T'HO COMMODITIES (TEE-HO)
OUR STORY
Diego Rodriquez, the founder, was born in T'HO, Mexico; The Crossroads of Maya history. Today people know this city as Merida, Mexico. He spent his childhood working on cocoa farms while his mother and grandmother fermented and roasted all day in the kitchen. Diego often reminisces about the taste of his grandmother's chocolate straight off the wooden spoon. "There is no better taste", he says. His grandmother and mother taught him the process and patience of perfecting chocolate, which he soon learned, was very similar to the process of coffee.
When he was 22 he moved to San Francisco In hopes to open a chocolate shop, but his plan took a pleasant turn when he met the specialty-coffee living legend, Erna Knutsen, who introduced him to the magnificent wonders of the coffee industry. Soon after his experience with Erna he was introduced to Alfred Peet, owner of Peet’s Coffee. Peet adored Diego and took him in under his wing. Diego mentions many times how they were very close friends until the day he passed. Peet left Diego a gift with a note that said:
"Diego, it has been a pleasure of coffee tasting together and talking about all the things that together, go into the making of a great coffee man. You, Diego, really are a great coffee man” - Alfred Peet .
Erna and Diego
Alfred Peet and Diego
Diego and Larry Mindel
After his experiences with these two legendary coffee connoisseurs, he met an iconic leader in the hospitality industry, Larry Mindel. Mindel has been an icon in the Bay Area's dining scene for decades. He is the founder of legendary restaurants such as Ciao and Prego. Diego and Mindel have been friends for over a decade. Throughout their friendship he has taught Diego that there is no kind of service other than first class service, and that success will never follow unless he can lead his passion with confidence.
These three influences on Diego are nothing shy of a miracle; with their support and willingness to share their knowledge, he was able to host his own cuppings, open coffee shops through out the bay, become a professional roaster, and then finally a master roaster. Everything Diego does is with love, passion, and hard work, which he says he owes to the people that taught him.
20 years later during a San Francisco summer in 2017, Diego met Patricia Acheson at Crown and Acre, a high-end bar in the Financial District. Patricia worked full time in the tech industry while picking up weekly shifts at Crown. Diego just happened to be their "coffee man”. Every week Diego supplied the bar with his specialty coffee and over time, Patricia and Diego developed a friendship discussing coffee, life lessons, business ventures, and each of their passions in life. Although 20 years stand between them, they found themselves having very similar visions. After 15 years of secrecy, Diego finally proposed a business plan to Patricia. Six months later, T'HO Commodities was up and running with Patricia as the CEO.
WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?
Yes, we have a passion for high quality coffee, but that's not all that defines T'HO. Every day you wake up and put your feet on the floor, we believe an opportunity for positive change awaits you. T'HO wants to be a part of helping people make that change, and we decided to start our movement with coffee. We chose coffee as our first product, not only because Diego is a professional coffee connoisseur, but also because 83% of the adults in this world start their day with a cup of coffee. When you open a bag of T'HO Coffee every morning, you will find "T'HO ENCOURAGEMENTS"; a piece of motivation that promotes a positive change in all aspects of life. We plan to encourage this change within offices, cafes, homes, stadiums, restaurants, and all other venues. Any place you can get a cup of coffee- T'HO will be there.
wHAT'S OUR MISSION AND VISION?
Mission: With coffee, we will create the reality of aesthetic living.
Vision: To start a movement that promotes positive culture change in the office, home, and world by creating products that make life more enjoyable while keeping the environment clean.
HOW DO WE GIVE BACK?
T'HO is keen on paying it forward. We promote a clean environment by using 100% biodegradable bags and reusable coffee tins. We promote a clean mind by donating time and funds to Mental Health Awareness throughout the world. Learn more on our "Giving Back" page.