Ryan Kilthau
In 1996, founders Mickey McLeod and Robbyn Scott opened a coffee roasting café on Salt Spring Island with the mission of bringing sustainable coffee to their island community. Salt Spring Coffee was born, and the freshly roasted coffee quickly became an island favourite, sparking conversations with customers about coffee quality and sourcing.
In their quest for coffee that was environmentally friendly and fair to farmers, Mickey and Robbyn made several origin trips to Central America and Indonesia, visiting coffee farming communities in Costa Rica, Peru, Nicaragua, Sumatra and Uganda. Together, they built long-term, direct trade partnerships with coffee producers, who not only shared their hospitality but also shared their generational expertise in organic coffee production and regenerative agricultural practices.
As a result, Salt Spring Coffee became one of the first 10 companies in Canada to be Fair Trade Certified. Since committing to fair trade, Salt Spring Coffee has contributed millions in fair trade premiums, which are additional funds paid directly to coffee farmers who decide on how to reinvest the money within their communities.
Growth
Growth began organically. In the 90’s, it was common for coffee traders to sell coffee based on quality score with little connection to the farmers who produced it. However, Salt Spring Coffee’s direct trade partnerships contributed to a richer understanding of both green bean quality and coffee production. The result was an exceptional cup of coffee with a relationship to coffee farmers that resonated with consumers, and the demand for Salt Spring Coffee’s organic, fair trade coffee grew.
A year after the café opened, Salt Spring Coffee became among the first certified organic coffees in Western Canada to be sold in grocery stores.
Overcoming Challenges
The café on Salt Spring Island quickly outgrew its coffee roasting capacity. The 7.5 kilogram coffee roaster was upgraded to a 30 kilogram roaster, but it wasn’t enough to keep up with demand. Mickey and Robbyn drew up plans to build a coffee roasting and education facility on Salt Spring Island, but after several months of planning, the zoning application was denied. A new space was found on the mainland, and in 2010, Salt Spring Coffee expanded roasting operations to Richmond, BC.
New operations meant expanding the family run business and growing the team. Salt Spring Coffee’s commitment to making a positive social and environmental impact was just as important to internal operations as it was to the coffee supply chain, and in 2010, Salt Spring Coffee became B Corp Certified.
Future
With a growing company, it was more important than ever to Mickey and Robbyn to go, beyond sustainable, to regenerative agricultural and social practices. In 2024, the Salt Spring Coffee team worked together with the Regenerative Organic Alliance, ROA, and coffee producers to launch Canada’s first Regenerative Organic Certified® coffee.
Regenerative organic certification sets the highest standard in the world for soil health, ecosystem preservation, and farmworker fairness. For a farm or product to be Regenerative Organic Certified®, it must first meet USDA organic requirements. From there, additional rigorous standards must be met including sustainable agricultural practices, animal welfare protections, and social responsibilities including supporting the wellbeing and livelihoods of farmers and workers.
Regenerative organic certification provides a holistic framework that ensures communities and ecosystems flourish throughout the coffee supply chain, from crop to cup. At Salt Spring Coffee, it’s another step forward in their mission to change the world for the better.
Ryan Kilthau is senior marketing manager at Salt Spring Coffee. He’s an avid coffee drinker and enjoys sailing the BC coast including Salt Spring Island.
Featured image: Mickey with coffee farmers Byron and Sara Corrales. Credit: Salt Spring Coffee.
