Brazil's SEBRAE fuels small‑business growth, from a Goiânia bakery to Maranhão farms

Entrepreneur Frederico Ferreira launched the bakery brand Os Meninos do Pão in Goiânia in 2020. After an early setback at a large event that caused significant losses, he refined his recipes and marketing, securing a place in local fairs with popular items such as Carne Chapa, Choripan and Kafta Grill. A year after starting operations, the business reports steady sales and growing customer loyalty across multiple city markets.

SEBRAE marked its 54th anniversary of supporting entrepreneurs in the state of Maranhão, noting that small enterprises compose over 95 % of active businesses there. The agency highlighted success stories like farmer Eurides Mafra, who, despite lacking formal education, used SEBRAE’s training to expand her agricultural activities, and the family‑run agro‑industry Vale das Bençãos, which transitioned from manual fruit‑pulp production to a recognized regional brand. In 2025 SEBRAE Maranhão recorded more than one million client interactions and operates a network of 200 Entrepreneurial Rooms, including Brazil’s first quilombola‑focused unit.