty coffee professional development program created in 2016 that identifies, recognizes, and awards exceptional coffees from Cooxupé and SMC producer families.
• Donas do Café Project
• Gerações Protocol

Products and services

• SMC Specialty Coffees (Brazilian Specialty Coffee Export) Specialty green coffee beans sourced from over 18,000 producer families across nine major Brazilian coffee-producing regions (Sul de Minas, Região Vulcânica, Cerrado Mineiro, Média Mogiana Paulista, Alta Mogiana Paulista, Campo das Vertentes, Matas de Minas, Mantiqueira de Minas, and Serra da Canastra). Coffees are evaluated through blind cupping by Q Graders, scored on the SCA scale (83+ qualifies), and exported directly to global importers, roasters, and specialty coffee shops with full farm-to-cup traceability.
• SMC Traceability System (Client Portal) Secure, login-protected online portal providing buyers with end-to-end traceability of their coffee purchases, including technical information about the property and producer, photos and videos of origin and processes, and full documentation of lot activity. Available to clients as part of their SMC coffee purchase.
• Cafés Cooxupé Online Store Retail e-commerce platform operated by Cooxupé that features specialty coffee lines produced by cooperative member families, allowing individual and small-volume buyers to purchase coffees from the same producer network that supplies SMC's B2B channel.

Quantifiable outcome

• Coffees scored 83+ on SCA scale qualify for specialty classification
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cooxupé (Cooperativa dos Cafeicultores de Guaxupé)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooxupé is the parent cooperative with over 90 years of tradition comprising 18,000+ producer families. SMC is the specialty coffee division of Cooxupé, operating as a distinct entity while leveraging the cooperative's infrastructure, producer network, and operational support. SMC identifies and receives specialty coffees through Cooxupé's network.
• BSCA (Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBSCA is a partner in SMC's ecosystem of responsible coffee culture, alongside Cooxupé and Região Vulcânica.
• Região VulcânicaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegião Vulcânica is a partner in SMC's network, representing the volcanic soil region between southern Minas Gerais and northeastern São Paulo with unique terroir characteristics.
• SCS Global ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCS Global Services supported Cooxupé in developing the Gerações Sustainability Protocol. SCS is a worldwide certifier with over 40 years of experience in environmental, sustainability, and food quality issues. They provide third-party verification of producers' adherence to sustainability standards.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Caravela Coffee: Caravela is a green coffee sourcing company focused on Latin American origins with producer relationships and quality control. It is comparable to SMC as a specialty green coffee exporter emphasizing traceability and direct producer engagement.
• Sustainable Harvest: Sustainable Harvest is a specialty green coffee importer focused on relationship coffee and producer development across Latin America. Comparable to SMC in its B2B specialty model, traceability emphasis, and producer-impact programs.
• Daterra Coffee: Daterra is a Brazilian specialty coffee estate with sustainability programs and direct export to roasters worldwide. Comparable to SMC in offering traceable single-estate and blend specialty lots with quality differentiation.
• Ipanema Coffees: Ipanema is a major Brazilian specialty coffee producer and exporter with quality programs and direct relationships to global buyers. It competes with SMC for premium Brazilian specialty volumes and roaster accounts.
• Ally Coffee: Ally Coffee is a specialty green coffee importer/exporter sourcing from multiple origins including Brazil. It is comparable to SMC in offering curated specialty lots, traceability, and direct-to-roaster supply.
• Bourbon Specialty Coffees: Bourbon is a Brazilian specialty green coffee exporter that connects producers to global roasters through quality programs and direct relationships. It mirrors SMC's model of curated Brazilian specialty lots with strong origin storytelling and traceability.
• Sancoffee: Sancoffee is a Brazilian specialty coffee cooperative exporting from Minas Gerais, with producer development programs and quality grading. It is highly comparable to SMC given its cooperative structure, origin focus, and specialty export model.

Broad incumbents

• Sucafina: Sucafina is a large global green coffee trader with a specialty division serving roasters worldwide. It competes with SMC in the Brazilian specialty space but operates at a much broader scale across origins.
• Royal Coffee: Royal Coffee is a US-based green coffee importer with The Crown (specialty) and Royal Origins (direct trade) divisions. It competes with SMC for specialty roaster accounts and offers comparable traceability and quality services.
• Volcafe Specialty: Volcafe is a major global coffee trader with specialty capabilities across multiple origins including Brazil. Comparable as a B2B green coffee supplier but with much broader commodity and specialty operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/smccafebr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smccafe
• Instagraminstagram.com/smccafebr
• Xx.com/smccafebr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SMC Specialty Coffees