Where do you go when you’re craving that next-level cup of joe? You go to the experts. The coffee prodigies that live and die by the quality (and creativity) of their roasts!
All the most dedicated go-go juice fans in the CIRA office agree: if you go with any one of these 12 proudly Canadian coffee brands, you’ll never suffer through a mediocre cup again. Ever.
Also, because all these coffee brands are from local Canadian businesses with a .CA domain, you can shop and sip comfortably knowing all businesses offer Canada-wide shipping and all prices are in CAD!
So, fire up that French press (or coffee making implement of choice)— and let’s get brewing!
Daymaker Coffee Roasters – daymakercoffeeroasters.ca
It’s the best part of waking up! Daymaker Coffee Roasters is here with their fresh, full-bodied and flavourful medium-to-dark roasts. Not only is every bean directly traded and sustainably packaged, but 3.21% of every sale goes towards supporting Canadians living with Down syndrome.
Start with their 21 Reasons Extra Special Blend that’s rich with cocoa, caramel and red fruit notes!
Bright Jenny Coffee Roasters – brightjenny.ca
This Kelowna, B.C,-based coffee roaster started out in a backyard shed and has grown into a bona-fide specialty coffee supplier. You’ll dig their bright, light flavours and small-lot coffees sourced from all over the world.
You have the option to pick between their espresso, house coffee or 5lb coffee subscription options. Subscribe and save 10% on each order!
Golden Triangle Coffee – goldentrianglecoffee.ca
For the coffee lover that’s craving a new twist on their daily cuppa, Golden Triangle Coffee serves up unique and beautiful flavours from Southeast Asia.
Here’s a prime example: their super aromatic, Thai-sourced “NakNak” coffee gives you hints of caramel, orange and tangerine. It’s lovely stuff. Plus— Golden Triangle Coffee works directly with cooperatives to import fresh beans and then locally roasts them at their Montreal HQ.
Rogue Wave Coffee – roguewavecoffee.ca
A long-time .CA gift guide favourite, Edmonton’s Rogue Wave has earned itself a sizeable fan base for its range of fresh, delicious coffees. As for their monthly subscriptions? We love the single origin Central and South America coffees for their approachable, nutty, sweet and chocolatey flavour profiles.
Equator Coffee Roasters – equator.ca
The team behind Ottawa’s Equator Coffee Roasters was fairly-trading coffee well before the rest of the industry caught on! Since ‘98, they’ve been ethically sourcing, roasting and delivering incredible, organic specialty beans from across the globe.
We love their Sweet Justice light roast from Guatemala. It’s fruity and flavourful with notes of caramel, maple and orange blossoms.
North Roast Coffee – northroast.ca
Hailing from picturesque Prince George, B.C., North Roast Coffee has found a way to make the coffee buying experience that much fresher by cutting out the middleman. There are no warehouses to be found here, and certainly no below-par beans. All their coffee is roasted to order— so you’re guaranteed nothing but the freshest, boldest blends!
Feeling adventurous? Go with their 3-pack Mystery Brew. Whatever you get will be fabulous and you’ll be broadening your java horizons.
The Colombian Coffee & Roastery – thecolumbian.ca
Now, these folks take the whole concept of “farm-to-cup” quite literally. As in, just about every bean is grown on their family farm, Finca Santa Rita, in Colombia. There’s a very real chance you’ll find yourself exclaiming, “¡Ay, qué rico!” (Oh, how delicious!) upon your first few sips.
We recommend starting with the Workhorse coffee, which offers a nice blend of caramel, cocoa and molasses.
Ascent Coffee Roasters – ascentcoffee.ca
If you know about Ascent Coffee Roasters (from Terrace, B.C.,) then you know. This is what happens when a passionate coffee nerd sets about honing their craft over years. Only the finest beans make the cut, and they’re carefully, lovingly roasted in small batches.
Dive into Ascent’s big, bold and flat-out delicious Downtube Espresso dark roast, or mellow out with an ultra-smooth cup of Copper Morning medium roast.
Jumping Bean Coffee – jumpingbean.ca
From the most easterly-east coast, Newfoundland’s Jumping Bean Coffee roasts everything to order— so it’s going from green bean to bag in about 24 hours. Any more fresh and it’d be downright insulting! Also, very cool: they use an eco-friendly roasting method that produces 85% fewer emissions.
For starters, you really can’t go wrong with their aromatic and fruity.
Neighbourhood Coffee – neighbourhoodcoffee.ca
Neighbourhood Coffee is a perennial favourite among the CIRA caffeine connoisseurs. Each of their small-batch roasts are inspired by (and pay homage to) different Toronto neighbourhoods.
See their Beaches Blonde light roast, or more full-bodied Humber Reflections medium roast, as two great examples.
Little Victories Coffee – lvcoffee.ca
Founded by a pair of friends, Ottawa-based Little Victories Coffee specializes in small-batch, easy-drinking light roasts with complex flavours. Their bright, sweet Sunshine roast is a perfect place to start.
But…if you feel like getting adventurous in your coffee cravings, you can’t go wrong with the Roaster’s Choice subscription for $20 per bag. Little Victories’ co-founders will hand-pick and send you their favourite limited-run and seasonal coffees!
Dispatch Coffee – dispatchcoffee.ca
We seriously dig Dispatch’s never-boring rotating menu of sustainably sourced coffees from small-scale farms. You’ll find no shortage of unique flavour profiles, like the watermelon and candied apple notes of their Ugandan beans!
They offer a cool coffee subscription where you fill out a questionnaire on the flavours you enjoy most and then are sent a curated selection each month.
We all know those people who say they “don’t like coffee,” they “can’t stand the taste” and “why are you always droning on about coffee?” Our theory: they’ve never had good coffee— let alone one of the coffees from any of these Canadian brands.
Now, there’s no excuse— you’re spoiled for excellent choices! We hope you wield this knowledge responsibly and maybe even bring a few folks over to the dark (roast) side.
Stay well-caffeinated, friends.
Search for your brew-tiful .CA today!
Kira is the Content and Channel Marketing Lead at CIRA. She focuses on content, digital marketing and channel strategies to help Canadian business owners make the right domain choice for their business website so they can find success online.
