Café Brasileiro × 3corações × Mitsui — Three-Nationality Negotiation
Israelis, Brazilians and Japanese at the same table — one interpreter preserving three negotiation styles.
▶ QUICK SUMMARY
In February 2020, 3corações and Mitsui — a partner in Brazilian coffee since 1974 — negotiated the acquisition of Café Brasileiro for R$210 million. The deal involved three nationalities: Israeli shareholders from Strauss Group, Brazilians from São Miguel Holding, and Japanese sellers from Mitsui Alimentos. Alex Barros interpreted the negotiations and site visits to the plants in Araçariguama (SP) and Cuiabá (MT).
The rarest case — three nationalities, one table, one interpreter
Most M&A deals have two sides: buyer and seller. The Café Brasileiro acquisition had three — each with completely different corporate culture, negotiation style and technical vocabulary.
On the buyer side: Israeli executives from Strauss Group (Tel Aviv) and Brazilians from São Miguel Holding (Fortaleza), led by Pedro Lima, chairman of the 3corações group. On the seller side: Japanese executives from Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Tokyo) and Mitsui Alimentos (Araçariguama). The common language was English — but the three groups use English in negotiation, communicate disagreement, and express interest in very different ways.
What makes the trilateral negotiation unique
Israelis tend to be direct and fast — they say no without hedging, and reverse course without embarrassment. Japanese are indirect and formal — "we'll consider it" can mean rejection; silence can mean disagreement. Brazilians navigate between the two styles.
The interpreter needs to preserve the tone and intent of each group — not just the content — for communication to work. Leveling out communication style can cost the deal.
The three parties
One of Israel's largest food companies. Founding partner of 3corações in Brazil. Executives participated in negotiations and site visits as part of approving the investment.
Lima family, with Pedro Lima as chairman of the 3corações group. Brazilian JV partner with Strauss, leading local negotiations.
Brazilian subsidiary of Japan's Mitsui & Co. Owner of Café Brasileiro since 1974, when Mitsui acquired Yoshioka & Cia — a Japanese immigrant company founded in 1959 in Dracena, SP.
The site visits — interpretation in motion
Café Brasileiro's main plant — roasting, grinding, packaging. Mitsui Alimentos's largest plant in Brazil. Inspection of production line, installed capacity and operational efficiency.
Second plant — regional operation for the Center-West, strategic for 3corações to strengthen its presence in the region. Focus on logistics, regional distribution and integration with the existing network.
The vocabulary — industrial coffee, M&A and three cultures
| Term (EN) | Equivalent (PT) | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Roasting capacity / throughput | Roasting capacity / processed volume | Any buyer's first question at a coffee plant |
| Green coffee inventory | Green coffee inventory | Relevant asset — in-transit and warehouse inventory is part of the transaction's working capital |
| Capex requirements | Investment requirements | How much 3corações would need to invest to maintain the plants — central to the price calculation |
| SKU rationalization | SKU rationalization | Café Brasileiro, .br Gold, 3 Fazendas, Premiado, Café Superior, Bandeira — what to keep, what to discontinue |
| Blending specification | Blend specification | The exact recipe for each brand — critical technical information held by Mitsui |
| ANVISA compliance / food safety | ANVISA compliance | Israeli executives, used to European standards, needed to understand the Brazilian regulatory framework |
| Distribution overlay | Distribution overlay | Where 3corações's and Mitsui's distribution networks overlapped — a central synergy argument |
| Stranded costs | Stranded costs | Costs Mitsui would retain in Brazil after the sale — impact on the final price |
The context — 3corações's largest acquisition to date
In 2020, the 3corações Group was already the absolute leader in the Brazilian coffee market — but its presence was concentrated in the Northeast and São Paulo. Mitsui Alimentos had exactly what was missing: leadership in the Center-West, with the Cuiabá plant and the Campo Grande distribution center, and brands like Café Brasileiro and .br Gold with strong SP presence.
Mitsui Alimentos had a long history in Brazil — founded in 1959 in Dracena as Yoshioka & Cia by a Japanese immigrant family, acquired by Mitsui & Co. in 1990. The 2020 sale of the roast-and-ground division kept the green coffee export business under Japanese control.
For Strauss — which knew the coffee markets of Israel and Europe well, but was still learning Brazil — the site visits were essential to internally approve an additional R$210 million investment in a deal that already required trust in the Brazilian São Miguel Holding partners.
Frequently asked questions
What was the Café Brasileiro × Mitsui × 3corações transaction?+
In February 2020, 3corações and Mitsui (a partner in Brazilian coffee since 1974) negotiated the acquisition of Café Brasileiro for R$210 million. It was a trilateral negotiation involving Brazil, Israel and Japan, with site visits to plants in Araçariguama (SP) and Cuiabá (MT).
Why did the negotiation involve three countries?+
3corações is Brazilian. Mitsui is Japanese — its involvement in Brazilian coffee dates to 1974. Café Brasileiro had Israeli shareholders via Strauss Group. The negotiation required navigating three different negotiation cultures.
What are site visits and why do they require interpretation?+
Field visits to the acquisition target's physical facilities. The buyer inspects what it's buying on-site before closing the deal. In international transactions, the foreign technical team needs simultaneous interpretation to interact with the local operation.
Who is Mitsui Alimentos?+
Brazilian subsidiary of Japan's Mitsui & Co., owner of Café Brasileiro since 1974 — originating from Yoshioka & Cia, a Japanese immigrant company founded in 1959 in Dracena, SP, acquired by Mitsui in 1990.
Does the interpreter sign an NDA for trilateral M&A negotiations?+
Yes. For mandates with non-public information from multiple parties, lingo signs a bilateral (or multilateral, when applicable) NDA before the service begins.
Site visit, due diligence or multilateral negotiation?
Three nationalities at the same table require the right interpreter.
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Lingo Qi Interpretações LTDA · CNPJ 53.834.741/0001-34 · São Paulo, SP