Boots on the Ground: Diary of a Trip
Brazil & Colombia, July 2026
July 9th GRR – ORD – GRU
The OBIIS team for this trip was Bob and Michelle Fish, Nathan Church, and Janeé Hartman. Bob, Michelle, and Janeé drove from Douglas, MI to Grand Rapids International for the short 45-minute flight to Chicago O’Hare. The team sat on the tarmac waiting for a gate and then a staircase for over an hour and 20 minutes. Don’t worry, they rewarded themselves with a visit to the lounge for their patience while they waited for Nathan to arrive from Colorado.
ORD – GRU (10 hrs and 20 min) The OBIIS crew settled into the plane, stowed away belongings, and fastened their seatbelts to wait 53 minutes before doing the infamous O’Hare taxiing on the runway. Then it was time for a late-night plane dinner and some rest before our arrival.
July 10th – Expocacer
The OBIIS team arrived at Uberlândia Aitport around mid afternoon, split into two cars, and headed directly to 5 Estrelas Farm. Expocacer will be our host for this portion of the trip. Michelle and Janeé were riding with Rodrigo Firmino to the farm. The three-hour drive turned into five in a blink of an eye due to heavy traffic on the road.
Michelle and Janeé drifted in and out of sleep while passing through fields that at first glance mimicked the Midwest until, after closer observation, they saw palm trees, corn, cotton, coffee, and oranges all within a few miles. While awake, they chatted about the OBIIS mission to improve the coffee-buying model from a commoditized marketplace to a direct-trade marketplace, creating both economic and environmental sustainability for all participants in the coffee supply chain. Rodrigo shared that Expocacer had similar goals that they are looking forward to showing and telling us more about during our visit.
We stopped for a bathroom break and to meet up with the rest of the Expocacer team: Claudio Castello, Sandra Moraes, and Leandro Felipe. After introductions, the team strapped in for another 30 minutes in the car before arriving at 5 Estrelas Farm.
5 Estrelas Farm
5 Estrelas Farm is run by Ricardo dos Santos Bartholo and his son Gustavo. The farm has 318 hectares of coffee and a pig farm with 500 sows. 5 Estrelas Farm has earned the distinction of being the best pig farm in Brazil and has established itself as a model pig farm across Latin America. The family office is decorated with golden pig statues, lavish belt buckles, and other awards.
The sun was setting fast so we hurried through a quick tour of this farm. Gustavo shared about the farm’s commitment to exercising best practices for the betterment of their workers, coffee, pigs, and the planet. They do this through environmental action, such as soil and water conservation, the use of natural and organic inputs, responsible waste management, and minimizing their carbon footprint. Gustavo emphasize the importance of contributing to local development and dedication to best practices to become an example for the entire agricultural community
As the sun set, we walked a close section of the coffee field guided by the flashlights on our phones and the headlights of the vehicles. During this time Gustavo shared examples of where some of the crop is still recovering from the big frost in 2021. The frost was devastating to the whole region since farming is the biggest source of income in this area.
We then headed to a gorgeous outdoor kitchen for dinner. We were joined for dinner by Ricardo and Julia, Gustavo’s parents and his brother. While we picked at a lavish charcuterie board, Gustavo and his wife Lucilane prepared fresh pork from the farm on a steel discada wok. After a night of indulging in delicious pork, cheese, wine, and interesting conversation we headed to the hotel to settle in for the night. The OBIIS team was looking forward to sleeping laying down.
Expocacer
The next morning, the OBIIS team joined the Expocacer sustainability team at their headquarters in Petrosino, Brazil. Expocacer is a co-op for producers, run by producers that are committed to building sustainable coffee farming with a positive impact. Expocacer describes themself as a “vanguard cooperative connected to the challenges of people and the planet”. Expocacer represents 800 coffee producers and is the 1st Coffee Cooperative in the World with Regenerative Agriculture Certification.
The team discussed the extensive education and training they provide to help their members adopt best practices that follow regenerative strategies in order to satisfy marketplace demands. Expocacer heavily engages with its producers through specialized consulting and coordinated technical visits, offering members unique opportunities to participate in these meaningful, high-impact environmental initiatives.
After the presentation, the OBIIS team headed to Santa Cruz da Vargem Grande Farm owned by Fernando Nogues Beloni. We briefly toured one of the four areas of the farm before heading to the office to talk more about their farm philosophy and the OBIIS mission. Of course we munched on homemade cheese from Fernando’s mother in law while we chatted and sipped their coffee. We took a group portrait and then made a short drive to a nearby restaurant that was clearly very popular with the locals. The room was warm from the multiple ovens in the back of the restaurant, but no one cared as they piled their plates with traditional Brazilian dishes and freshly squeezed juices.
Our last farm visit for the day would be Esmeril Farm. A family owned coffee farm in its third generation of coffee production. Augusto Faria and his cousin Gabriel Mendes are now the main coffee producers, but Augusto’s father, Antônio, is always close by to offer advice or drive a tractor, one of his favorite pastimes. Before touring the farm Augusto gave us a brief presentation about the history of the farm and their achievements. During this presentation, we learned that his father, Antônio, was the founding member of Expocacer. As did the other producers, Antônio spoke very highly of Expocacer and the knowledge of their staff.
Following the presentation, Antônio rode his beloved tractor for us to show how he spreads the beans on the drying patio, and then we were off the fields. Nathan and Bob climbed on top of a massive mechanical harvester, so large and common that it is not unusual to see them on the horizon in Brazil. While they were filming and enjoying the view from above, down below, Michelle, Janeé, and Sandra were walking through the field on foot. As soon as the harvester started shaking the coffee plants, a massive swarm of flying insects erupted from the plants, forcing them to retreat to the cars for cover until the guys finished their joyride.
Once the group came back together, we rode to the main house to say our goodbyes. We were shocked to see a beautiful picnic had been set for us in the front yard full of traditional brazilian cheese bread, honey, fruits, cheeses, and of course coffee.
Two farms, three meals, one presentation, and too many tiny cups of coffee to count but the day wasn’t over. Sandra and Rodrigo took the OBIIS team back to the Expocacer headquarters for a brief tour of the wet and dry mill facilities. We learned a lot about Expocacer and its commitment to its producers. Although the size of production is large, relationships are still at the core of Expocacer’s values which aligns with OBIIS’s purpose to put a name, a face, and a place for every cup of coffee you drink.
The OBIIS team, Sandra, and Rodrigo had dinner outside at a new local bar while watching the Norway vs. England World Cup match. In the background, a live band played traditional Brazilian music, upbeat melodies paired with strangely sad lyrics. We couldn’t help but joke about how incredible the atmosphere would be if Brazil were actually playing, given how electric the restaurant was even without the home team on the screen.
July 12th UDI- VCP
The morning of July 12th, the OBIIS team met in the hotel lobby at 6am to start the 3 hour drive to the Uberlândia airport. After a quick airport breakfast the OBIIS team caught up on some emails and editing before boarding their quick flight to São Paulo.
The OBIIS team arrived in São Paulo, where Carlos Pellicer, the owner of Mió, was waiting. We all loaded into a car and prepared to settle in for the four-hour drive north to Mió. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that we would be stopping for lunch at a Brazilian Barbeque restaurant on the way full of ALL the meats. Being full in Brazil was starting to become a common theme.
Mió
We arrived at the farm as the sun was setting. Silhouetted on the hill were Renata Pellicer, Carlos Pellicer, Maria Fernanda Pellicer, Lucas Louzada, and Maísa Mancini. You could tell that they had been anxiously awaiting our arrival. They seemed genuinely excited to see us as they helped us settle into the guest house.
We settled in and then stopped at the beautiful church on the property on our way to the main house. The main house dates back to 1895, and is an important historical asset that feels like the heart of the farm. Although the house has been renovated the original historical features remain. The OBIIS team felt like they were on a movie set surrounded by all of this beauty, both in and out of the home.
The next morning, we awoke to the sound of toucans and other exotic birds that call Mió home. If this was a sign of what was to come, we were off to a great start. Despite their travel fatigue, Janeé and Nathan woke up early to capture the first morning light. They launched two completely different drones in terms of technical capability but the view was so breathtaking that even “Little Debbie,” Janeé’s toy drone, captured stunning footage in the morning fog.
After a beautiful breakfast full of fresh fruit from the farm, we toured their nursery, compost facility, water reservoir, wet and dry mills, explored their findings on agroforestry and regenerative farming, and explored their new housing locations. Mió being located in Monte Santo de Minas, between the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest biomes contributes to the excellent quality of coffee, however it’s how Mió blends heritage with scientific and technological expertise that makes their coffee truly exceptional.
Mió is committed to bringing regenerative agroforestry to the chemical-fueled powerhouse coffee industry in Brazil. Mió produces roughly 22,000 bags of coffee per year. They are using science to make data-driven decisions on the farm and are eager to share their findings with anyone willing to learn. In the future, they would like to build a private coffee institute just outside of the city where they will share their knowledge on sustainable practices and provide life changing resources and training to locals.
In addition to their commitment to coffee, Mió’s commitment to the youth in their community needs to be highlighted as well. Carlos couldn’t help but become passionate and full of emotion when speaking about the pride he has in the youth he has the privilege of working with through the Foundation which he started. He doesn’t care if they want to be coffee producers, barbers, or artists. He wants whatever they do to be done with pride and integrity. He wants to create lifelong learners committed to the betterment of themselves and their community for generations to come.
After breakfast on our final morning we went to see the Bees. These are designated areas for the preservation and management of beehives and are strategically located to support crop pollination.
While the team put on protective suits and taped any potential entry points, Janeé watched from the car since she is allergic to bees. During her time at the truck she chatted with Carlos and Lucas about the upcoming BIGGBY Nation Summit (BNS). Lucas, Maisa, and Ana-Luiza will be joining us in Detroit in a few short weeks for BNS. They are beyond excited to join the other producers in learning more about OBIIS and BIGGBY while forming new relationships in the coffee world.
July 14th Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza
Carlos, Lucas, and Masia drove the OBIIS team the hour drive to Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza, where Marcos Croce and his son Felipe greeted them. They are the father-and-son duo behind Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza (environmental fortress farm), or FAF as it is known locally.
Carlos and Marcos began chatting and exploring the immediate grounds together right away. They excitedly shared information about each other’s farms and visions for the future. This conversation continued over lunch.
After lunch, we were taken to our rooms to settle in before finding out the itinerary for the rest of the day. Just then Marcos arrived and declared that we would be changing locations to watch the World Cup. We walked as a staggered group to their Airbnb located at the lower portion of the property near a small lake. After determining that there would likely be no more “coffee business” for the day, the group dispersed, with some enjoying the game, others catching up on work, and others resting.
A few hours later, it was time to eat, again… We met in the kitchen house for wine by the fireside until a beautiful vegetarian meal was served. All of the ingredients came directly from the garden just steps away. Felipe declared that he would show us his agro-forest vegetable garden tomorrow after breakfast.
July 15th GRU – BOG
During breakfast we were joined by Margarita, a Colombian graduate student who has been interning at FAF. She has been studying the cost of production and how it can inform pricing for commodities like coffee. Over breakfast, she shared her recent findings with Bob and Michelle before Felipe took us to his agro-forestery vegetable garden. Margarita then took Nathan and Janeé on a very fast tour of the warehouse and roasting room.
At 10:00am on the dot, the OBIIS team loaded into a taxi van and settled in for the four-hour trip back to the São Paulo airport. The visit was wonderful and a great opportunity for the team to rest before the next leg of the trip. The team had four hours to reflect on the whole trip and catch up on some rest. Quite predictably, the four-hour trip turned into five hours, due to traffic around the airport.
July 16th BOG – IBE
Thursday July 16th 2026 – After an uncomfortable 6 hour flight from São Paulo, Brazil to Bogota, Colombia, the team arrived at Courtyard Marriott Bogota. We checked in, repacked into backpacks, took a short nap, and headed down to the lobby at 4:45am.
Pedro Manga (Prosperity & Procurement Leader) and Nicolás Herrera (Relationship Builder) from Caravela would be hosting us during our time in Colombia. Nicolás met us at the hotel in the morning and traveled with us to the airport, where we met up with Pedro at the gate. We all boarded the 45-minute flight to Ibague. There we separated into two cars and settled in for the 8-hour mission to Herrera.
The roads became rougher the further we traveled. We stopped at the Caravela warehouse in Chaparral for a quick cup of coffee and brunch a few doors down. Everyone got eggs and toast while Bob and Janeé indulged in a delicious chicken soup. Everyone was anxious to get something in their stomach before embarking on the next section of the trip.
Soon the road disappeared, and the path seemed narrower as it snaked through the mountains and under waterfalls. The view was so spectacular that it kept you from thinking too much about the cliffs the tires inched along or that you had been bumping along in the truck for so long that your hips were starting to bruise and your arm muscles were growing fatigued from holding onto the handle above your window.
Herrera
We arrived in Herrera around 2:45pm and were greeted by the rest of the Caravela team: Mary Luz Mora (Quality analyst), Ervin Melgar (PECA agent), Javier (movement Aux), and Walter Molano (Regional Procurement leader). We then immediately hiked straight up to Edinson Oyola farm, Finca Buenavista. The view was literally breathtaking. We panted through introductions while a gorgeous lunch was being plated for us on the picture-perfect patio. We had chicken soup with fresh carrots, potatoes, corn, and other fresh herbs and root vegetables. We were also served a plate of chicken and rice with huge slices of avocado and a fresh salad on the side. There was very little talking during lunch because a meal like this deserved our full attention.
While Michelle and Janeé digested on a bench overlooking the town and Edinson’s coffee fields. Bob and Nathan explored the farm with Edinson and the Caravela team. It seems as though they dropped right off the side of the cliff, which made it hard to imagine the strength needed to climb these steep vistas with 100 pounds of coffee on your shoulders. There are no commercial harvesters here.
Then we hiked down the steep driveway to meet the trucks that would take us to Noe Oyola farm, Finca Los Alpes, for our producers’ meeting. We had time for a brief tour while the producers arrived. There was excitement in the air while everyone slowly gathered and took their places in a circular fashion on the patio. Golden hour was starting to show off as Michelle opened the meeting by thanking everyone for coming. She went over the OBIIS mission and explained that we are slow to make a commitment because we want to make sure this is a lasting relationship. She expressed her excitement about being back in Herrera to share all of the community’s amazing qualities with Bob. Bob shared a few thoughts and then the floor was open to questions and comments.
The majority of producers shared their eagerness for this partnership to begin and their excitement about having the OBIIS team visit their farms so that they could have the honor of hosting them. There were a few questions about the pricing model but the overall tone of the meeting was positive and full of hope for a successful future together.
July 17th IBE – BOG
Friday, July 17th 2026 – The next day the group woke up early to begin the long trek back to Ibague. We again stopped half way at the warehouse for a short break before the final leg of the drive to the airport. After the 45 minute flight and short taxi ride back to the hotel, the OBIIS team was excited for an early dinner and bedtime.
The next morning we had a highly anticipated meeting with the community of Icononzo. There had been some management changes since OBIIS’ last in person meeting with them. The main objective for the OBIIS team was to show their continued support to the community and Caravela.
Icononzo
Bob and Michelle started the meeting by stating their excitement to see everyone and appreciating them traveling to the meeting. They provided people the opportunity to share how they have been adjusting to some of the changes since their previous visit. While there was a mix of disappointment and excitement, the overall message was one of looking forward to the future.
There were lengthy discussions about price and quality expectations. Bob reminded everyone that OBIIS wants everyone who participates in this partnership to feel comfortable, and they have every right to not continue with the relationship. The room agreed, and by the end of the meeting, everyone was excitedly talking about the future, and Bob and Michelle’s next planned visit to Icononzo, in January of 2027, with a group from BIGGBY NATION.
July 18th BOG – EWR
After the meeting, the OBIIS team returned to the hotel for a quick lunch and to repack before heading to the airport. Nathan’s flight to Houston was luckily delayed before we needed to leave for the airport so he stayed behind to get some more rest as Bob, Michelle, and Janeé headed out.
We had an easy six hour flight from Bogota, Colombia to Newark, New York and then a cool two and a half hours from Newark to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Followed by a 45 min drive back to Saugatuck/Douglas Michigan…. Or so we thought…
The flight out of Bogata started out with us sitting on the tarmac for an extra 30 minutes, not due to weather or air traffic but because people wouldn’t stop going to the bathroom… We then had several reminders that TAKE OFF is not the time to get up and move around or search for overhead bins. This was followed by moderate turbulence and a light dinner.
July 19th EWR – GRR?
After a mostly restless flight, the team landed to learn that their easy two and a half hour flight to Grand Rapids was cancelled due to the airport still catching up from the delays due to the Canadian wildfires. Of course they could help us rebook and get home on Thursday…for those of you somehow keeping track it is currently Sunday. But for a very, very large fee the team could possibly be home tomorrow evening, however thus came no guarantees.
Because of this, the team decided to take a taxi from Newark Airport to LaGuardia Airport to get a rental car. A sleep deprived but determined Bob drove five and a half hours to Dubois, Pennsylvania while Michelle sang Pink Floyd and Janeé slept with tape over her mouth to keep her snores from drowning out Michelle’s singing.
Meanwhile, Nathan Church flew from Bogota to Houston and then back to his home in Denver, Colorado. Bob, Michelle, and Janeé were glad that he was home safely and insanely jealous of his uneventful trip home.
July 20th, Pennsylvania – Michigan
Early the next morning, the crew loaded into the minivan and started the remaining five hour drive home. Since the trip was already off the rails they decided to make the most of it by stopping at Sammi Jackson’s BIGGBY store in Jackson, MI. In a few weeks we will be visiting this store with a group of producers that will be joining OBIIS at BNS. It was great to touch base with the store team and give them an idea of what to expect during our visit.
After Bob tried out the new kids’ menu and Michelle introduced Janeé to the Bragel, they were back on their way to Grand Rapids. After returning their rental car and transferring over to the Fish’s car in Grand Rapids, the weary travelers were finally in the home stretch. The last 45 minutes to Saugatuck felt longer than the road to Herrera at this point, but spirits were still high and the three of them made it home before the earliest rescheduled flight would have landed.
Overall, the trip was productive, educational, and inspiring. We met incredible people, saw beautiful farms, and drank delicious coffee. We had positive interactions and difficult conversations. Trips like this one are what OBIIS is built on – never settling for what is comfortable or easy, but pushing to partner with those who are working for a better tomorrow for their planet and community.
