Doing Our Part
We're not ones to brag but we thought we'd share some of the things we are proud of, and that demonstrate how a business can be profitable AND sustainable for our community and environment.
We are members of Fairtrade Canada who certify many of our coffees as being sourced under conditions that benefit all stakeholders, most importantly the farmers and communities that grow our coffee.
Our coffee is packaged in 100% compostable bags that can be tossed into the green bin after the coffee is gone. The bags are fitted with metal bag clips that can be repurposed or returned to be sterilized and reused. Our 5 lb coffee bags are also compostable with the exception of the tin tie bag closure.
Our coffee is delivered locally in Kingston and Area in a 100% electric vehicle. The timing of this change could not have been better, saving not only the environment but hundreds of dollars per month in fuel costs.
We purchase carbon offsets for all of our shipments across Canada. With our commitment to Shopify Planet, every time we ship an order we support some of the most promising climate solutions on Earth. Each project has been vetted by the Shopify Sustainability Fund, which has committed more than $30 million to these same projects. This commitment (it's not a commitment if it doesn't cost anything) is a really important step to ensure we are meeting the expectations of our customers and demonstrating leadership in our community.
The burlap bags that contain the green coffee we import and roast are sold to the public for a suggested donation of $2 per bag. The bags are diverted from landfill and all of the proceeds of the sales are sent to Focus Forward for Indigenous Youth to support their awesome work. These bags can be used as pet beds, overwintering shrubs, growing potatoes etc. Focus Forward for Indigenous Youth is a national registered charity working with Indigenous communities on culturally-relevant employment and skills development opportunities for Indigenous youth. Through their programming, Indigenous youth build new skills, develop a deeper understanding of themselves, create meaningful connections and expand their thinking around the education and career paths available to them.
A byproduct of the roasting process is the production of chaff which releases from the bean as it roasts. We save this chaff and a local farmer picks it up and ploughs it into their soil. Oddly enough, the coffee chaff makes the soil smell like chocolate!
All of our full time employees receive a living wage. This is a source of great pride and a recognition that the pressures of inflation and out of control housing costs require sufficient pay to reward the hard work, skill and dedication of our employees.
These items represent our efforts to be better every day and to make the commitments that our community needs businesses to do in order to preserve our environment. We are sustainable AND profitable. They go hand in hand. If not for the support of our customers we could not support the projects above. When our customers make a purchase on our store site it is not just another transaction but the expression of support for what we do backstopped with the expectation that we are always trying to be better and to lead in quality and sustainability. Stay tuned