Our Family

Heather Hoffmann

Throughout my years on the farm, my family cared for various animals, including horses, goats, cows, pigs, chickens, dogs and cats. Memories of those days and my rural roots helped lead me back to the Algoma area. I’m thankful, though, for the time I had away to experience a larger world and develop my interest in art, making pottery and painting in acrylics.

Before Shane and I made the leap to our family-run business, I worked as an administrator, a door-to-door piano teacher and a book designer. Since Harry was born, I’ve also been a stay-at-home-mom. My background as an administrator helps me keep things organized, though bookkeeping is new to me and I do procrastinate on the filing at times. I also roast and package coffee, co-ordinate our marketing, and I’m head window washer.

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Time at the lake with our family, enjoying the sunshine and good food.

2. Who are your heroes in real life?

Ernie Coombs, Eknath Easwaran, Aletha Solter

3. What is your favourite possession?

I try not to be attached to possessions.

4. What is your motto?

What other people think of me is none of my business.

5. What is your favourite coffee?

I like the African coffees. If I have to pick one today: Rwandan.

Shane Hoffmann

I grew up in the Crowsnest Pass, a collection of towns nestled in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains. In school, I studied management and was one of four people involved in the start-up of Canada’s first bike-trailer manufacturer. During my time there, as the production manager, the company went from making 350 trailers, in its first year, to making more than 50,000 trailers per year, a decade later. Good coffee got me through the long days.

I moved from that experience to becoming the production manager at a high-performance sports equipment company that, unfortunately, didn’t value its workers. There were some 10-year employees who had barely seen a 25-cent raise! This experience helped spark my commitment to fair trade.

These days I do sales, customer service, roasting and packaging. I’m also the delivery guy and head floor cleaner.

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Spending time with our family whether it be in the kitchen, garden, riding our bikes, etc.

2. Who are your heroes in real life?

Anyone who learns how to deal with life’s adversities in a positive way.

3. What is your most treasured possession?

Like Heather, I try not to be attached to worldly possessions.

4. What is your motto?

It is what it is.

5. What is your favourite coffee?

This is constantly changing. At present, I would lean towards our Ethiopian Harrar coffee and I recently discovered that our Tanzanian Peaberry makes a great espresso.

Harry Hoffmann

I was born in 2004 and I’m hard at work at growing up. Sometimes I help with the business. I like grinding coffee in our big grinder, and in our little grinder. I know how to make coffee in five different pots. I also like to empty coffee bean chaff into the composter.

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Good drinking water.

2. Who are your heroes in real life?

Tikka, our neighbours’ dog, because she gives me kisses.

3. What is your most treasured possession?

Our cats and dog.

4. What is your motto?

What’s a motto?

5. What is your favourite coffee?

Espresso with an equal shot of maple syrup and milk.