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  • Celebrating Women and Coffee

    Celebrating Women and Coffee

    In many countries coffee is one of the main sources of income for women to feed their families. This March we want to celebrate all the hard working women who grow, pick, process and produce the delicious coffees we send out into the world. We know how hard it can be, especially with all the unpaid work women are responsible for. We also know how important it is to have freedom over ones time, saftey and finances. It is our hope at Thanksgiving Coffee Company that all the women working in coffee can live happy and healthy lives.

    Ethiopian Coffee Farmer

    In order to bring the balance of labour and earned income for women, there is still a long way to go. The gender equality report from the International Coffee Organization found that 70% of labour in coffee production is provided by women, however, women have systematically lower access to resources, land, credit and information, and that keeps the women in a state of poverty.

    Nepal- Women Sorting Himalayan ArabicaCoffee

    El Salvador - Women Sorting Coffee

    Text

    Congo - Coffee Farmer and Mother


    An estimated 72% of unpaid care work in households globally is done by women.

    Uganda- Mirimbe Kawamera Farmer and Mother

    Thanksgiving has been fostering empowerment for women and working with our importer Etico to achieve gender equality with the Soppexcca Co-op since 2013. We have now been able to raise over $40,000 and give into the fund to support women coffee farmers for financial stability and resources for education and growth towards a better life.

    Nicaragua, Soppexcca Co-op memeber planting coffee


    Read more about our support for the women of Soppexcca:

    "Recognizing the Value of Womens Unpaid Work".


    Celebrate the Women Coffee Farmers of Soppexcca

    You can support the women of SOPPEXCCA, and the great community they cultivate together by purchasing their coffee here.


    Lavender Grace is the Sustainable Ecology Advocate for Thanksgiving Coffee Company and Consultant for the Honey Hive of Mendocino.

    sustainability

    Celebrating Women and Coffee

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  • Song Bird Coffee Protects Critical Forests

    Song Bird Coffee Protects Critical Forests


    Songbirds are important, beautiful and a delight to the senses.

    For over 25 years Thanksgiving Coffee has continued to support endangered migrating songbirds and the essential forest habitats they need to survive.

    Our work to conserve Songbirds began 1998 with our line of Songbird Coffee. Here at Thanksgiving we continue to purchase from concious coffee farmers who understand the importance of shade grown coffee, and it's role in protecting biodiversity.

    The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center recently released a wonderful video that highlights the process and the importance of shade grown coffee, and we want to share it with you.

    It is called Cafe Y Aves

    "In rural Colombia—and many parts of the world—coffee is essential to local culture and the livelihood of farmers. To birds and other wildlife, the places where coffee plants grow are just as essential. "

    Thanksgiving Coffee Company continues to partner with the American Birding Association and is Smithsonian Bird Friendly certified. This is the "Gold Standard" for coffee grown to support biodiversity and song bird habitat.


    You can support Songbirds too!

    When you purchase our bird friendly coffee, you are part of the solution for our planets songbirds.


     

    Lavender Grace is the Sustainability Consultant for Thanksgiving Coffee Company.

    causes

    Song Bird Coffee Protects Critical Forests

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  • Namanyoni  Co-op United A Community

    Namanyoni Co-op united a community


    The wheels were set in motion many years ago when Thanksgiving Coffee began our work with the Ugandan Coffee Cooperative “Delicious Peace” to bring their Interfaith coffee to market. For those of you who have been following us on this unique journey, we want to share another perspective. It is an article written by an organization that understands cooperatives are run by people, and people have many ups and downs.

    "We love this story of multiple faiths helping each other, moving beyond personal beliefs"

    Child from the "Delicious Peace" Coffee Cooperative in Uganda.

    The author is Rebecca Harvey, the executive editor of Co-operative News.  She was very intrigued about the journey this cooperative has been on and contacted Thanksgiving to learn about our involvement. We had the opportunity to speak with her and share our story. We also learned that Co-op News has been around for over 150 years to support the communication between all the many cooperatives in England, and now the World.

    Sorting green coffee at Namanyoni Co-op.


    More of our history with the Delicious Peace Cooperative:

    2009: Delicious Peace Moves Forward

    2014: A Trip To Africa

    2020: Delicious Peace Coffee: A New Story

    2023: Evolution of Change


    Where it all began - the Delicious Peace Coffee


    Lavender Grace is the Sustainable Ecology Advocate for Thanksgiving Coffee Company and Consultant for the Honey Hive of Mendocino.

    Our Causes

    Namanyoni Co-op United A Community

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  • Roastmaster's Select Club: Honduras Natural

    Roastmaster's Select Club: Honduras Natural

    Once a month, members of the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club have the opportunity to sample unique micro-lot coffees from around the world. “What is a micro lot,” you ask? Read up on how we source the beans and what happens when they reach our roastery.

    Following the harvest cycle, Roastmaster’s Club Members have exclusive access to these one-of-a-kind coffees at their peak freshness, and now it’s your turn!


    Coffee Grown In Honduras

    This month’s Roastmaster’s Selection was produced by the COMSA cooperative in Marcala, Honduras. COMSA has continued to produce the finest examples of sustainably grown, harvested, and processed coffees in the region.

    Café Orgánico Marcala (COMSA) was founded in 2001 to achieve economic, social, and environmental objectives as a strategy for reducing poverty and promoting sustainable development for small-scale coffee farmers in the region. 60 small-scale farmers, 12 women, and 48 men, came together to form COMSA. Their Co-op has flourished and today COMSA now has over 1,500 members. In addition to providing financial opportunities, COMSA has committed to the sustainability of their member’s farming practices. COMSA members have learned new and innovative practices to transform their lands into integrated and vibrant organic farms – promoting soil and water conservation, and the preservation of local plants and wildlife. Innovations in the processing of coffee cherries, such as dried in the fruit natural and honey processing at drying mills have brought new and exciting flavor profiles to their coffees. Origins such as Honduras and Nicaragua that previously had produced only wet-processed coffees (which generally have a nutty and chocolaty flavor profile) are expanding into the “natural” or “dry” process which allows coffee cherries to dry inside of their fruit, imparting rich fruit notes to their beans.

    Altitude: 1,300-1,700 meters

    Processing: Honey Processed

    Farmer: Cafe Organico Marcala, COMSA

    Region: Marcala, La Paz, Honduras

    Roastmaster's Select Club: Honduras Natural

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  • February Single Origin Club: Kenya Nyeri Peaberry

    Single Origin Club: Kenya Nyeri Peaberry

    What is a Single Origin coffee? Simply put, these coffees are defined by the place they come from. Single Origin coffees are from a specific farm or group of farms that make up small cooperatives. You’ll find that most of our Single Origin coffees are light roasted, bringing out their unique aromas and flavor notes.

    We are thrilled to share the fascinating stories behind each coffee. This month, Roastmaster, Jacob Long, hand-picked our Kenya Nyeri Peaberry coffee, which also happens to be one of our 2017 Roaster of the Year award winners! Join our Single Origin Club now to have only the finest of coffees delivered to your doorstep each month.


    Coffee from Kenya

    This Kenyan coffee is grown on the eastern slopes of Aberdares mountain ranges in Nyeri County, Kenya by the family-owned farms of the Othaya Farmers Co-operative Society Limited (FCS). Established in 1956, FCS has more than 14,000 members who generally have half acre plots averaging 250 coffee trees.

    Tasting this coffee at its freshest is not something to be missed. This light roast from Africa has a unique mouthfeel with hints of milk chocolate, ripe peach, and caramel. We’re especially fond of this single origin, because it helped solidify our title as 2017 Roaster of the Year, from Roast Magazine. Along with our Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and Paul’s Blend, the Kenya Nyeri Peaberry was judged during a blind tasting alongside a variety of other entrants – and came out on top. We had the opportunity to meet with Jim and Phyllis, representing the Othaya Cooperative, at the Global Coffee Expo in April, 2017, and snagged this photo of them with our Roastmaster, Jacob Long.

     

    Altitude: 1,400-1,800 meters

    Processing: Washed, dried in raised beds

    Cooperative: Othaya Farmers Co-op Society Limited

    Varietal: SL28

    Not ready to join the Single Origin Club? Make a one-time purchase of our Kenya Nyeri Peaberry Light Roast coffee.

    From the Roastery

    February Single Origin Club: Kenya Nyeri Peaberry

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  • Fort Bragg High School Culinary Arts Visit

    Fort Bragg High School Culinary Arts Visit

    Thanksgiving Coffee Company recently hosted 30 students from the Fort Bragg High School Culinary Department for a morning of touring, tasting, and education about coffee production.

    The students have a wide range of reasons to study the art and science of cooking. Some wanted to learn how to cook better for themselves while others are considering a career in food service. We discussed coffee flavors and aromas, the early origins of coffee, and the role that Thanksgiving Coffee has played in the development of Specialty Coffee since 1972.

     

    Fort Bragg High School Culinary Arts Students visiting the Cupping Lab of Thanksgiving Coffee


    Coffee Picking

    They had fun picking their own ripe coffee beans from the tree that is producing in our office. The sense of wonder increased as they witnessed the artisan roasting by our team, seeing the flames, watching the color of the beans change, and smelling the magic as the roasting process cycled through.

     

    The Students Were Surprised To Learn That We Import Over 500,000 Lbs. Of Coffee From 22 Different Countries Annually.


    Taste Range

    When we finally got back to the cupping lab and could taste a range of coffees - light roast, medium roast, dark roast, French roast, and decaf – the reality of the process came full circle and the appreciation peaked. We discussed coffee flavors and applications as ingredients from things like dry rubs and even coffee jelly as a dessert element.

    The best feedback came afterward when our Roastmaster/ Director of Coffee, Jacob Long, heard from his son, Abe, who is currently a senior at Fort Bragg High School, that the students had a great time and got a kick out of meeting his Dad.

     

    Jacob Long, Director of Coffee Sharing his knowledge with the FBHS Cullinary Arts Students

     

    Educators of Coffee

    We are ready to promote coffee knowledge and are willing to do anything we can to support coffee education. This was a great experience all around.


    Joe Seta is the Marketing and Sales Manager of Thanksgiving Coffee Company

    Our Community

    Fort Bragg High School Culinary Arts Visit

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  • Benefits of Coffee - Cultivating Health

    Benefits of Coffee - Cultivating health

    It’s a New Year and we want to start out with some helpful and hopeful news. Yes, we want to share all about the health and happiness that coffee adds to our lives. As we grow and evolve, so do the studies on the health benefits of coffee.


    Coffee Culture

    Coffee has been consumed in coffee houses for centuries. People all over the world gather to share in the vast benefits of this darkly brewed elixir. Coffee culture has helped fuel the art of the renaissance, sparked revolutionary thought and even inspired some “to reach divine consciousness in midnight prayers.”

    For us coffee is our source of purpose, it is our direct link to meaningful work, and our reason for the regenerative focus of our business. Coffee connects us to our ommunity and an active lifestyle of long walks outdoors with family, friends and pets. It is our companion as we watch the sun rise in the morning and helps us greet the new day.

    Billions of cups of coffee are consumed daily, thank goodness it can also support for our health. Of course, health comes in many different forms, as does happiness. Both are individual and can only be attained by the one attaining it. So really, your relationship with coffee is unique to you, and your own physiology. The key here is to know yourself and how best you take your coffee.


    Physical Benefits of Coffee

    Coffee beans have mostly been associated with caffeine which can bring acuity, focus and a boost of energy. However, it is also full of antioxidants and polyphenol, which helps protect your body in a myriad of ways.

    The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine states that drinking the right amount of coffee can: support longevity, ward off heart failure, support healthy liver enzymes and it even decreases breakage in your DNA strands. The “right amount” is based on what is best for your own body, for many people that is 3-5 cups a day. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, best consult your support team.

    “The overall evidence has been pretty convincing that coffee has been more healthful than harmful in terms of health outcomes,” said Frank Hu, chair of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in an April 5, 2021, article in Discover. “For most people, moderate coffee consumption can be incorporated into a healthy diet.”

    Brew A Healthy Cup

    For a great detailed and wonderfully researched article read “How to Brew The Healthiest Cup of Coffee by Danielle Braff.

    The main breakdown for a healthy cup is this; organic coffee beans grown in high altitudes, with a lighter roast, a fine grind, prepared with a filter, hot but not boiling water, and served black.

    Coffee Beans are one of the most heavily sprayed crops in the world. When you choose organic beans, it will reduce your intake of harmful pesticides. The higher altitude will produce the highest levels of polyphenol in your coffee, so it is recommended to use coffee sourced from Ethiopia, Central and South America for that reason. 

    The lighter roast and finer the grind will retain the most antioxidants and beneficial compounds in your brewed cup. This means an espresso or Turkish grind can be one of the healthiest choices. 

    This study indicates that drinking filtered coffee can reduce 30 times more cholesterol-raising compounds, so filtering your coffee is good if cholestoral is a concern.

     Lastly the water you use is important, and filtered water is best. If you want the most antioxidants you will need to stick with a hot brew, and best take it black. Black coffee also has micronutrients, including potassium, magnesium, and niacin. Try adding spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg or tumeric to increase the flavor.

    If you are wanting more caffeine and lower acidity, a cold brew will give you what you are after. And if you’re sensitive to caffeine, don’t worry: decaf coffee has a similar roster of benefits.


    Cultivating Health


    Live Longer
              Support your Heart
                                  Strengthen your DNA

    Coffee supports us at Thanksgiving to be part of the whole picture working towards becoming our best selves and building upon our 50 years of coffee knowledge. The coffee farmers we support care about their farms, they cultivate their trees with love, and the coffee they produce tastes like it. Every bag of coffee we roast has been purchased from small family farms and farmer co-ops working towards bettering themselves and their families. 

    The coffee we produce offers warmth and vigor to carry on even in the face of the difficulties life can throw at you. The ability of our artisan roasters to bring the best qualities of these cultivated beans adds another level of depth and excellence to the overall wellbeing of the process. This coffee inspires us to walk the path of equality and build a healthy planet with every bean. We wish for you a wonderful cup full of hope, joy and inspiration filled to the brim with our deliciously exquisite coffee.


    Healthy Choices

    A wonderful way to enjoy our high quality coffee is to join one of our Coffee Clubs.

    Choose from our Roastmaster's Select or Single Origin subscriptions.

     


    Lavender Grace is the Sustainability Consultant for Thanksgiving Coffee Company

    sustainability

    Benefits of Coffee - Cultivating Health

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  • Roastmaster's Select Club: Nicaragua UCA Miraflor

    Roastmaster's Select Club: Nicaragua UCA Miraflor

    Once a month, members of the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club have the opportunity to sample unique micro-lot coffees from around the world. “What is a micro lot,” you ask? Read up on how we source the beans and what happens when they reach our roastery.

    Following the harvest cycle, Roastmaster’s Club Members have exclusive access to these one-of-a-kind coffees at their peak freshness, and now it’s your turn!


    Coffee Grown in Nicaragua

    The UCA Miraflor Cooperative Union was founded with the goals of developing human capital and sustainably managing natural resources in the region. Comprised of 12 member cooperatives, UCA Miraflor focuses on agricultural production, marketing crops like coffee and mushrooms, and offering ecotourism services.
     
    The cooperatives strive to protect the environment while maintaining democratic and sustainable organizational structures. They were first established in 1979 during Nicaragua's Sandinista revolution, which overthrew the oppressive Somoza dictatorship that had exploited the country for decades. In the revolutionary period, the Contras launched deadly attacks against soldiers, peasants, and civilians alike. Several cooperatives today still honor the "Heroes and Martyrs" who gave their lives. The Union itself was founded in 1990.
     
    One of UCA Miraflor's greatest achievements has been developing human capital through education initiatives for youth and women's empowerment. Environmental awareness has grown across communities, and gender relations are transforming. Four exclusively women's cooperatives were established during this time.
     
    Ecotourism has more recently fueled new growth, allowing communities to benefit from environmental protection work while recognizing women entrepreneurs who offer accommodations. Youth also gain income as tourist guides, improving their English and experiencing cultural exchanges.
     
    By buying UCA Miraflor coffee, you directly support small-scale farmers - many of them women - who have access to education, healthcare and a living wage through their cooperative. Your purchase also helps fund community programs like youth leadership initiatives and ecotourism ventures that promote cultural exchange.

    Altitude: 1000 – 1400 meters

    Processing: Fully washed & sun dried

    Region: Miraflor Moropotente,Estelí, Nicaragua

    Varietal: Catuai, Caturra, and Catimor

     

    Roastmaster's Select Club: Nicaragua UCA Miraflor

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  • January Single Origin Club: Ethiopia Natural

    Single Origin Club: Ethiopia Natural

    What is a Single Origin coffee? Simply put, these coffees are defined by the place they come from.

    Single Origin coffees are from a specific farm or group of farms that make up small cooperatives. You’ll find that most of our Single Origin coffees are light roasted.

    This month we're sharing our Ethiopia Natural coffee grown by the Halo Bariti Cooperative and light-roasted here at Thanksgiving Coffee in Fort Bragg, CA.


    Ethiopia Natural Coffee Grown by the Halo Bariti Cooperative

    Located in the southern portion of the Gedeo Zone in Ethiopia, sits Gedeb, a prime location for cultivating coffee. Depending on the altitude at which coffee is grown (and other factors), different flavor profiles will reveal themselves. This fine Ethiopian coffee is cultivated at a very high altitude of 1,600-2,300 meters, with an abundance of sunshine, and no frost in the morning. This climate helps produce incredibly flavorful coffee beans with a hint of spice, and fruity, floral notes.

    The Halo Bariti Cooperative was founded in 2012, formerly part of the WORKA Co-op. The coffee farms are tended to by over 250 families in this remote region of Ethiopia. When you buy our coffee, you know you're supporting hard-working coffee farmers all over the planet.

    Altitude: 1,600-2,300 meters

    Processing: Sun-dried Natural

    Cooperative: Halo Bariti

    Varietal: Indigenous heirloom varietals

     

    Not ready to join the Single Origin Club? Make a one-time purchase of our Ethiopia Natural light roast coffee.

    January Single Origin Club: Ethiopia Natural

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  • Earning Beans For Coffee Rewards
    coffee discount

    Earning Beans For Coffee Rewards

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  • How Thanksgiving Got Its Name

    How Thanksgiving Got Its Name

    The Name Was Not Created, It Was Given.

    In retrospect, it might have been a moment in time when the word needed to be spoken out loud and attached to something physical. I explain it as a moment in the evolutionary naming process sprinkled with a dose of spirituality.

    In the beginning there was a piece of wood

    Growing up in a lower middle class neighborhood in the Bronx, my family did not celebrate the Thanksgiving Day holiday with a big feast. My first impactful encounter with the Thanksgiving holiday was at the traditional Thanksgiving day football rivalry between Cornell University and University of Pennsylvania. The year was 1959, my senior year at Cornell. My brother and I traveled to Pennsylvania to be at the game. I have no recollection of the game itself, including which team won the game. But after the game, at the final buzzer, my brother and I rushed out of the stands with thousands of other fans to fight for peace of the goalpost which was a tradition back then. With thousands of fans fighting for the crossbar, it was an amazing thrill to be running like a crazy person out of the stadium with a 3 foot piece of the 4 x 4 crossbar under my arm, my brother running at my side. When I left New York City a decade later I loaded it into my '46 Mack truck and headed west. That piece of wood  traveled with me and to this day it remains housed in the Mack truck that helped me escape from Greenwich Village to Aspen Colorado a decade later. It remains in the truck, now parked at my home in Mendocino, California.  

    Cornell vs Penn NCAA Thanksgiving Day Football Game Program 1959

    Paul's 1946 Mack Truck

    Arriving in Aspen without a clue

    Upon arriving in Aspen Colorado in the fall of 1969, I set out to find a job. Not being successful in finding one, and with winter coming on, I did some good panic thinking. It was my first experience with small-town rural living and I still had a Greenwich Village New York city state of mind, so it was just a small leap to consider the possibility of opening a coffeehouse. So I began my search for space. I found the basement at 420 Hyman St., rented it, and began to visualize it how it should look as Aspens first and only coffeehouse. Should it look like the Fat Black Pussycat or the Hip Bagel or should it be more European /Middle Eastern in style like to Café Figaro ? I rented the place for $200 a month and began.

    Aspen 1970

    The first miracle

    One early morning an old friend from "the village" back in New York city walked down the steps to my partially finished basement Coffee House. I was sanding a tabletop. Now this fellow, Bob Horn, holds a special place in my heart, and in the serendipity in the name, that was eventually given to the unnamed basement we were both standing in. Bob was my first roommate back in 1961 when I moved for my ancestral home in the Bronx to 66 W. 10th St. in Greenwich Village. We were friends for the entire decade of the 60's and in 1969 when I headed my Mack truck West over the George Washington Bridge towards the Rocky Mountains, he was the only friend I could not find to say goodbye to before I left New York City. It was something that bothered me all the way to my final destination, Aspen Colorado. But when good intentions are deep and honest Providence will step in to help. So I'll redirect this story for a moment to the actual time my Mack truck pulled into Aspen on that first fall afternoon in September. My mind was set on locating the closest gas station. I needed to find water for my dog Panda and some for my trucks radiator. We had just come over Independence Pass. That old truck struggled to get over that 14,000 foot hill, and it too was thirsty.

    Aspen Coffee House 1969

    I helped Panda out of the truck and set out a bowl for water. I noticed another person with the dog heading for the same water at the pump. I looked up and as he got closer I could see it was my dear friend Bob Horn with his dog Daisy. We both arrived in Aspen with our dogs and our trucks at the same time, neither of us is knowing the other was heading for the same place. Providence? What was the meaning of this miracle I thought ? I would soon find out.

    Panda 

    Finding Out

    A couple of months later Bob walked into my almost finished coffee house to see me working on the table and asked," What are you going call this place?”  I looked up from the rough tabletop and without missing a beat I said," I'm going to call this place Thanksgiving. It was a spontaneous response. It just came out in sort of, a burp. Now I don't really know how such things happen. Were higher powers waiting for the moment when they could act to bring "the word" into the world as a name of a coffee house, and they deemed me worthy? Bob smiled, said he would see me later and left me to my tabletop sanding.

    Later that day

    Bob reappeared as I was finishing up, getting ready to go home and said he had gone to the library to search for the word Thanksgiving as it might appear in the Bible, if at all. He said he found the word Thanksgiving in the New Testament. He had located it by using a book called "The Concordance." The word was located in 1 Timothy 4.

    "All things that are God-given should be received with thanksgiving”.

    The phrase ring true to me and with that kind of support, plus the preceding miracle of my friend Bob arriving in Aspen at the same moment I did, and heading for the same place as I, both of us wanting to get water for our dogs, I stuck with "the word’ and it became "the name”.

    We are not claiming it was a religious naming, but more a spiritual naming. We are happy to bring this uplifting word into every day use, into the light, so to speak, for all to feel the power of the word and the lift it gives when spoken into the world. It is the nicest word in the English language. We hope you enjoy seeing it and starting your morning with Thanksgiving.


    Paul Katzeff, Co-founder of Thanksgiving Coffee Company.

    Our History

    How Thanksgiving Got Its Name

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  • Roastmaster's Select Club: Finca Agroberlin

    Roastmaster's Select Club: Colombian Coffee

    Once a month, members of the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club have the opportunity to sample unique micro-lot coffees from around the world. “What is a micro lot,” you ask? Read up on how we source the beans and what happens when they reach our roastery.

    Following the harvest cycle, Roastmaster’s Club Members have exclusive access to these one-of-a-kind coffees at their peak freshness, and now it’s your turn!


    Colombian Coffee From Finca Agroberlin

    Have you ever heard of La Cabaña estate in Colombia? Let me tell you, the coffee grown here is pure magic in a cup.
     
    Nestled high in the lush green Santa Marta mountains, just a short drive from the sunny beach town of Santa Marta, you'll find La Cabaña. It's a beautiful family-run farm that's been lovingly tended for over 20 years by the Delgado family. In person, you'd be amazed by the snow-capped Andes towering over the valley below.
     
    What makes La Cabaña coffee so special though is how it's grown. Under a leafy canopy of native trees, the coffee cherries are nurtured by the birds and butterflies that call this place home. It's no wonder the coffee has certifications for being both Rainforest Alliance approved and bird-friendly!
     
    The Delgados use only the highest quality, sustainably-grown beans from their 136 acres of land. Then they use natural, organic methods to slowly sun-dry the beans to perfection. The result is a cup of coffee with bright, complex flavors and a silky smooth finish that'll have you coming back for more.
     
    I know if you try La Cabaña, you'll be hooked just like me. One sip of this magical Colombian coffee, and I guarantee your morning will be off to a fantastic start. What do you say - want to give it a try?

    Altitude: 1100 - 1300 masl

    Processing: Fully washed and dried inside solar dryers that provide protection from the rain

    Farmer: Agroberlin Farm

    Varietal: Typica, Caturra, and Castillo

    Roastmaster's Select Club: Finca Agroberlin

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  • December Single Origin Club: Miel de Cajamarca

    Single Origin Club: Coffee from Peru

    What is a Single Origin coffee? Simply put, these coffees are defined by the place they come from.

    Single Origin coffees are from a specific farm or group of farms that make up small cooperatives. You’ll find that most of our Single Origin coffees are light roasted.

    This month we're sharing our Miel de Cajamarca coffee grown in Peru by CENFROCAFE and light-roasted here at Thanksgiving Coffee in Fort Bragg, CA.


    Miel de Cajamarca Coffee from Peru

    The province of Cajamarca has long been the backbone of Peru’s economy due to its vast mineral wealth. Unfortunately, these days, modern mining techniques despoil the earth and surrounding rivers and forests. The cultivation of high quality organic coffee has become the key to Cajamarca’s economic and environmental sustainability, and the farmers of CENFROCAFE are leaders in this effort.

    The members of CENFROCAFE carefully pick ripe cherries, depulp, ferment, wash and dry their coffee on their small farms ranging in size from one to three acres. The result is a finely crafted coffee with hints of honey, papaya, and milk chocolate complimented by a soft citric acidity.

     

    Altitude: 1,700 – 2,000 meters

    Processing: Wet / Washed

    Cooperative: CENFROCAFE

    Varietal: Caturra, Typica, Yellow Catui

    Not ready to join the Single Origin Club? Make a one-time purchase of our Miel de Cajamarca Light Roast coffee.

    From the Roastery

    December Single Origin Club: Miel de Cajamarca

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  • San Francisco Coffee Festival 2023

    San Francisco Coffee Festival 2023

    Big Golden Ballon Sing of SF Coffee Festival hanging above the convention center with people milling around all the booths below

    Once again, we participated in this year's San Francisco Coffee Festival at Fort Mason on the shores of the San Francisco Bay. This incredible event nearly doubled in size to just over 10,000 attendees over 2 days. We served about 6000 samples and had a phenomenal response.

    Two Happy Participants from SF Coffee Festival 2023

    Two Happy Participants from SF Coffee Festival 2023

    The total immersion of a French press develops a depth of flavor with which a pour over just can't compete.

    Joe Seta putting out samples with CEO Jonah Katzeff .  Josh Long brewing the coffee in back.

    Joe Seta putting out samples with CEO Jonah Katzeff . Josh Long brewing the coffee in back.

    We chose to serve coffees in a variety of roast spectrums: two of our Lights Roasts: Ethiopian Natural process, and Ethiopian washed process; a Guatemalan Dark roast, The Upsetter espresso, and our Royal Decaf coffees (see links below). Except for the espresso and a batch of cold brew Ethiopian natural, we brewed everything else via French Press which made us compete very well against our competitors who were making their coffee in pour overs. Our preference is the ESPRO French Press with its multiple filter layers. The total immersion of a French press develops a depth of flavor with which a pour over just can't compete. We got great feedback on all our coffees – even the Decaf because we were the only presenter that offered one… and ours tastes as full-flavored as any other coffee.

    Our Festival Team

    the team prepared for a festival of serving and sharing coffee Jennifer Brown, Josh Long, Jonah Katzeff, Nathan Nies

    left to right: Josh Long, Jennifer Brown, Jonah Katzeff, Nathan Niel

    Our festival team included our CEO, Jonah, our cofounder Paul, Josh Long (Roaster), Nathan Nies (barista/Sales Representative), Jennifer Brown (Office Manager) and me. Our stylized baseball jerseys were Jennifer's idea and boy did they make our team look good. The jersey colors worked very well with our branded canopy and really helped make a cohesive statement visually.

    We participate in this annual public event to help expand our brand presence in the Bay Area where we are represented but not nearly to the extent as many of the local competitors. It is very safe to say that a lot more of the Bay Area is now familiar with our name, our story, and the flavor of our coffee after this wonderful event.

    the team prepared for a festival of serving and sharing coffee Joe Seta, Josh Long, Jonah Katzeff, Nathan Nies

    left to right: Joe Seta, Josh Long, Jonah Katzeff, Nathan Nies

    Man pouring espresso shot

    Nathan Nies pulling one of the many many espresso shots

    Paul Katzeff sampling coffee with a man in a gray hoody with yellow, orange red and blue stipes at SF Coffee fest.

    left to right: Paul Katzeff, SF Coffee Participant


    Try the coffees we servered at the SF Coffee Fest!


    Gray Cups stacked up at SF Coffee Fest:

    Cups at SF Coffee Fest: "Coffee - Africa's Gift to the World - You're Welcome"

    events

    San Francisco Coffee Festival 2023

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  • Roastmaster's Select Club: Kenya Nyeri Mahiga

    Roastmaster's Select Club: Kenya Nyeri Mahiga

    Once a month, members of the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club have the opportunity to sample unique micro-lot coffees from around the world. “What is a micro lot,” you ask? Read up on how we source the beans and what happens when they reach our roastery.

    Following the harvest cycle, Roastmaster’s Club Members have exclusive access to these one-of-a-kind coffees at their peak freshness, and now it’s your turn!


    Nyeri Mahiga Coffee from Kenya

    Situated between Mt. Kenya and the Aberdare Ranges, is Othaya, home to the Othaya Farmers Cooperative Society - with over 11,000 small-scale farmers, including Mahiga Wet Mill. Mahiga Wet Mill is located in Rukira Village along the Mumwe River (originating from the Aberdare Mountains), which is used to pulp the coffee cherries. Their main harvesting season runs from October to December.

    Well-drained, red volcanic soils that are rich in phosphorus make for the ideal coffee-growing environment. The coffee is wet processed, fermented, washed and dried slowly over a 2- 3 week period where the moisture content is reduced to 10-12%. The coffee is then delivered to the dry mill (Othaya Coffee Mill). What should you expect? A full smooth body and positively-interacting tones of black currant, vanilla and nutty hints.

    Altitude: 1,400 - 1,800 meters

    Processing: Washed / Dried in
    Raised Beds

    Farmer: Othaya Farmers Co-op,
    Society Limited

    Varietal: SL 28

    Roastmaster's Select Club: Kenya Nyeri Mahiga

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  • November Single Origin Coffee Club: Organic Sumatra

    Single Origin Club: Coffee from Sumatra

    What is a Single Origin coffee? Simply put, these coffees are defined by the place they come from.

    Single Origin coffees are from a specific farm or group of farms that make up small cooperatives. You’ll find that most of our Single Origin coffees are light roasted.

    This month we're sharing our Sumatran coffee grown in Indonesia by the Garmindo Cooperative and medium-roasted here at Thanksgiving Coffee in Fort Bragg, CA.


    Organic Coffee from Sumatra

    Our Sumatran coffee was grown by members of the Garmindo Co-op, formerly known as ASKOGO. This cooperative currently has 760 members, growing Fairtrade and Organic coffee in the Aceh Tengah and Bener Meriah regencies of Sumatra which are renowned for producing excellent coffee. The small farms are tucked into the dense tropical forests of the Northern Gayo Mountains, from 1000 to 1500 meters above sea level.

    The Garmindo Cooperative offers regular training activities to each of the farmers in their co-op, in order to improve the quality of their coffees, learn new harvest techniques, and implement more beneficial farming practices. This group was founded in 2008, and has continually improved their coffee in the subsequent years. We have been purchasing coffee from Garmindo Cooperative since 2015.

    Altitude: 1,000-1,500 meters

    Processing: Wet Hulled

    Farmer: Garmindo Cooperative

    Varietal: Catimor

    Not ready to join the Single Origin Club? Make a one-time purchase of our Organic Sumatra Medium Roast coffee.

    From the Roastery

    November Single Origin Coffee Club: Organic Sumatra

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  • Coffee and Mold; Mycotoxins and More

    Coffee and Mold; Mycotoxins and More

    “Rest assured that specialty coffees such as ours are the safest bet when trying to avoid these toxins. The selection and processing are incredibly well controlled thus eliminating the potential for these molds to be incurred.” Jacob Long- Roast Master and Director of Coffee at Thanksgiving Coffee Company

    The more we evolve, the more we understand how every choice we make ripples out and affects all aspects of our life. So when choosing your coffee you want to know what’s in it, or in this case more importantly what’s not in it.  

    Let’s look at what coffee mold and mycotoxins are and how to avoid them.

    First - What is a mycotoxin?

    Mycotoxin is defined as any toxic substance produced by a fungus. Mold is a multicellular fungus that signals spoilage due to decay. The mold metabolites, the result of mold’s metabolism process, are called mycotoxins. The mold in coffee typically includes the mycotoxins ochratoxin A and aflatoxin B1.

    Do all coffees have mycotoxins?

    Based on this study, 45% of coffee beans commercially sold contained Ochratoxin A.

    According to this study over 50% of green coffee beans contained Aflatoxin. These toxins can cause poisoning when you ingest too much of them. So yes, trace amounts of mycotoxins have been found in coffee beans, but the amounts are far below safety limits and too low to be of practical significance.

    The health effects these mycotoxins can have on our overall toxic burden are worth taking note of, especially if you choose low-end, instant coffee, which has been shown to have the highest mold contents. Dr. Jill Carnahan puts it very well by saying:

    "In my opinion, toxin burden is THE biggest cause of declining health and accelerated aging today, so you might want to care anyway. The thing about toxin burden is it’s all about how it adds up within your body. Sure, there might be just a little mold in your coffee but add that to the 84,000 chemicals you’re exposed to each day and you’ve got a big problem. It’s up to you to decide where and how you’ll reduce your chemical burden – but one thing is for sure, we all need to work to reduce the amount of chemicals we’re exposed to.”

    Different Molds growing on Green coffee

    How to Avoid Mycotoxins In Your Coffee

    One of the best ways to avoid toxic overload from your coffee is to source high-quality, organic coffee beans. Soil health is very important to us at Thanksgiving Coffee, and we work with farmers who do not use synthetic chemicals, such as potentially harmful pesticides and fungicides that pollute the soil.

    The health of your coffee begins with how it is grown, how it is processed, stored, and ultimately how it is roasted.

    The best option for those with a high mold sensitivity is to choose a wet-processed coffee. This means that the coffee cherry has been washed off and then dried, with a smaller chance of mold potential.

    By the time the coffee beans have been roasted, the molds that produce the mycotoxins have all but been burned away. According to another study, roasting can reduce ochratoxin A levels by 69–96%.

     

    Health Benefits of Thanksgiving Coffee

    With one of the most robust and long-term supply chains within specialty coffee, Thanksgiving coffee works with the highest quality coffees in the world and you benefit from the health and flavor of this along our entire supply chain.

    When you drink Thanksgiving Coffee, you can enjoy all the benefits that good coffee contains including over 1000 bioactive components. Including one of the best sources of antioxidants for many people's diets.

    Alongside our farmers, co-ops, importers, and roasters we continue to implement and improve our coffee for the best health of the people and our planet. Still going strong and fuelled by our amazing coffee for over 50 years,  

    In an upside-down world – sometimes the only thing right side up is a good cup of coffee. Enjoy the Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidative, Antifungal, Antifibrotic, Anticancer, and Delicious taste of Thanksgiving Coffee. 


    Stay In Touch - We like to stay connected

    Lavender Grace is the Sustainability Consultant for Thanksgiving Coffee Company

    Coffee and Mold; Mycotoxins and More

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  • Goodbye -  End The Embargo

    End The Embargo Coffee

    Entering the 25th year of End The Embargo Coffee, we find the embargo on Cuba by our government still in place. However, it is now easy to obtain a Visa to travel to Cuba on your own or via the many Social Justice Non profits and Churches that lead mission driven or curated special interest trips to the island.

    Back in 1998 we teamed up with Global Exchange, a San Francisco-based nonprofit which was then, a leading proponent in favor of ending the US Cuba hostilities. Jonah Katzeff, now CEO of Thanksgiving Coffee, traveled to Cuba with Global Exchange in the late 90’s. I had complex motives for creating End the Embargo Coffee 25 years ago. My motives were not purely about Social Justice. I was a cigar judge at the time for Cigar Aficionado magazine, and I understood that the quality of Cuban cigars was based on its soil and climate as much as on the human skills that transformed fresh picked tobacco leaf and aged it, blended it, and rolled it into cigars for export. Coffee grown in Cuba I believed, would be as magnificent as their tobacco that were made into their fantastic cigars. I wanted that coffee! However, it was no secret that Thanksgiving Coffee was a supporter of the Nicaraguan revolution, and that I was a Sandinista at heart. I made many visits to Nicaragua in 1985, and in 1986 negotiated a contract to purchase 75,000 pounds of coffee for delivery to the SF/Oakland Bay Area).

    America was at war with Nicaragua using unhappy Nicaraguans as it's Mercenaries. Although it was a peoples revolution, almost immediately after the Nicaraguan newspapers reported my contract, President Reagan declared an Embargo on Nicaraguan imports which included my 75,000 pounds. I was caught in the middle of US Foreign Policy. What I did is another story which solidified me as the Premier Craft Coffee Radical in America. Spoiler alert, I challenged the Reagan embargo and broke the embargo. I learned allot from that experience and fifteen years later, it informed my decision to create End The Embargo Coffee.

    Coffee grown in Cuba I believed, would be as magnificent as their tobacco...

    I was inspired by my experiences in Nicaragua. I wanted to do my part for the coffee farmers, and agricultural workers in Cuba. I wanted to put my stake in the ground to be the first to bring Cuban coffee to the United States. When we created the packaging for in the embargo coffee the Pope had just visited Cuba. Daniel Ortega, President and one of the nine commandants of the Nicaraguan revolutionary army (FSLN) that defeated the Samosa Dictatorship in 1979, came to meet the Pope at the airport. The Pope was not a happy Pope in the moment, and pointed and accusatory finger at the President of Nicaragua as he reached to kiss the popes ring. A photo of that moment became a poster, which became an International memorial to the Revolution. I saw one in Rwanda in the home of a coffee farmer twenty years later. I couldn’t help myself. I used it for the dark roast graphic. Che was chosen for the light roast.

     

    It should be noted that the artist who created that likeness of Che was interviewed for an article in Business Week Magazine. He commented on the use of the image, disapproving of Seagram’s use of the image to sell vodka, but approved Thanksgiving Coffee’s use as the image representing coffee for End the Embargo. The week that publication hit the newsstands we sold 5,000 12 oz. packages.

    For many years afterwards, I received quite a number of nasty letters and phone threats from Cuban immigrants living in Miami, who had, in their words, escaped Cuba to find freedom in America. They weren’t poor Cubans, but the wealthy, who had prospered as part of the pre revolution economy. I carried on an interesting dialogue with the detractors of our of our anti-embargo activism. As the Cuban political situation mellowed over time, the threats and nasty accusations slowed to a trickle.

     

    Today, after quarter century of Che, and the Pope, being on grocery shelves, and in our online web store, we begin the process of ending our relationship with this revolutionary product line. Although the issue is still important, we just don’t have the staff to promote this product the way it needs to be promoted to achieve its educational aims. We have not changed our politics of inclusion and social justice, nor have we changed our opinion about whether or not the embargo should stand or fall. We believe that the Cuban embargo is an inappropriate way to achieve peace between nations. This embargo, as all embargoes do, impacts the poorest of the Cuban citizens. It does not impact wealthy Cubans in Cuba. Che and the Pope now, just sit patiently on store shelves looking out quietly as people pass by and choose other coffees that have a more current pressing social, environmental, and economic justice issues.

    After a quarter century the time to retire these iconic images is for us, now. If you wish to continue to support the Cuban Cuban people and wish to see the embargo on Cuban products ended, here is the original organization that we supported which you can also support by contributing your energy and and/or financial support. They do the work that we can no longer do.

    Global Exchange - Normalize Relations with Cuba

    Let’s say goodbye to End the Embargo Coffee until such time when Thanksgiving Coffee Company has the employee power to give this product is due. Cuban coffee never got to the United States but Thanksgiving’s Embargo Coffee package recently got to Cuba. Photographs below show Susan Savage of the Mendocino Coast Community Healthcare District delivering Che to one of her friends in Cuba in late January 2023


    End of Story

    Photographs show Susan Savage of the Mendocino Coast Community Healthcare District delivering End the Embargo Coffee to one of her friends in Cuba in late January 2023

    Paul Katzeff, is the Co-Founder, Roast Master Emeritis and former CEO of Thanksgiving Coffee Company.


    You will find all the same great flavor and taste of End the Embargo in our Noyo Harbor French

    Follow Along With Our Evolution

    Our Causes

    Goodbye - End The Embargo

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  • Roastmaster's Select Club: Daniel Mijane

    Roastmaster's Select Club: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe

    Once a month, members of the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club have the opportunity to sample unique micro-lot coffees from around the world. “What is a micro lot,” you ask? Read up on how we source the beans and what happens when they reach our roastery.

    Following the harvest cycle, Roastmaster’s Club Members have exclusive access to these one-of-a-kind coffees at their peak freshness, and now it’s your turn!

    This month we're sharing coffee grown in Ethiopia by Daniel Mijane and light-roasted here at Thanksgiving Coffee in Fort Bragg, CA.


    Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Grown by Daniel Mijane

    This family-owned and run farm is located in the Gedeo zone of southern Ethiopia, a little over 2,000 meters above sea level. Situated between the hills of Halo Hartume, this humid area provides the ideal coffee-growing environment. The Mijane family is deeply involved with the local community of coffee farmers to make sure the coffee is shade-grown with proper organic composting efforts and maintaining the high quality flavors that Halo Hartume provides.

    Ato Mijane Worassa was the pioneer behind his family's investment in coffee culture. Now, his sons have grown up learning his techniques, not only in coffee farming but also learning how to manage the business. To carry on his legacy, one of Ato's sons began the Halo Hartume washing station. When you receive this coffee in the mail this month, know that you're supporting a long time family effort of some of the highest quality coffee beans grown in Ethiopia.

    Altitude: 1,900 - 2,100 meters

    Processing: Full natural and dried on raised beds

    Farmer: Daniel Mijane

    Region: Banko Gotiti, Gedeb - Ethiopia

    Varietals: Indigenous cultivars

    From the Roastery

    Roastmaster's Select Club: Daniel Mijane

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  • October Single Origin Club: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe

    Single Origin Club: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe

    What is a Single Origin coffee? Simply put, these coffees are defined by the place they come from. Single Origin coffees are from a specific farm or group of farms that make up small cooperatives. You’ll find that most of our Single Origin coffees are light roasted, bringing out their unique aromas and flavor notes.

    We are thrilled to share the fascinating stories behind each coffee. This month, Roastmaster, Jacob Long, hand-picked our Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, which also happens to be one of our 2017 Roaster of the Year award winners! Join our Single Origin Club now to have only the finest of coffees delivered to your doorstep each month


    Coffee from Ethiopia

    Our Ethiopia Yirgacheffe is one of three award-winning roasts from our 2017 Roaster of the Year prize. It's grown by the Worka Cooperative located in southern Ethiopia at about 2,000 meters above sea level. The cooperative is comprised of around 411 members, and is part of the larger Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperatives Union (YCFCU). The Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, Gedeb coffee is picked and pulped and washed on the same day, then to be dried in raised beds for no more than seven days.

    "Delicate, deeply sweet. Baker’s chocolate, magnolia, peach, black peppercorn, sandalwood in aroma and cup. Gentle, rounded acidity; velvety mouthfeel. The richly drying finish consolidates to baker’s chocolate and peach. An engaging coffee particularly appealing to those who value delicate, cocoa-toned coffees with gentle acidity and engaging spice notes. Reassuring environmental and socio-economic credentials.” -coffeereview.com

    Altitude: 2,000+ meters

    Processing: Washed, dried in raised beds

    Farmer: Worka Co-op (YCFCU)

    Varietal: Indigenous heirloom varietals

    Not ready to join the Single Origin Club? Make a one-time purchase of our Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Light Roast coffee.

    From the Roastery

    October Single Origin Club: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe

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  • Winesong 2023 - Local Healthcare Benefit

    Winesong - Local Healthcare Benefit

     

    Winesong is a local fundraiser for our healthcare foundation, supporting the medical needs of the Mendocino Coast. We have been participating annually for at least 37 years because of the importance of healthcare in our rural area. The event takes place in the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens - 47 acres of extraordinary flora from Highway 1 right down to the sea.

    This is not a small event – dozens of wineries, restaurants, artists, and musicians come together to entertain the guests for several hours prior to the main event, which is a grand live auction. This year the goal was to raise $200,000 in the auction in 90 minutes. They did exactly that. This year’s Fund-a-Need targeted nursing education – to train and retain nurses in our area – which is one of the greatest needs we have.

    We have been participating annually for at least 37 years

    Thanksgiving had a new location for this year. We were inside the main auction tent, right in the heart of the action. We had tremendous exposure with our canopy displaying proudly during the auction. We expanded our offerings this year to include espresso drinks and cold brew, in addition to several varieties of drip coffee. The weather is always a factor, so the ability to pivot from hot to cold was very helpful.

    We fielded a great team and had a lot of fun representing our company for a great cause. It makes us feel better knowing that we are really contributing to our community while having such a wonderful time.


    Follow Our Trail of Commuinty Events

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    Winesong 2023 - Local Healthcare Benefit

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  • Regenerative Business - A Consciousness Shift

    Regenerative Business - A Conscious Shift

    Doing Good in the World has always fueled Thanksgiving Coffee Company’s business, that is until we began our journey into a Regenerative Business Model (one that unlocks new levels of innovation, financial results, and customer loyalty while building human capacity to contribute). Through this emerging experience we have begun to untangling what “Good” actually means. We are learning to go beyond the “Do Good” paradigm and learn how to progress into a “Be Good” business.

    ORIGIN

    Thanksgiving Coffee Company has long been at the forefront of sustainability, and several years ago we developed the Bee Bold Alliance, a regenerative ecology network for pollinator protection. Although bees do not directly pollinate coffee, coffee yields are increased by up to 50% when bees are around. Pollinators are a keystone species on the Earth. This became a logical focal point for our sustainability both at home and in the coffee countries from origin. This whole systems model collaborates with our local allies to learn and grow in harmony with our environment and nature.

    PROCESS

    During the alliance-building, it was a natural progression for Thanksgiving Coffee Company to develop a Regenerative Business Model and dive deep into an evolution for the company. Under the guidance of second generation CEO Jonah Katzeff, and our resource Heather Paulsen, we began Carol Sandford’s Regenerative Business Development course and are now in our second year with this work.

    The goal of a regenerative business is
     
    to be okay with constant changes, look at what is possible, and
    empower those around you to become their own expert.

    It is not a quick process, nothing about this is a quick fix because life is complicated. The planet is full of diverse ways of being, and thinking, and everyone and everything has different needs. We are learning that the goal of a regenerative business is to be okay with the constant changes, look at what is possible, and empower those around you to be their own expert in doing the same. This is no small task, yet one we are willing to develop and grow. Thanksgiving coffee is willing to find what makes our company indispensable and most importantly un-perturbable in the modern world of coffee.

    OUTCOME

    We are learning the importance of “Being Mindful”, and how the thoughts that circle and inhabit our minds become our actions. We are practicing how to “Be Self-aware”, and how the energies we each bring to the table and how we show up within each moment are tangible ways of evolving our thinking. Learning more about “Being Purposeful” in how we conduct our business and how Thanksgiving Coffee can improve your lives, and make it Better for you to Achieve Your Goals. This is what is real for us..

    The end results are still out. Will our company survive for another 50 years? Will our coffee continue to brighten your morning and support you through your life to make it better and improve our planet? Although we cannot foretell the future, we know that in this moment we are all working honestly to evolve our way of being. We envision a World full of health and happiness, full of nourishment, community, and well-being. With each bean we roast, with each farmer we purchase from, and with each family working here in our Roastery, we envision ourselves regenerating the planet for generations to come. Wouldn't that Be Good?



    Journey with us into our Evolution

    B corp

    Regenerative Business - A Consciousness Shift

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  • Roastmaster's Select Club: Finca de Alexa

    Roastmaster's Select Club: Finca de Alexa

    Once a month, members of the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club have the opportunity to sample unique micro-lot coffees from around the world. “What is a micro lot,” you ask? Read up on how we source the beans and what happens when they reach our roastery.

    Following the harvest cycle, Roastmaster’s Club Members have exclusive access to these one-of-a-kind coffees at their peak freshness, and now it’s your turn!

    This month we're sharing our Finca de Alexa coffee grown in Nicaragua by Alexa Marin of PRODECOOP and roasted here at Thanksgiving Coffee in Fort Bragg, CA.


    Finca de Alexa Coffee from Nicaragua

    Alexa Marin lives with her two sons in the mountains of Northern Nicaragua, near the border of Honduras, where they focus on growing the best coffee possible. She has been a coffee farmer for many years and has worked with the cooperative PRODECOOOP since 1992, currently serving as their gender equality coordinator.

    During a visit to Nicaragua in 2013, I had the opportunity to tour Alexa's farm. Above her coffee plants was an over-story of native trees and scattered here and there were decomposing into the soil which made me wonder what affect this could have on the flavor of the coffee cherries.

    Later that day, I traveled to the PRODECOOP tasting room to do a blind tasting of coffees from 17 different farms. One coffee really jumped out as overtly sweet and citric. Guess what? It happened to be from Alexa's farm!

    -Jacob Long, Thanksgiving Coffee Roastmaster

     

    Altitude: 1,500-1,700 Meters

    Processing: Wet/Washed

    Farmer: Finca de Alexa

    Region: Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua

    From the Roastery

    Roastmaster's Select Club: Finca de Alexa

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  • B Corp Re-Certification

    The Tradition Continues

    We Did it Again!

    We re-certified as a B Corp with a score of 107.3, over double the score of an ordinary business. The world of specialty coffee has changed so much since our humble beginnings, yet one constant has always been true for us, to use coffee as a medium for change.

    Our Co-Founder Paul Katzeff's early experience in Nicaragua showed us "why" it is so important to improve the lives of our coffee farmers and their communities. Over the years we have gotten better at the "how", and now our farmer's green coffee beans have grown into the award-winning roasted coffee beans that we share with you.

    All Round

    The initial certification was in 2015 with B Lab, the third-party certifier. Every three years we are up to re-certify with the latest version of the B Impact Assessment. Their rigorous certification process is evaluated on 5 aspects of our business; Governance, Workers, Community, Environment, and Customers. In essence, B Lab is helping us to ensure a high level of transparency so we can see how our ideals stack up with our actions.  

    Recognized


    Every year, B Lab recognizes the B Corps that have achieved the highest verified scores in the five impact areas evaluated on the B Impact Assessment. We are honored as Best For The World: Changemakers 2019 and Best For The World: Community from 2016 - 2018.

    Our team loves what they do, and we hope you love the mix of good beans, and good people, all doing good for our communities.

    Evolve

    We continue to learn as our business navigates our fifth decade of specialty coffee roasting. To get better and better, B Corp certification challenges us to align with our values and spotlight areas we want to improve on. One area of our focus is with you, our customers. Please reach out with your suggestions, and let us know what you want to see from us. We will do our best to show up for you. Our team loves what they do, and we hope you love the mix of good beans, and good people, all doing good for our communities. Thanksgiving Coffee continues to roast fine beans and bring you excellent coffee. Thank you for being part of our Thanksgiving Family - you matter to us.


     

    Lavender Grace is the Sustainable Ecology Consultant for Thanksgiving Coffee Company.

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    B Corp Re-Certification

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