Wolf coffee was founded in 1990 when Rick and Jeanne Mariani left their family prune farm to bring artisanally roasted coffee to the homes and restaurants of Sonoma County. At the time, Folgers dominated the coffee pots in most homes and offices, and the coffee served at your local breakfast spot had been sitting in a pot for hours. Ultimately, Folgers wasn't the best part of waking up for anyone in the area, so Rick and Jeanne found a solution.
The Marianis joined forces with Sal Bonavita (Peet’s Coffee), combining their experiences to create a specialty coffee roaster based in Sonoma County. They called it Wolf Coffee to signify the family values they wanted the company to embody, and the community aspect of enjoying good food and drink.
During the ‘90s and early ‘00s, Wolf Coffee grew to serve their specialty blends in nine retail shops throughout Sonoma County, built a roasting facility, and brought on a group of employees they treated like family.
Things changed in 2008 when corporate coffee shops infiltrated Sonoma County, and the recession hit. Wolf Coffee made the difficult decision to close the retail locations. However, they placed their efforts in their roasting facility, allowing them to continue providing specialty coffees to restaurants, offices, and loyal customers across the nation.
In 2018, the Marianis wanted to pass the business on to the next generation, so their daughter Natasha and her husband Nick stepped out of their corporate careers to continue the Mariani’s vision of bringing great coffee to Sonoma County. After reinvigorating the roasting facility and process, they are now working to serve even more people.
At Wolf Coffee, the experience is about more than just passionate people roasting top quality beans in small batches. It’s about trusting Wolf to take care of the details so you can relax.
Nick grew up cooking and eating good food with his Italian family, which sparked a passion for extraordinary food and drink. Therefore, when the opportunity came, he packed his suits away to bring gourmet coffee to people who enjoy a good cup. He’s a details guy, so whether he’s perfecting a roast, adopting sustainable business practices, or interacting with customers, Nick’s on it.
Natasha was born into the family business and has been a team member of Wolf Coffee practically since birth. She has spent a lifetime learning the ins and outs of the roastery. Natasha knows artisanal coffee and loves her customers' reactions when they try her small-batch blends for the first time. Now that she and Nick have taken over the business, they are excited to continue the family tradition of having their children grow up as Wolf Coffee's smallest team members.
