CAFÉ WILLIAM

Founded 1988 Headquarters Sherbrooke, Que. Founder Serge Picard

It was a brainstorming session in 2020 that sparked one of Café William’s most unique innovations. The coffee roaster and wholesaler was in pursuit of an even greener supply chain for its organic and ethically sourced coffee, and co-owner Serge Picard had an idea: They could import their beans from South America to the company’s roasting plant in Sherbrooke, Que., via sailboat instead of gas-powered cargo ships.

Partnering with the Costa Rica-based Sailcargo, Café William invested in the construction of a zero-emissions cargo ship, which took its maiden voyage in December from Santa Marta, Colombia, to Quebec with almost 75,000 kilograms of green coffee beans. The month-long journey made Café William the first commercial coffee roaster in the world to use a zero-emissions ship to transport beans.

“This initiative is not just about reducing emissions; it’s also aimed at inspiring an industry shift toward more sustainable logistics solutions,” says Rémi Tremblay, Café William’s president and CEO. “We are setting a new standard for environmental responsibility in the coffee sector.”

Next, Tremblay and Picard collaborated with German manufacturer Neuhaus Neotec to develop an electric industrial roaster. The first 100 per cent electric commercial roaster debuted in Café William’s new Sherbrooke plant, which opened in February and has an annual roasting capacity of up to nine million kilograms of coffee.

Café William’s efforts to grow sustainably are paying off. The company experienced a 53 per cent increase in sales revenue from 2022 to 2023, making it the fastest-growing of the top 10 coffee brands in Canada.