Behind every acai berry purchased from Nossa!, you will find a supply chain built with local producers, committed cooperatives, and the shared goal of preserving the Amazon rainforest. All this while ensuring fairer compensation for the families who depend on it.
Acai, an emblematic fruit of the Amazon
Our acai is the fruit of a palm tree in the Amazon. These palms can reach more than 20m in height and grow naturally in the várzeas, the floodplains bordering the tributaries of the Amazon River.
These ecosystems are particularly rich. During each rainy season, the rivers deposit new sediments rich in organic matter and minerals. Combined with a hot, very humid climate all year round, they provide ideal conditions for the growth of acai palms.
Although acai palms can be found in several South American countries, such as Suriname, French Guiana, and Venezuela, it is northern Brazil, particularly the state of Pará, that accounts for most of the world's production.
It is also in this region that Nossa! chose to build its supply chain.
To learn more, you can read our article Why is Amazonian acai considered the global benchmark?
Entirely manual harvesting
Acai harvesting remains a deeply traditional skill today. The main harvest season runs from August to December, although some regions farther west or north of Marajó Island follow a slightly different schedule.
Every morning, the pickers head to the agroforestry plots where the palm trees grow. To reach the bunches located more than twenty meters above the ground, they use a braided plant-fiber rope wrapped around their ankles.
Using this technique, they quickly climb to the top of the palm tree, select only the ripe bunches, and then gently lower them to the ground.
This practice, passed down through several generations, requires extensive knowledge of the forest, the trees, and the natural rhythm of the harvests.
Unlike mechanized harvesting, this method helps preserve the palm trees and select only the fruits offering the highest quality.
To learn more about acai harvesting, you can also read our article on how Nossa! acai is harvested.
At Nossa!, we prioritize agroforestry.
Not all acai brands on the market produce acai in the same way.
At Nossa!, we have chosen to work exclusively with certified organic acai purée, harvested by small-scale producers in agroforestry systems.
Agroforestry involves cultivating acai within the Amazon rainforest while preserving the different plant species that naturally make up this ecosystem.
By contrast, intensive plantations often rely on monocultures that greatly simplify landscapes and reduce biodiversity.
By preserving the forest, producers protect the soil, promote local biodiversity, and limit soil erosion. This approach also helps maintain sustainable incomes for families who depend on the forest.
For Nossa!, preserving the Amazon means supporting an agricultural model capable of reconciling production, biodiversity, and local economic development.
Also discover: Agroforestry vs. monoculture: what are the differences for acai?
An extremely fragile fruit that must be processed quickly
Acai is a particularly delicate fruit. Nearly 90% of this fruit consists of a pit. The pulp, which is the part consumed, begins to deteriorate very quickly after harvesting.
To preserve all its quality, the berries must be processed within a very short time.
After harvesting, they are sorted, washed, and then transported to Nossa!'s partner factories, located in the Belém region. The pulp is extracted within 48 hours of harvesting, followed by immediate freezing.
This speed is essential. In fact, the longer the delay between harvesting and pulping, the more quality the fruit loses: its purple color deteriorates, its aromas become less intense, its texture changes, and some of its naturally occurring compounds decrease.
Freezing therefore preserves the fruit's qualities without the use of preservatives.
Read our article on acai processing in a factory to learn more about our industrial processes.
A supply chain built with trusted partners
Nossa! works in partnership with producer organizations in the Baixo Tocantins region of Pará state: APREMARMU, CART, COOPAIJCJ and COOAEBAT.
These cooperatives and associations bring together family farmers and traditional communities committed to a shared goal: preserving the Amazon rainforest while developing sustainable agriculture.
These partnerships help strengthen traceability, support producers through technical training, and promote resources from the Amazonian bioeconomy.
Today, the Nossa! Fruits supply chain represents 218 registered producers, mainly from small family farms in Baixo Tocantins.
How does Nossa! build a responsible açaí supply chain with its partner cooperatives?
Fairer compensation to encourage sustainable agriculture
At Nossa!, we are convinced that preserving the forest depends on better compensation for those who protect it.
That is why we have introduced a premium pricing policy, paying producers 5 to 10% above market prices.
This additional margin is fair recognition of the rigorous efforts made to maintain organic farming and fair trade standards. It provides producers with the financial stability needed to reject intensive monoculture and remain, over the long term, guardians of Amazonian biodiversity.
By giving greater value to fruit harvested through agroforestry, we help make this model more attractive than intensive practices that can degrade ecosystems.
Buying quality açaí also means contributing to the long-term preservation of the Amazon.
From the Amazon to Europe
Once the açaí purée has been produced and immediately frozen, it is packaged and shipped to Europe.
Transport is carried out primarily by sea, a solution that helps limit the carbon footprint compared with air transport while maintaining the cold chain.
Upon arrival, this açaí purée becomes the base for the various recipes developed by Nossa!, whether our purées, preparations for açaí bowls, or other solutions intended for professionals.
Each product thus retains the characteristics of the fruit harvested just a few days earlier in the heart of the Amazon.
Discover Nossa! açaí traceability, from the Amazon to Europe.
Choosing Nossa! means choosing a different vision of açaí
For us, the quality of açaí also depends on how it is grown, harvested, processed, and purchased.
By prioritizing organically certified fruit from agroforestry, harvested by small-scale producers and fairly remunerated, Nossa! contributes to the development of a supply chain that places the preservation of the Amazon rainforest at the heart of its model.
Behind every Nossa! açaí bowl are women and men who make a living from the forest without destroying it, committed cooperatives, expertise passed down through generations, and a shared determination to build more sustainable agriculture.
Because good açaí always starts with a responsible supply chain.