The first steps
Of humble origins, the son of a family made up of three men and two women, Sebastião was born in the sertão, the arid backlands of northeastern Brazil, in the state of Paraíba, on November 11, 1957. Circumstances forced him to start working very young, as a farm laborer, pulling out tree stumps to clear the land.
He later moved to João Pessoa, where he was hired by a company as a night watchman. In the yard of that firm stood several mango trees laden with fruit. At dawn, right after his shift ended and with due permission, Sebastião would pick the ripe mangoes and sell them door to door on his way home, splitting the proceeds with his manager.
From backyards to the CEASA market
The mango trade proved highly successful. So in 1977 he resigned from the company where he worked to devote himself entirely to his own business. He began by buying fruit from the backyards of nearby homes, until he was able to open a small stand at his city’s street market. In October 1997, as sales expanded, he managed to rent half a stall at CEASA (the wholesale distribution and trading center for fruit and vegetable products) in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
In 2002, he was introduced to the São Francisco Valley, a fertile region drained by the São Francisco River and its tributaries, and a major supply center for the products sold in his stores in Rio de Janeiro. At that moment he saw a great opportunity to expand his project even further, investing in agricultural production as well and opening new horizons for the business. A new path and a new mission for every member of his family.
Strong professional support from his sons
Robson de Lima Araújo has been responsible for all production and fruit processing since 2002, starting with 15 hectares and currently with 700 hectares in production, spread across 10 farms of its own and supported by a new 9,000-square-meter packing house.
Ronaldo de Lima Araújo is responsible for sales, a division of the company started in 1997. Beginning with half a rented stall and later expanding to four leading stores within CEASA, in Irajá, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, becoming known throughout the country as SEBASTIÃO DA MANGA.
The company is a family business, run by four people: Sebastião Martins de Araújo (father), Ana Maria de Lima Araújo (mother) and their two sons, Robson de Lima Araújo and Ronaldo de Lima Araújo.
