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At The Artery Community Roasters, we are proud to adopt a transparent and equitable Direct Trade model when sourcing our specialty green coffee.

Direct trade is a form of sourcing that aims to build genuine, direct relationships with the farmers and processors who grow our coffee. The practices vary as a reflection of business and ethical priorities of roasters, which is why we want you to do your research! 

We will share as much as we can to help consumers make an informed decision and we aim to be as transparent as possible about how we are committed to putting our relationships with our direct trade partners (growers, processors) before the pursuit of profits and the 'perfect cup'. 

The same goes for our own staff, who we will always invest in first before investing in expansion or a new cottage extension. We want you to rest assured that your support of our social enterprise not only supports the ethical sourcing of some incredible coffee, but will also greatly help provide a living wage for people with various disabilities.

We approach our commitment to direct trade as an alternative to the limitations of the fair trade model. We generally pay higher premiums to farmers than those mandated by fair trade practices. 

Direct trade also opens the playing field to small farmers and processors, who under other models, were too small to compete and could not afford certification costs. We only work with smallholder farmers and most of our coffeess are single producer traceable and not from large co-ops. 

And at the heart of this model is building genuine relationships with the people and places that are growing our coffee. Trust, transparency and teamwork is the name of the game, and we are thrilled we get to help our partners achieve this new vision for a third, and even fourth wave, of coffee sourcing and production.

Every bean we roast, we can tell you who grew it, the variety, precisely where it was grown, how much the farmers got paid and how it was processed. 

We roast your coffee to order, the roast date is on the back. While we pride ourselves on 'fresh' coffee, as compared to say many month old grocery store coffee, we also think coffee is at its best after it's had time to rest! (rhyme time)

The truth is that many of our coffees will taste just as good 4-6 weeks  (even longer) post roast, if kept in an air-tight environment. We like to say it's like wine, in that coffee 5 days post-roast vs 5 weeks post roast isn't a question of which one is better, they will both be great, but rather, how has the flavour profile evolved over that time. 

We have done many tests of our coffees, and some that were even 2 months post roast, when kept air-tight (even just in our bags), still tasted amazing. They just won't be as aromatic on the nose pre-grind (once ground, you'll get those aromas rushing in). The coffee world is just scratching the surface of what we collectively understand about coffee, so do your own tests and see what you like and don't always listen to the hard and fast rules of people who still think burnt espresso is good or that coffee can only be enjoyed within a week of its roast date (that is simply not true). 

Filter Roasts: Filter versions of our roasts are degassed in an airtight environment for a few days before delivery, so we recommend starting to drink them 5-14 days after the roast date (but to be honest, earlier will be fine, and kinda fun to see the difference a few days can make). As long as properly stored, your coffee will last at least a couple months before you notice any discernible decline in taste. And if you freeze it in an airtight/dry bag, it will keep a while and still taste great (see below for more storing tips).  

Espresso Roast: For Espresso, we usually like to let the beans rest for about 10-18 days from the roast date, before we drink them. But that isn't a hard and fast rule, it just seems to improve the silky texture of shots. Some people let their espresso rest in an airtight environment for 14-28 days before that first pull. So we think anywhere from day 4 to day 20 is optimal and you'll still be pulling killer shots well into day 30-35 if stored properly (see below). And if using our espresso roast to attain a medium-city (dark) filter/drip brew, it will be ready to brew when you receive it!

Storing: Keep your coffee in an airtight container, away from light, and watch and taste as it changes flavour as it ages, but in fun and wild ways. The coffee you drank on day 3, will taste quite different day 7 and 14 and day 66. Check out the Fellow Atmos or Airscape's line of airtight canisters (not a paid plug, we just like both their gear). And honestly, even our bags do a good job (but since they are more environmentally friendly that many other bags, they won't be as great a seal as an un-recyclable foil lined bag. 

Freezing? Say it with me, freezing is A-OK! If you buy our bigger bags and won't get through it all within a month, or just want to save some for a special later date (we love saving our favourite coffees throughout the year to do our own advent calendars come the holidays).  Just make sure to store it in a quality ziplock and remove as much air/moisture as you can before freezing.  And if you have a vaccum sealer like we do, even better! TRUST US FREEZING WORKS! 

Single producer coffees come from one farm or estate, so we know exactly where it comes from, and who’s producing it.

It’s great to be able to trace and stand by the quality and ethics of the unique varieties we have the honour of roasting. Single producer coffees create a connection between the roasters and coffee drinkers, and the families who rely on direct trade to earn a living, and fair wages for their tremendous efforts.

We believe that producers are the most important part of the value chain, and we pay them accordingly.

We, at The Artery Community Roasters, have only been sourcing green beans for six months as a new roastery. Thanks to friends and partners like Semilla Coffee, we feel very confident about the steps we’ve taken, and investments we’ve made, to practice true direct trade and ethical sourcing.

The fruits of our labour are many of the single producer roasts we carry. 

Our other coffees are also Single Origin, in that they may come from a few different farms (all working together), but the same area and more importantly, similar soil and environment. 

The difference with our Single Origin and some other roasters who use the term more casually, is we ensure that ALL of our Single Origin coffees are fully traceable (we know what farms they came from) and also adhere to the ethical payment, treatment of staff, and farming practices as our Single Producers. 

Not all Single Origin coffees are created equal. Feel free to ask us, and other roasters you support, about more info about where you coffee comes from (our website is full of details and we area happy to provide more). A roaster should know the farm and the farmgate/FOB prices (in short, prices paid to the farm and when ready to export) and be willing to share and stand by those figures! We are, thanks to our partners at Semilla Coffee and wonderful relationships he has helped nurture between us and the producers, who are all have the most respect for and are happy to call friends! 

Hopefully this helps explain part of the reason why some, more generic and untraceable single origin roasts that you may come across, are less expensive than single producer roasts or single origin roasts that are traceable and pay high farmgate prices.

Ethics aren’t cheap.

When buying your coffee (by the bag or via our Coffee Crate and Tasting Packs) some roasts are labelled as espresso, and others are simply assumed to be filter. 

Filter Roasts:

• Our filter roasts will be on the lighter (to medium) side, depending on the bean and its characteristics. 
• It's better suited for drip coffee, pour over, and french press. 
• Anyone that likes a more vibrant and bright espresso with more lighter notes, may also enjoy filter roasts of many of our coffees (our Head Roaster does). 
• We do have a limited number of 'dark' roasts coffee that aren't labelled as espresso. They are ideal for people who like dark roast filter coffee, and can also be used as espresso. 

Espresso Roasts:

• Our espresso roasts will usually be a Medium/City (medium-dark). We usually won't go any darker than that, such as Italian or French roasts, as we  don't want to mute all those delicious, vibrant notes that a slightly lighter roast will provide. 
• The Seattle chain that shall not be named, has trained a lot of your pallets to like some really dark (burnt) coffee, because they can then buy cheap, poorly processed beans and make sure they all taste the same (burnt). We want you to taste the different flavours  and characteristics of the various coffee varieties that exist. 
• This roast is better suited for peculators and espresso (especially for people who like a lower-acid, more chocolatey shot).
• Some french press and drip drinkers who like a very low acid and slightly more medium-dark/chocolatey coffee, may also enjoy this roast level over the 'filter' version.

The majority of our specialty coffees are not listed as organically grown or fair trade, but are sourced from farms that our trusted suppliers at Semilla Coffee work directly with. We have done our research, and provide consumers with extensive information, so they too can come to their own conclusion about our strict commitment to ethically sourced coffee.

Organic?

The growers we buy our green beans from, only use traditional methods of growing coffee, the same they've been using for generations. These traditional methods don't use or require pesticides. And while processing techniques (i.e. washing) have been modernized, they still don't require pesticides or chemicals. 

Fair Trade?

We approach our commitment to direct trade as an alternative to the limitations of the fair trade model. We generally pay higher premiums to farmers than those mandated by fair trade practices. These premiums also help attain better quality standards and help support a sustainable economic rationale for higher prices, so we don't revert back to the broken model of larger coffee companies paying rock-bottom prices for poorly processed coffee. 

We stand by the quality, safety, and ethical growing methods of the coffee we source.

We believe that ethics matter. That is why we are transparent about our hiring practices, coffee sourcing and our environmental impact.

All our deliveries have their carbon footprint offset through a certified program.  

Our bags are 'oxo-compostable. (including the CO2 gasket!). That means that the portion of the bag made with pulp will fully compost in 180 days in, and the remaining bag will break down over 12 years. We know it's not a perfect solution (and we are always fighting that balance between fully compostable bags and keeping our beans fresh and not exposed to pesky oxygen). Most coffee bags are made with 100% non-renewable components.

And we use an innovative Warm Cafe vermicomposter from our partners at The Box of Life, to ensure that all our coffee chaff (the skin on the coffee), our testing coffee grinds, and even the jute bags that the coffee comes in from our single origin farms and washing stations, are fully turned into compost. We are doing everything we can to inch (worm) closer to a zero waste business model!

We are proud to say that we pay our employees a living wage for their hard work. 

All part time employees of The Artery Community Roasters start by making $19.60 an hour, and we are committed to steadily increasing that wage and to hiring as many people to full-time, full-benefit employment as we can.  

While we pride ourselves on our great coffee, our priority is providing quality jobs for people living with disabilities, who are faced with many hurdles in finding meaningful and well-paid work.

We are a for-profit, social enterprise. A portion of all our profits go to our partners at ABLE2, a registered, not-for-profit organization that directly supports people living with  various disabilities. 

While we are a for-profit business, we reinvest a lot of those profits back into paying our employees a living wage, while also prioritizing paying high farmgate prices (what is paid directly to the farmer) for some of the most ethical, direct trade coffee available. 

We are  committed to displaying a transparent account of where our money is invested, so that consumers know that by supporting our business they are also supporting the community, both local and global. 

We post a year-end report that lists our starting and average wages and some other metrics like the percentage of full-time employees, total number of employees, and a detailed account of the prices we pay farmers for their amazing coffee. 

Just in case you're new to online shopping (Mom, is that you?), simply add as many items as you wish to your shopping cart while browsing our store.

Once you want to proceed with the order, go to the cart and click "checkout". Follow the instructions by selecting bag sizes, your delivery or pick-up option, and your payment method for your freshly roasted goodies!

You can also subscribe to some individual products or subscription boxes and receive them on a reoccurring cycle (2 weeks, monthly, etc.). It can be changed, paused or cancelled at any time. 

Spend $60 or more and shipping is on us! If not, ALL Canada wide shipping is only $10 and $7 for Ottawa-Gatineau local deliveries (within 30km from our Roastery). 

Our support team is always happy to guide you at any step! Give us a call (613-600-7523) or shoot us an email at will@thearterycommunityroasters.com if you need a hand or have any questions.

Subscribe to some individual products or our subscription boxes that are tailored to your taste, and save some coin while also not having to worry about having no coffee! The price you see is the price you pay, no extra shipping fees or taxes! 

You will be automatically charged to take the hassle out of ordering your beans! And can choose to receive your subscription every 15, 30, 60 or 90 days. 

You can change, pause or cancel your subscription at any time. 

Wondering what subscription frequency that works for you? Check out our suggestions below, but we won' t fault you for buying more than you need and sharing with your friends! Or freezing them to start your dystopian coffee stockpile!

The occasional cup - Order every 4 weeks

1-2 cups a day - Order every 3 weeks

3-4 cups a day - Order every 2 weeks

5 or more cups a day (we like your style) - Order every week

We also offer 5lb bag subscriptions at great bunled savings if you're a big drinker, or supply a big group with the good stuff! 

Yes! Please visit this interactive map for a list of the closest retailer or coffee shop that serves Artery coffee and/or sells Artery coffee bags. 

The map will also generally list what that store sells and if they serve Artery filter coffee and/or espresso. 

Thanks for the support and if you aren't seeing Artery coffee in your neck of the woods, let your local shops know!

Canada Wide Shipping

We currently deliver our freshly roasted coffee throughout Canada via Canada post, or with local couriers for Ottawa-Gatineau deliveries (within 30km from the roastery). 

We also offer free pick up at our nearby partners at Almanac Urban Mill and Bakery (5510 Canotek, Unit 9). 

All Canada-wide shipping and local deliveries are FREE on orders of $60 or more (before tax).

Purchases of 59.99 or less are subject to a flat shipping fee of $9.99. 

Local Ottawa-Gatineau Delivery is a breezy $6.99  (or free over $60).  

We offer FREE pick-up of your order at Almanac Urban Mill and Bakery (5510 Canotek Road. Unit 9)

When checking out, feel free to select free pick up and we will emaiL you when it’s ready. 

You can pick up your coffee at Almanac Urban Mill and Bakery, from Wednesday to Sunday. 

Address: Almanac Urban Mill and Bakery - 5510 Canotek Rd., Unit #9, Ottawa, ON). In the same building as Dominion City Brewing and our new roastery location. When arriving, simply provide your name. 

Hours (subject to change, but Almanac always keeps their hours up to date on Google):

Wednesday-Friday: 9am - 5:30pmSaturday: 10am - 6 pmSunday: 10am - 5 pm

You can select your preferred payment method at checkout.

• We accept secure payments via Credit Cards, Debit Cards & PayPal.
• We also accept offline payments methods for our wholesale customers. 

Your 100% satisfaction is important to us.

If a product gets damaged or didn't meet your standards upon delivery - get in touch and we'll make it right.

Please email: will@thearterycommunityroasters.com, if you have any problems with your order. Or call us at 613-600-7523.