The Story of Tad from Tadhana

The Story of Tad from Tadhana

Meet Tad. He is the guy you see in your illustration when you purchase a bag of our coffee. We’d like to share his story with you to give insight into how coffee can carry you to different places and make you feel a plethora of emotions.

Tad is a Barista and undergraduate student studying Philippine Culture. Tad loves Philippine Culture. He loves the sound of the language. He loves the heart of the people. He loves the food, music, books, and indie films of the Philippines. He loves the diversity of the archipelago. Studying Philippine Culture brings Tad never ending joy.


Tad grows up in a Filipino household with immigrant parents. They speak fluent English, so Tad understands the language, but he has difficulty speaking it. Growing up, Tad is constantly trying to figure out a puzzle in his head. He tries to piece words together in Filipino to structure sentences, but his mind won’t allow him to do so. He is always at a loss for words when his relatives try to speak to him in Filipino.


In an effort to improve his Filipino, Tad enrolls in a study abroad program to learn the language. He reads anything that he can get his hands on that’s written in Filipino, even though he doesn’t understand what he’s reading. He watches Filipino films and listens to Filipino music, though he doesn’t understand the dialogue or lyrics.


During his study abroad trip, Tad falls in love with Philippine Coffee. He visits the various coffee shops in the city. They’re doing coffee in a different way, as a craft. Coffee is brewed on fancy espresso machines and an innovative contraption called the Aeropress. They make cold brew iced coffee and inform customers that their coffee is part of the third-wave. In the Philippines, Tad is given the opportunity to visit coffee farms. He travels to the mountains of Bukidnon and meets the farmers and the community growing specialty coffee. The farmers are extremely hospitable. They welcome Tad into their homes with a cup of coffee and food prepared. They are dedicated and passionate about their coffee and are resilient, amid the challenges they face.


When Tad returns to Los Angeles, all he can think and talk about is coffee from the Philippines. He visits various coffee shops to talk to Baristas and roasters about Philippine Coffee. He gets a part-time job as a Barista to learn more about coffee. Tad always has the farmers and the Philippines in mind. His ultimate dream is to source coffee from the Philippines and import it to the US.

Years pass and Philippine Coffee is more accessible to Americans. Tad now has the opportunity purchase the finest Philippine Coffees from all over the archipelago. From Bukidnon to Benguet to Batangas and Davao, Tad experiences a variety of Philippine Coffees regularly.


Tad starts every morning with a cup of coffee from the Philippines through the Tadhana Coffee brand. As he sips his coffee, he muses over Philippine art and listens to Philippine music transporting himself to the sights and sounds of the country he loves.


Tad’s coffee experience allows him to enter a meditative space where he can fully feel his culture. As Tad sips his coffee, he tastes the natural, delicate flavors of the coffee grown in the mountains. With each sip, he stares at Philippine art and feels the overwhelming emotion of his parents’ homeland. He plays the music in the language he holds so dear to his heart. The sonic sounds, vibrations, and diction are keys to Tad’s soul.


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