Hello, I'm Jessica Costa, Operations Manager at AmaZai, currently living in São Paulo, Brazil. When I visited Belém, Pará, in May 2025, the warm, heavy air gave me the strange feeling of summer in the middle of autumn. It immediately confirmed my impression: the Amazon isn’t just another region of Brazil; it feels like its own country, with rhythms, flavors, and traditions unlike anywhere else. And it was precisely one of its unique flavors that brought me here: roasted açaí seeds, a beverage that unites the spirit of the rainforest with the ritual of coffee.
A Project Rooted in Purpose
It all began from a genuine desire to innovate through a product born in Brazil. In 2024, our founder Xavier Doe, an entrepreneur deeply passionate about Brazil and its biodiversity, discovered a unique drink — açaí alternative coffee, made from roasted açaí seeds — and asked for help finding the right producer. When he shared this vision with me, it immediately sparked something deeper.
After nearly two decades working in international trade and several years in the specialty coffee industry, I saw in this idea more than a business opportunity: it was a chance to bring innovation from Amazon to the world. Our mission became clear: to build the foundations of a new market category — açaí coffee — by combining scientific rigor, quality, and the authentic flavors of the rainforest.
From Lab Tests to the Streets of Belém
We contacted several factories, requested samples, and sent them for lab tests to ensure food safety and confirm zero caffeine content. After the first trials, it was time to visit the selected suppliers in person, so there I was in Belém months later. Belém immediately revealed the culinary soul of the Amazon.
Its docks, the bustling Ver-o-Peso market, and countless street stalls overflow with flavors. But what struck me most was how açaí is everywhere. Forget the frozen dessert served in big cities; here, açaí is daily food, eaten with rice and salted meat. On almost every corner, small shops called batedeiras keep homes and restaurants supplied.
Meeting the Right Partner
he next day, I traveled two hours into the state of Pará to meet our producer, a respected local fruit pulp and roasted açaí expert. Calm, confident, and deeply rooted in the local culture, he made it clear we had found the right partner. Unlike other small producers, he operates a logistics hub in São Paulo and he’s a member of Adepará (ensuring traceability and scalable production).
His factory, built with adapted cassava equipment, is a testament to Amazonian ingenuity. And on the way back, he told me the origins of the beverage: “Ribeirinho families have been roasting and brewing these seeds for generations..." What’s new now isn’t the drink itself — it’s the chance to scale a tradition into a sustainable, global product.
Unpacking the Problem: Açaí's Biodiversity Challenge
We also visited Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, cooperatives, and cafés serving açaí coffee. Embrapa researchers described the ongoing “açaization”, a massive pulp demand for export which strains local biodiversity.
In Amapá, a cooperative revealed that only 5% of the discarded seeds are reused today, highlighting the enormous opportunity for circular production. The journey so far shows that everything is still new, from production techniques to market potential. There’s much more to explore, improve, and innovate in the world of açaí coffee.
The Full Circle: Our Purpose on the River
On the 24-hour boat ride back, I bought a hammock and finally saw the whole picture. As small wooden boats delivered baskets of freshly picked açaí, I realized the incredible dedication of the ribeirinho families—the true guardians of the forest. They harvest the fruit, and local shops separate the valuable pulp from the seed, which, for decades, was simply tossed away.
This is where we step in. We close that circle by giving the açaí seed new life, roasting it into an aromatic, caffeine-free beverage. What was once an environmental problem is now a symbol of circularity and innovation—a new Amazonian coffee, born from the heart of the forest. Our navigation has just begun. Like the Amazon, the journey ahead is long, but it flows with a clear purpose, carrying the promise of a revolution in upcycled foods and alternative coffee. We can't wait to share the next chapter with you.
