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Helcio has been working with coffee since he was 15 years old. In 1976, Helcio married Glycia Pereira Carneiro, and began to manage the farm Santa Lucia. At the time, there was no concern about the quality of coffee. The focus was simply on volume. They had no access to knowledge, technology or even information about markets for Specialty coffees.

In the '90s, Helcio was one of the founders of Aprocam (The Association of Coffee Producers from the Mantiqueira Region), the movement searching for quality in the region of Carmo de Minas.

This group of pioneers sought the help of experts and scientists to learn more about coffee quality and how to produce quality in large-scale. These experts shared with the group about the Pulped Natural Processing Method and how it would aid them in their goals. Helcio was a pioneer in the region. He was one of the first growers to get the facilities needed for this method.

Year after year, with the support of universities and scientists, as well as trips to other coffee producing countries, Helcio has continued to grow in specialty coffee production. We've cupped coffees from Santa Lucia since 2017. Nowadays, his name and farm are widely known in key markets.

"Our main challenge is in manpower. There will be a change in the characteristic of our coffee region due to this factor. We need to be prepared for this moment."