OUR STORY
ROOTED IN TUCSON, AZ
INSPIRED BY THE SONORAN DESERT
GoodShell Coffee, founded in the heart of Tucson, Arizona, draws its inspiration from the unique beauty and resilience of the Sonoran Desert. Our craft reflects a deep connection to the local environment, with every cup brewed to honor the rich flavors and vibrant culture of the region and all its beauty. But more than just a coffee company, GoodShell Coffee is deeply committed to giving back to the Tucson community.
Our story is one of progress. From the beginning, we’ve worked to grow and evolve, not only in how we source and roast coffee but in how we serve our community and focus on its core needs. With a focus on behavioral health initiatives, we actively support mental wellness programs and local causes. This dedication to well-being makes GoodShell Coffee more than just about coffee – it's a shaped cause that helps people come together, find support, and grow stronger. Through our journey, we aim to create lasting impact, roasting not only great coffee but also positive change for the community we call home.
OUR MISSION
At GoodShell Coffee, our mission is to craft exceptional coffee that reflects the spirit of the Sonoran Desert while fostering progress and well-being within our Tucson community. We are dedicated to creating a space where people come together over coffee, support one another, and grow stronger.
GoodShell Coffee isn’t just a business to me; it’s a reflection of those lessons my father imparted. Like him, coffee demands patience, care, and an understanding that the best results come from doing things the right way, not the easy way.
GoodShell Coffee is a way of honoring those who helped set the path forward, because where strong foundations are laid, know someone else has struggled, and it is that struggle that has paved the path for your head start.
Matt Raul Saenz
Founder & Chief Experience Officer
When I think about the roots of GoodShellCoffee, I can’t help but reflect on my upbringing and the profound influence my father had on the person I am today. My father was a gardener by trade, a man who knew the value of hard work, and the simple beauty that comes from nurturing something with your own hands. But to truly understand what GoodShell Coffee means to me, you need to know a little about him and the life he lived.
My dad didn’t have an easy start. He grew up in a home where love wasn’t spoken of often, where the world around him was rough, and where survival took precedence over dreams. But despite the odds, he grew into a man who was determined to give me the life he never had. He and my mother worked tirelessly to create a home that was not just respectable, but a place of warmth and learning. It wasn’t a perfect life, but it was one built on the values of respect, dignity, and above all, love. It wasn’t the direct love you see in movies, but more the love that gave you the head start that they didn’t have so that I could be better.
My father was a tough man, and he had to be. Life didn’t give him many reasons to be soft. But underneath that toughness was a fairness that I didn’t fully appreciate until much later in life. Every stern word, every grounding, every lesson that felt harsh at the time was a gift. He was preparing me for a world that wouldn’t always be kind, for challenges that would test my resolve, and for responsibilities that would demand my best.
As a kid, I didn’t always understand why my father was the way he was. I often wondered why he couldn’t be more lenient, why he always insisted on doing things the right way, even when no one was watching. But as I grew older, especially after I became a father myself, I began to see the wisdom in his ways. My father wasn’t just teaching me how to live—he was teaching me how to thrive.
A Father's Legacy in Every Cup:
The Story Behind GoodShell Coffee
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
When I think about the roots of GoodShellCoffee, I can’t help but reflect on my upbringing and the profound influence my father had on the person I am today. My father was a gardener by trade, a man who knew the value of hard work, and the simple beauty that comes from nurturing something with your own hands. But to truly understand what GoodShell Coffee means to me, you need to know a little about him and the life he lived.
My dad didn’t have an easy start. He grew up in a home where love wasn’t spoken of often, where the world around him was rough, and where survival took precedence over dreams. But despite the odds, he grew into a man who was determined to give me the life he never had. He and my mother worked tirelessly to create a home that was not just respectable, but a place of warmth and learning. It wasn’t a perfect life, but it was one built on the values of respect, dignity, and above all, love. It wasn’t the direct love you see in movies, but more the love that gave you the head start that they didn’t have so that I could be better.
My father was a tough man, and he had to be. Life didn’t give him many reasons to be soft. But underneath that toughness was a fairness that I didn’t fully appreciate until much later in life. Every stern word, every grounding, every lesson that felt harsh at the time was a gift. He was preparing me for a world that wouldn’t always be kind, for challenges that would test my resolve, and for responsibilities that would demand my best.
As a kid, I didn’t always understand why my father was the way he was. I often wondered why he couldn’t be more lenient, why he always insisted on doing things the right way, even when no one was watching. But as I grew older, especially after I became a father myself, I began to see the wisdom in his ways. My father wasn’t just teaching me how to live—he was teaching me how to thrive.
GoodShell Coffee isn’t just a business to me; it’s a reflection of those lessons my father imparted. Like him, coffee demands patience, care, and an understanding that the best results come from doing things the right way, not the easy way.
GoodShell Coffee is a way of honoring those who helped set the path forward, because where strong foundations are laid, know someone else has struggled, and it is that struggle that has paved the path for your head start.
Matt Raul Saenz
Founder & Chief Experience Officer
OUR STORY
ROOTED IN TUCSON, AZ
INSPIRED BY THE SONORAN DESERT
GoodShell Coffee, founded in the heart of Tucson, Arizona, draws its inspiration from the unique beauty and resilience of the Sonoran Desert. Our craft reflects a deep connection to the local environment, with every cup brewed to honor the rich flavors and vibrant culture of the region and all its beauty. But more than just a coffee company, GoodShell Coffee is deeply committed to giving back to the Tucson community.
Our story is one of progress. From the beginning, we’ve worked to grow and evolve, not only in how we source and roast coffee but in how we serve our community and focus on its core needs. With a focus on behavioral health initiatives, we actively support mental wellness programs and local causes. This dedication to well-being makes GoodShell Coffee more than just about coffee – it's a shaped cause that helps people come together, find support, and grow stronger. Through our journey, we aim to create lasting impact, roasting not only great coffee but also positive change for the community we call home.