Regenagri Coffee by Sail Ship: How Fazenda Três Meninas and Origin Coffee are cutting carbon emissions

UK-based Origin Coffee is making waves – quite literally – with their Shipped by Sail Project, but the company isn’t just cutting transport emissions through sail freight. Starting with regeneratively-grown beans from Regenagri-certified farm Fazenda Três Meninas, the entire supply chain is an example of holistic carbon reduction.

Fazenda Três Meninas’ regenerative journey

Regenagri-certified farm Fazenda Três Meninas, in the Cerrado region of Minas Gerais, Brazil, is proving that coffee can be both high quality and actively restorative to the environment – making the farm a natural fit for Origin Coffee’s sourcing approach.

When owners Paula Curiacos and Marcelo Urtado first purchased Fazenda Três Meninas back in 2016, they immediately began converting to regenerative agriculture. Their goal: to produce high-quality specialty coffees that generate positive environmental and social impact, while applying, generating, and sharing knowledge to inspire and support other producers. 

The sailboat project extends the work we do on the farm all the way to the end customer, effectively closing this virtuous cycle. It strengthens their [Origin’s] commitment and encourages us to continue advancing on this journey.

– Paula Curiacos, Director at Fazenda Três Meninas

By 2022, the farm was among the pioneers choosing to verify its regenerative credentials by certifying with Regenagri – a decision driven by Regenagri’s integrity, technical expertise, and strong alignment with the farm’s values. The farm proudly scored Regenagri’s maximum score of 96%. According to Paula and Marcelo, certification has helped the farm strengthen its marketing and export opportunities while also supporting the development of regenerative practices through Regenagri’s continuous improvement plans.

The couple are thrilled to have transformed Fazenda Três Meninas into a carbon negative farm – the result of a decade of studying cover crops, pest and disease control, soil fertility, biodiversity, soil conservation and tree planting, and integrating these practices into their production system.

Origin Coffee’s Shipped by Sail Project

As part of its long-standing sourcing relationship with Fazenda Três Meninas, Origin Coffee selected the farm as a key partner for its Shipped by Sail Project due to their shared commitment to regenerative, low-carbon coffee production.

Origin Coffee, a speciality coffee roaster based in Cornwall, UK, sources and roasts coffee with a focus on quality, transparency, and long-term producer relationships. Having long focused on driving positive environmental impact at origin, the company launched the Shipped by Sail Project in 2025 in response to one of coffee’s less visible challenges: the carbon impact of transportation.

By working with wind-powered vessels, Origin is investing in a lower-impact alternative that reduces emissions while demonstrating what a more considered supply chain could look like. Sail cargo can achieve between a 95%-84% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to average container carriers.

A net zero future for Origin Coffee

Origin’s mission is to secure a more sustainable, equitable future for coffee, and regenerative agriculture plays a significant role in achieving that.

Looking ahead, Origin’s focus is on progress through scale and consistency. On the sourcing side, that means continuing to build relationships with producers adopting regenerative practices and supporting the transition where possible – a long-term commitment growing year on year rather than a fixed milestone.

For us, regenerative agriculture is more than a method; it’s a powerful way to draw carbon from the atmosphere, build thriving agroforestry systems, and rebuilds the relationship between people and nature. Most importantly, it’s about leaving the world better for our sons and daughters.

– Freda Yuan, Director of Coffee, Origin Coffee

For the Shipped by Sail Project, Origin is continuing to expand the volume of coffee transported in this way by introducing more coffees each year. Each shipment is a step towards reducing emissions and rethinking how coffee is moved globally, contributing to the company’s Net Zero 2050 goals.

Cover image credit: Will Hatalpa

Learn more about the Shipped by Sail Project on Origin Coffee’s website.