LDC Inaugurates Expanded Green Coffee Center in Minas Gerais
LDC press release photo.
Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) officially inaugurated its expanded green coffee processing facility in Varginha, Minas Gerais, completing a major investment in the company’s longstanding Brazilian coffee operations.
The expansion adds 13,000 square meters (139,000 square feet) to the facility, increasing its total footprint to 31,000 square meters, roughly the size of six football fields. LDC has not disclosed the project cost.
The facility now has storage capacity for approximately 1 million coffee bags and the ability to process and handle more than 2.5 million bags annually — doubling its previous processing capacity and increasing shipping capabilities by approximately 50%, according to the Dutch multinational company.
“This expansion will streamline logistics for sourcing from small and medium-sized coffee growers, to meet both domestic distribution and export demand,” Arthur Graf, LDC’s head of coffee for Brazil, said in an announcement from the company yesterday. “With increased storage and processing capacity, we can now purchase and receive coffee as soon as farmers are ready to sell, ensuring a more efficient flow of goods, even during peak harvest periods.”
The upgraded facility incorporates automated systems such as robotic loading and box silo storage technology, and includes enhancements to operational safety, according to LDC.
Located in Brazil’s largest coffee-producing state, the Varginha site plays a strategic role in LDC’s green coffee supply chain. The company, which is one of the top three largest green coffee trading companies in the world, has maintained operations in the Varginha area for at least 25 years.
The Varginha facility is one of three major coffee processing centers operated by LDC in Brazil, with others in Nova Venécia (Espírito Santo) and Matipó (Minas Gerais). The company also maintains seven commercial offices in key growing areas and employs around 480 people in its Brazil coffee operations, according to company marketing materials.
The company has also expanded downstream operations in Brazil, acquiring the country’s largest instant coffee exporter, Cacique, last year. LDC’s broader operations in Brazil span several other agricultural sectors, including citrus, soybeans, sugar and rice.
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