4th Stop on the Coffee Capital Tour!
Planet Bean Coffee - Guelph, ON.
“Planet Bean Coffee began roasting coffee in downtown Guelph in 1997. Ours was the first roastery in the City for at least half a century. From the beginning our focus was on certified Fairtrade and organic gourmet arabica coffee.” - About
Since establishing it’s roots in 1997 and bringing great coffee to the city, it’s hard to view Planet Bean in any other light than the true matriarch of Coffee Culture in Guelph. The shop has been pouring for over 25 years, has built many lasting relationships with farmers all over the world, and has even served as a starting point for roasters who’ve gone on to start shops of their own and build upon the organic, Fairtrade, and high-quality values that Planet Bean has upheld since its inception.
Farm to table, and beyond! To learn about the values of this incredible business, look no further than the packaging.
Planet Bean is proudly partnered with the Café Femenino Coffee Program:
“The Café Femenino coffee program is one-of-a-kind ethical sourcing model committed to ending the cycle of poverty affecting women coffee farmers across the world. Café Femenino provides direct compensation to women farmers, along with the opportunity and resources to enact positive change in their communities and on their own terms.” - Cafe Femenino
Amazingly, the shop commits a portion of their proceeds from Coffee sourced from amazing women-run farming operations around the world to provide the University of Guelph Athletics program with Gryphon women’s athletic scholarships.
But wait, it gets better!
Planet Bean is also a operates under a Co-operative business model that truly supports a people-centric workplace:
SUMAC COMMUNITY WORKER CO-OPERATIVE
Planet Bean Coffee is a division of the Sumac Community Worker Co-operative. People start working at Planet Bean and after a period of time are able to join the worker co-operative and become a member of Sumac. Their employment is then seconded to Planet Bean.
WHY A WORKER CO-OPERATIVE?
At Planet Bean we believe a democratic workplace based on the international principals of co-operation is the way to create a model for a people centred economy. The purpose of a worker co-operative is to create meaningful and life sustaining employment for its members. Our project is very much in development and we embrace that old adage of “we are building the road as we travel”. - Co-operative info
Well, there you have it. If there were ever an example of an unapologetically transparent company that you should feel abundantly happy to support, this would be it. The added bonus? You’ll also get one of the best cups of coffee you’ve ever tasted during your visit. Make sure to check them out!!
