OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA – When you think of coffee roasters, community probably is not one of the first words that come to mind. But at The Artery Community Roasters, community is more important than anything. The Artery is a local coffee roaster in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada that works with a local organization to employ people with disabilities and give them a part time job roasting coffee.
“I have been a garage roaster for years and an advocate for people living with disabilities,” said William Wells, owner and founder of The Artery Community Roasters. “I fused the two passions and teamed up with some not for profits who got us a space. We also were linked up with highly ethical farming practices and work very closely with some incredible farms with incredible stories and missions behind them.”
William Wells and his wife volunteer at an organization called ABLE 2. This organization pairs volunteers with someone with a disability to be their friend and provide support. Wells says he really wanted to find a way to offer meaningful employment to people with disabilities.
“We pay $16 an hour and empower my staff to be the face of the business,” Wells said. “I do this all as a second ‘job’ and by day I write speeches for government officials.”
The Artery is currently roasting on a Coffee Crafters Artisan XL, a roaster that can roast up to 10 lbs. of green beans at a time. Wells’ personal favorite product is his nod to Larry David, the Curb Your Caffeinism blend. It is a half-caf blend made of half decaf grown by Indigenous Xinca farmers in Guatemala, and the other half is a mix of Red and Yellow Caturra. This special blend is a great example of The Artery’s commitment to quality and ethical sourcing of green coffee beans from ethical family farms.
“I love roasting so much,” Wells said. “While we have only been open for a month, the best part has been getting to already provided three part time jobs to people with disabilities, while also roasting coffees that are truly special. There is no better job in the world!”
The Artery Community Roasters has goals to continue providing great coffee from ethical farms for years to come. In addition to the roasts, they currently offer online, The Artery will be rolling out new products throughout the year with the first one, Tempo Blend, coming in January 2021.
“We have both exceptional coffee and we are also a roastery with a mission,” Wells said. “A purpose to advocate for, and employ, people living with disabilities, who are underrepresented in the workforce. In Canada, when someone with a disability is able to find employment, they are paid on average 30 percent less than someone without a disability. We are trying to play a small part in helping to change that.”
Check them out at TheArteryCommunityRoasters.com and see for yourself how much heart coffee can really have.
Website: www.thearterycommunityroasters.com
Instagram: @thearterycommunityroasters
Facebook: @TheArteryCommunityRoasters
