We are very proud to announce that Luiz Paulo Dias Pereira Filho, co-founder of Carmo Coffees, has been awarded the title of ‘Legends of Excellence’ by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE). Luiz Paulo is one of just six producers worldwide to receive this honor at the Cup of Excellence awards ceremony in São Paulo, Brazil. 

The Legends of Excellence title was established this year to honor coffee producers who consistently demonstrate exceptional quality, innovation, and dedication. It is awarded to those who have achieved multiple Cup of Excellence wins– the world’s leading coffee quality competition, first launched in Brazil in 1999 and now managed globally by ACE. 

In its announcement, ACE emphasized that the recognition goes beyond producing extraordinary coffees: 

“These ‘Legends of Excellence’ are also leaders in their communities. Each has made a lasting impact by investing in social programs that uplift other producers, workers, and local communities. Through educational initiatives, sustainability projects, and mentorship programs that guide the next generation of coffee growers, these legends are not only shaping the future of coffee but strengthening the communities that make it possible.” 

Hailing from Carmo de Minas (MG), Luiz Paulo is the eldest of four siblings from a traditional coffee-growing family in the Mantiqueira region, the same family that achieved the highest-ever Cup of Excellence score in Brazil (95.85 points, in 2005, with coffee produced by Francisco Isidro Pereira). 

“This honor makes me deeply proud. It proves that Brazil is a true reference in specialty coffee– not just in volume, but in quality. For nearly three centuries, we’ve built a beautiful history of coffee growing through constant investment, technological innovation, and respect for natural resources, the environment, and the people in our communities,” said Luiz Paulo. 

He attributes much of his success to knowledge gained from global exchange and collaboration with producers around the world. 

“We maintain close relationships with coffee growers from almost every producing country, and we learn continuously from our main buyers. I’ve travelled to Japan 35 times, for example. Visiting these countries allows us to discover new cultivation techniques, consumption trends, and bring this experience back to strengthen Brazil’s specialty coffee sector. Thanks to this collective effort by hundreds of professionals, we can confidently say that Brazil holds a prominent place in the global specialty coffee landscape.” 

In addition to being a 23-time Cup of Excellence winner, Luiz Paulo also served as the youngest-ever President of the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA) at age 30, in 2011, and was re-elected two years later. 

The other producers recognized as Legends of Excellence include: