signature coffees
All of our roasted coffee beans are organic, or naturally grown, certified by a third party agency assuring that no pesticides or chemical fertilizers are used in the growing process. Our beans come from the highest quality Arabica crops from around the world. These beans are classed SHB (strictly hard bean), which reflects the higher altitudes at which they are grown.
shade grown single origin beans
Coffee is grown typically in regions close to the equator. These regions get more than the average amount of sunshine. Too much exposure to the sun will cause a coffee bean to grow quickly without developing the internal qualities. Our shade-grown organic beans grow slowly under the canopy of neighbouring trees allowing them to mature naturally. All of our beans are hand picked when they are ready, and not before. Coffee pickers go over each coffee plant many times before the harvest is complete.
Some beans when roasted are balanced without blending them with other types. While Arabica is the variety of bean that we use, different growing conditions and regions affect the flavour profiles. Our bean selection will vary based on availability, however we aspire to maintain certain bean origins for product consistency.
medium
El Salvador
Guatemalan - Santa Clara
Medium/Dark (espresso)
Brazilian
Peruvian
Costa Rican - Tarrazu
Guatemalan - Santa Clara
Swiss Water Decaf
Sombrilla - Blend
DARK
Ethiopian - Sidamo or Yirgecheffe
Sumatra - Mandhelling
Jakarta - Blend
sustainable roasting
the most sustainable coffee experience
With the use of an afterburner, traditional drum roasters give off significant airborne particulates (allergens), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and greenhouse gases such as carbon, methane and nitrous oxide are released into the atmosphere. Keeping B.C.’s air fresh and clean is as important to us as serving great coffee. That's why Fresh Cup Café roasts with a patented Roastaire™ coffee roaster. Our roasters' near-zero emissions technology and tremendous energy savings make it the most environmentally sustainable coffee roaster in Canada. We invite you to come in and see our roaster in action!
Did you know?
- Traditional methods of coffee roasting are a significant source of air pollution and allergens.
- The Roastaire™ is Canada’s first closed-loop roaster, which is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Our roaster's' precision-controlled heating allows for perfect caramelization and bold aromatic nuances – the secret to our fresh-tasting, full flavored coffee, with no burnt or bitter after tastes.
attention to detail
our roasters
THE TASTE IN YOUR CUP IS ALL THAT MATTERS
Growing up on a farm and seeing what comes from hard work attention to detail and the land is what motivated Fresh Cup’s original roaster, Mel Townley, to reinvent himself as a coffee roaster in his late 50's. Leaving the world of manufacturing and bringing his 40 years of production experience back to the world of coffee has given Mel the insight and expertise to consistently maintain batch quality. Mel's early years of growing and harvesting food gave him the instinctual ability to understand how nurturing the high quality, organic green coffee we use can affect the final flavours found in each cup of coffee. Now, with fifteen plus years of coffee roasting, proven blends, and a number of local awards for his brews to his credit, he's a testament to what effort is needed to become not just a roaster of coffee, but a revered 'Roastmaster'. During Mel’s journey he shared his knowledge and experience with Jim his son, and Larry Christiansen who now oversee the roasting operations for the company in Victoria and Vancouver.
The key to being a great coffee roaster is all about understanding how each bean is different when grown, also known as the beans terroir (conditions in which the coffee plant is growing). Observing the nuances of each recipe personifies what being a true Roastmaster is all about, always paying attention to the smallest of details.
We always leave the door open to our customers and their feedback as we seek to perfect our craft without pretense. We know that we’re only as good as your last cup of coffee from us, which continually helps us to keep things real for us at all times. In a world where there's a constant pressure towards the 'wine-ification' of coffee, we maintains an unfettered focus on 'freshness' and leave the topic of taste up to our customers with our favourite saying which has become...'taste is subjective, however freshness is not'. Our success speaks for itself and we are proud to be very particular about coffee we roast, in fact, we count on it.
meet the roasters
- Jim Townley – Victoria and Vancouver
- Larry Christiansen - Victoria
- Mel Townley - Victoria
- Stephanie Ng - Vancouver
