Joan and Paul Katzeff founded the Thanksgiving Coffee Company in 1972. Unlike many other coffee companies, the Thanksgiving Coffee Company embraces a whole coffee philosophy. By this, I mean that the Katzeffs don't just sell coffee. Their approach is unique that they want to empower the farmer, the consumer, and the environment by retailing only the finest highest quality organic shade grown coffee.
Shade grown coffee is the method preferred by not only the Thanksgiving Coffee Company, but by organic coffee farmers and environmentalists alike. By opting to use shade grown methods, the coffee farm is working with the harmony and balance of nature rather than against it. Coffee trees flourish best with shade, but many coffee companies prefer to use the full sun method for mass production. This may be more commercially advantageous for the company, but it has devastating effects upon the environment, as well as producing a weaker coffee bean. The Thanksgiving Coffee Company has been committed since the conception of their company to providing quality shade grown coffee and educating the consumer on the benefits of purchasing and consuming organic shade grown coffee.
Like their name, Thanksgiving Coffee Company, the Katzeffs have shown a truly humble spirit of Thanksgiving. They continually give back to the farmers and producers a share of their company's profits. This encourages the farmers to continue with their hard efforts and continues the success of the business, not just from a marketing perspective, but the success of the company as a functional unit, from the producers to the consumers. This cycle of Thanksgiving has proven successful and has made the Katzeffs truly unique, not only in their company name, but by living up to the standards and inherent meaning of everything that makes Thanksgiving Coffee who they are.