The furniture company Branco & Preto was set up in 1952 by forward-thinking architects Miguel Forte, Jacob Ruchti, Plinio Groce, Roberta Aflalo, Carlos Millan and Che Y Hwa. In the 1940s, after graduating as architects from Mackenzie University, they sought furniture suitable for their practices; the group of friends pursued Aflalo's idea to open a store that sold modern designs.
Collectively they have produced some of Brazil's most significant furniture, developed as part of their individual architectural designs. The pieces are finished to the highest quality in Brazilian native woods and materials.?