A Trip to Africa: Day 8 - Making the New Transparency Work

For many, coffee is the ritualistic start to the day, a beloved beverage that energizes and comforts. Yet, beyond the steaming cups and aromatic brews lies the coffee plant, a botanical wonder that is the genesis of every coffee lover’s journey. At the heart of Thanksgiving Coffee Company is a deep appreciation for this living tree source—the company respects and values the entire process, from the nurturing soil that cradles the seed to the satisfying sip that completes the circle. We have been connecting to this plant by growing our own coffee trees right here for many years.

Coffee Trees Growing at the Thanksgiving Coffee Company Office

Anatomy of the Coffee Plant: More Than Just Beans

Coffee Arabica - Rubiaceae L.

The coffee plant, with its glossy green leaves and ripe cherries, is both an aesthetic marvel and a complex organism. Beneath the soil, its roots anchor the plant and absorb vital nutrients. Above ground, the leaves play a crucial role in photosynthesis, while the bright red cherries house the precious beans inside. It's these beans that, once processed and roasted, give rise to the alluring aromas and rich flavors that characterize each cup of coffee.

Varied Flavors: The Many Varieties of Coffee Plants

Ripe coffee cherries on the Arabica coffee tree grown at the office

When you think of coffee, the two dominant species: Arabica and Robusta, likely come to mind. Arabica is prized for its smoother, more nuanced taste, while Robusta is revered for its robustness and higher caffeine content. However, there exists a myriad of lesser-known varieties, each with its own unique flavor profile, waiting to be discovered by eager coffee connoisseurs.

From the Soil to your first Sip: How Terroir Affects Your Coffee

Like fine wine, coffee is influenced by its terroir—the environment in which it's grown. The climate, soil composition, and even the angle of sunlight on the slopes where coffee plants thrive collectively contribute to the coffee's flavor profile. These factors, often subtle and complex, define a coffee's body, acidity, and notes, creating an array of tastes as diverse as the landscapes from which they come.

Ripe cherries harvested from our coffee trees.

Ready to Discover the Flavor of Your Own Coffee

If you are inspired to develop a closer relationship with your coffee and want to lean into the root system of your daily coffee ritual, we have a series for you. Our co-founder Paul Katzeff has been growing coffee trees at home for years, and will lead you through his process.

Check out the series:

Part I: The Beauty of Growing Coffee Trees in Your Home

Part II: All you Need to Know About Growing Coffee Trees At Home

Part III: Caring For Your Coffee Tree

Coffee Tree Source:

Frinj Coffee Trees

The Just Cup of Her Hands

There are hands behind every coffee harvest.
Hands that plant seedlings beneath shade trees.
Hands that sort cherries at dusk.
Hands that manage homes, finances, children, and crops.
Hands that rarely make the headlines.

This March, during Women’s History Month, we honor the women who quite literally brew the future.

Across Latin America, women perform critical agricultural labor while also carrying the majority of unpaid household work. Historically, much of that contribution has not been financially recognized.

SOPPEXCCA has worked intentionally to change this dynamic.

Through Fairtrade premiums and internal cooperative programs, they invest in:

• Women’s leadership roles within the cooperative
• Access to land titles
• Financial literacy training
• Micro-loan opportunities
• Educational advancement for children

This is not symbolic empowerment. It is structural empowerment.

And when women gain economic agency, farms become more resilient. Environmental stewardship strengthens. Communities stabilize.

That alignment between social justice and ecological care reflects the very heart of our founding philosophy.

March 20 marks the Spring Equinox — a moment of balance between light and dark.

There is something fitting about pairing that moment with a coffee grown under shade canopy, where light filters through branches in measured generosity.

Women in coffee farming embody that balance daily, production and protection, leadership and care, labor and love.

While Flor de Jinotega is our March spotlight, we also invite you to explore our full collection of coffee blends:

• Paul’s Blend
• Noyo Harbor French
• Mendocino Vienna
• The Upsetter
• Byron’s Blend

Each roast represents long-term partnership and artisanal roasting rooted in Mendocino’s coastal legacy.

Flor de Jinotega is currently available in 5lb format — ideal for cafés, offices, restaurants, and serious home brewers who believe coffee should carry meaning.

In the early years of specialty coffee, before “sustainability” was a familiar word, a handful of roasters and importers began to ask for more of the coffee trade. What if quality wasn’t just in the cup, but in the care behind it? What if environmental responsibility and economic fairness were part of the definition of great coffee?

From Flavor to Justice: Nicaragua, 1985

Rewriting the Rules of Trade

From Observation to Action

Solidaridad Coop, Shade Grown Song Bird Coffee Farmers - Nicaragua 1996 photo by Paul Katzeff

Beyond Organics: A New Framework

In 1996, Paul presented a groundbreaking green coffee buying framework at the first Sustainability and Coffee Conference hosted by the Smithsonian. Called “Beyond Organics,” the system recognized a range of environmental and social practices: shade-grown coffee, indigenous land stewardship, cooperative participation, biodiversity protection, and more.

The idea was simple: not all progress looks the same, but every step matters.

Building a Committee with a Conscience

As more members of the SCAA began asking hard questions, Paul and a handful of allies proposed forming the first Environmental Committee. It was an uphill battle.

“There was resistance,” Paul admits. “Many in the industry believed a trade association wasn’t the place for politics or activism. But we weren’t pushing politics. We were elevating values.”

That committee—eventually renamed the Sustainability Committee—brought structure, credibility, and accountability to the growing movement. It evaluated certifications, supported origin-based initiatives, and helped small brands tell honest, impactful stories.

2000: A Defining Year

When Paul chaired the SCAA’s 12th Annual Conference in San Francisco, he centered the event around three themes: Quality, Sustainability, and Social Responsibility. It marked a turning point.

During his keynote, he challenged the industry to consider the human cost of low coffee prices. He announced a USAID grant to build cupping labs in Nicaragua, giving farmers tools to taste, evaluate, and price their own coffee for the first time.

The message was clear: coffee is about people.

What We Built Together

Since then, the specialty coffee industry has changed. Terms like fair trade, carbon-neutral, and regenerative are more common. But behind those terms are decades of work from small companies like ours.

Thanksgiving Coffee:

• Supported origin cooperatives through financial transparency
• Donated to reforestation and clean water initiatives
• Converted our delivery fleet to biofuel
• Featured farmers on our packaging before it was common practice
• Advocated for certifications with rigor, not shortcuts

Why This Story Matters

As the coffee industry continues to face global challenges such as climate change, greenwashing, and pricing instability - it helps to remember where the values came from.

We share this story to honor the path we’ve walked with our partners, our customers, and our peers. We’re still learning. We’re still evolving. And we’re still committed to using coffee as a tool for possibility.

Shop the Coffees That Carry This Legacy

Or Try the Origin Masters

Taste the Bright Future of Coffee

Why Dukunde Kawa Coffee Matters

Dukunde Kawa means “Let’s love coffee”—a name that reflects their commitment to people, planet, and flavor. This Rwandan cooperative is internationally recognized for combining exceptional quality with climate action.

Brew a Better Morning, Support a Better Future

Explore More Flavor Stories

• All Single Origin Coffees
• About Thanksgiving Coffee’s Ethical Sourcing
• Songbird Habitat Coffee