Leonardo was born in Belo Horizonte and represents the third generation of his family in the coffee industry. He is the son of Ricardo Tavares, from the eponymous Montesanto Tavares company, one of the largest coffee producing and exporting groups in Brazil, with over 70 years in the market.

After exploring some career options outside of the family business, Leonardo ended up dedicating himself to coffee. He spent 6 years in charge of the farms belonging to the Montesanto Tavares group. His direction of the Fazenda Primavera farm resulted in the Copa de la Excelencia award promoted by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE).

Leonardo's Coffee ++ is a virtual store that aims to connect producers of super-specialty coffees and consumers in Brazil, since most of these coffees are exported.