TRANSPARENCY
Get to know your coffee.
THE STANDARD FOR COFFE IS TOO LOW—JOIN US IN RAISING THE BAR.
The specialty coffee industry is still young and developing. We’re positioning ourselves to be at the forefront of the whole industry. In service of our core purpose to raise the bar of coffee quality, our approach to coffee is unique worldwide, and this includes our approach to coffee sourcing and transparency. We want our coffee producing partners to thrive, and so we pay well above the industry average for our green coffee, share knowledge from our partners, and invest in projects on the ground at coffee origin. If you'd like a deep dive, you can click here to learn more about our approach to coffee.
Direct Trade
for real
In service of our core purpose to raise the bar of coffee quality, our approach to coffee is unique worldwide. We work directly with our producing partners with a focus on long-term relationships that are mutually beneficial. We know them personally, we know their families and goals, and we're thankful to have established relationships that transcend coffee.
This model takes considerably more travel and effort, but the results are transformative. We get far better coffee and producers get far more benefit, and actually see upward social and financial mobility (i.e. ability to strengthen and invest in their farming business).
Better Than Fair Trade
Better Than Fair Trade
We work with producers that we personally know and proudly pay them well above Fairtrade rates. Our close working relationships allow us to give feedback to producers every season. This occurs when quality is good and also when there are issues. This two-way communication loop is a game-changer for producers to improve quality and advance the strength and health of their business.
Ecologically Farmed
The farmers we work with use organic practices; they're just to small to be certified organic. Just as they care about their coffee, they care deeply about the land that grows it. Our long-term and close relationships allow us to have first access to the best green (unroasted coffee) from our producing partners. We often have the same lots as Best of Panama or Cup of Excellence winning lots.
Roasted in Canada
All of our coffee is proudly roasted in our roasterie in Calgary, Alberta. We roast in small batches in our custom-built vintage roaster in the Simmons Building. To ensure quality is preserved all the way to the customer cup, we invest in drying projects, rapid shipping, shipping stability experiments, and frozen storage. All of our coffee is flash-frozen on arrival to Calgary. This focus on green-coffee quality preservation is one of our secret weapons.
Thriving Partnerships
...start with fair pricing. We pride ourselves on paying our producing partners well above Fairtrade rates.
Coffee Origins
We maintain strong relationships with our producing partners in: Ecuador, Panama, Ethiopia, Colombia, Guatemala, Kenya, Burundi, Costa Rica, and Honduras.
our founders
Read the epic story
Phil Robertson
Phil co-founded P&S in 2007, and his obsession from the beginning has been improving coffee quality from seed to cup. Leveraging his engineering past, he’s written custom roasting control software and modified numerous pieces of coffee making equipment. Among his duties, he manages the roasting operation and travels to Africa to buy green coffee. His wife, Jenna, and three young children support him every step of the way.
SEBASTIAN SZTABZYB
Sebastian co-founded P&S in 2007, fueled by a love of both coffee and entrepreneurship. Sebastian collaborates with Phil on most duties, but focuses on directing the cafes, traveling to buy green coffee in Central and South America, and managing company finances. Sebastian and his wife, Emily, have three energetic children: Annie, Leo, and Casper.avida porta.
