The Colorado Farm, located in the municipality of Ipuã, São Paulo, and acquired by Oswaldo Ribeiro de Mendonça, marks the beginning of Grupo Colorado. It was on this property that the group began its activities in livestock and agriculture, producing cattle, soybeans, corn, and cotton

To meet the growing demand for soybean cultivation and the expansion of new agricultural frontiers, Oswaldo Ribeiro de Mendonça founded Sementes Selecionadas Colorado in 1971. At first, the company only transported and produced soybean seeds. Later, it expanded its operations to include the processing, selection, and treatment of certified peanut seeds.

Sementes Selecionadas Colorado began producing hybrid corn and established its Research Center, dedicated to conducting studies on corn genetic improvement.

Armazéns Gerais Colorado was founded, a company dedicated to the storage and handling of seeds.

The Colorado Group acquired Agropecuária Colorado, located in the municipality of Senador Porfírio, in the state of Pará, a property dedicated to livestock farming.

Colorado Distillery was established following an agreement with the Proálcool Program, signed by Oswaldo Ribeiro de Mendonça and his brother Geraldo Ribeiro de Mendonça, using the Colorado Group’s own resources.

The Fiat Colorado dealership was inaugurated in Orlândia. Currently, the Group operates two special-class dealerships located in the municipalities of Orlândia and São Joaquim da Barra.

The first harvest at Colorado Distillery recorded the crushing of 315,738 tons of sugarcane.

Sementes Colorado founded the research company Campbiotec, headquartered in Guaíra-SP. The company developed a unique research programme in Brazil to produce hybrid supersweet corn seeds, intended for the manufacture of canned products supplied directly to major food industries.

The Colorado Group acquired Fazenda Palmeiras in Tangará da Serra, Mato Grosso, and established the Oswaldo Ribeiro de Mendonça Agricultural Complex.

With the acquisition of shares in Usina Barbacena, the Colorado Group invested in sugar production, yielding 201,000 sacks of sugar and 99,174,217 litres of ethanol.

Colorado Sementes was acquired by the multinational company Dow AgroScience.

The Colorado Máquinas dealership began its operations in Ribeirão Preto and Araraquara.

Grupo Colorado also began dedicating itself to the breeding of Nelore cattle. Genetic improvement centres for the Nelore breed were established in Sales Oliveira, São Paulo, and Uberaba, Minas Gerais. This activity was concluded in 2019.

The Colorado Máquinas dealership expanded its branches to Barretos, Guaíra, and Ituverava.

The Colorado Máquinas dealership began marketing products from the Cameco brand, now John Deere, becoming a market leader in the supply of sugarcane harvesters.

Condomínio Agrícola Oswaldo Ribeiro de Mendonça encompasses an area of approximately 60,000 hectares in São Félix do Araguaia, Mato Grosso, of which 27,000 hectares are dedicated to soybean cultivation and pasture, while the remaining land is preserved as an area of environmental significance.

Usina Colorado nearly doubles its industrial capacity, becoming one of the leading mills in terms of crushing volume. With this expansion, Grupo Colorado begins supplying energy generated from sugarcane biomass to the National Electric System, helping to provide the energy the country needs for its development. The power produced and exported is sufficient to supply a city of
approximately 100,000 inhabitants

Grupo Colorado incorporates Central Energética de Morrinhos S/A (CEM), with a processing capacity of 2 million tons of sugarcane per harvest, producing ethanol, sugar, and electricity. The operation generates jobs in the municipalities of Morrinhos and Goiatuba. All sugarcane fields are harvested mechanically.

Grupo Colorado establishes Colorado Locações e Equipamentos, a company dedicated to the purchase and sale of agricultural machinery and pre-owned tractors.

The Mutual Aid Programme for Emergencies (PAME) was established on May 8, 2012, to promote integrated fire control and response to criminal fires in the fields and operational areas of Colorado Mill.

Usina Colorado receives a certificate from Fundação Abrinq, being recognised as one of the 89 Brazilian companies that have participated in the Empresa Amiga da Criança Programme for fifteen years or more.

Grupo Colorado celebrates its 50th anniversary with the slogan “Creating Value for Brazil.”

The Engenho do Conhecimento II Library was inaugurated at Central Energética Morrinhos, a company in the sugar-energy sector that is part of Grupo Colorado

Grupo Colorado acquires 12.68% of the shares held by minority shareholders, thus becoming the holder of 100% of the share capital of Usina Colorado.

Usina Colorado evolves into an agribusiness. The new business model prioritises increased productivity and operational efficiency.

The Legislative Assembly of the State of São Paulo approved a proposal by State Representative Roberto Engler, enacting State Law No. 16.031/2016, which named the access and return junction to Usina Colorado, located at kilometre 47.5 of SP-425 Highway, in the municipality of Guaíra-SP, as Oswaldo Ribeiro de Mendonça Access Junction.

Following the passing of board member and shareholder José Oswaldo Ribeiro de Mendonça, Grupo Colorado initiated the succession process involving heirs Ana Luísa Ribeiro de Mendonça and José Oswaldo Ribeiro de Mendonça Filho.

Grupo Colorado celebrates 60 years with a legacy of development and sustainability, sharing its successful journey with its teams.
“Energy for a New World” was chosen as the theme to mark the company’s anniversary, highlighting the foundation of one of Brazil’s leading agribusiness conglomerates — responsible for introducing sugarcane cultivation in the region of Guaíra, São Paulo. For six decades, the Group has generated employment, income, taxes, and foreign exchange through the production and commercialisation of ethanol, energy, and sugar for Brazil and the world. It continues to pursue consistent futures built on present and sustainable results.