The CEO of Axios Growth Consultants emphasizes the economic value of supporting local coffee shops and roasters. With extensive business experience in a variety of coffee roles such as owning his own coffee roasting company, owning and operating a coffee brewer manufacturer, managing a coffee program at a large multi-national firm, and consulting for many people in the industry, Legler is not only a Chamber member, but also its resident coffee specialist.

In a given week, he’ll visit five different coffee shops within the region, noting he likes each one for a different reason. The Disloyalty Card gives him yet another reason to keep sampling all the area has to offer this fall.

“Competition benefits this business because it creates awareness of what a quality cup of coffee looks like,” he adds. “The more options that become available, the more people are willing to drop in for a coffee when they need a break or to meet someone.”

HOW IT WORKS

Instead of solely buying coffee from your regular cafe, why not mix it up?

To get started, visit a participating business and ask for a card. Disloyalty Cards can be picked up at Seven Summits Coffee Company, Alpine Grind Coffeehouse, Caffè Gabriella, and the Gold Rush Bookstore in Rossland; in Warfield at Sister’s Takeout (Warfield Petro-Can); and in Trail at Caffe Americano, Trail Coffee Co., The Bridge View Cafe, and The Doorway.

“Promoting the Disloyalty Card for a second year is an opportunity for us to recognize our hard working entrepreneurs in the industry,” says Executive Director Erika Krest, who has been actively connecting with industry professionals in a lead up to the inaugural Kootenay Coffee Festival, planned for fall 2023.

Locally, there are two roasters: Trail Coffee Co. and Seven Summits Coffee Company. Thomas Barrie, owner of Seven Summits, has been roasting coffee for 13 years as a wholesale operation and opened the coffee bar and retail space in Rossland in 2018. He says roasting his own beans allows him to provide consistently excellent coffee.

“I have control over the whole process, from selection and sourcing of the raw beans to how the product is roasted, blended, and cupped,” he adds. “I’m passionate about freshly roasted, quality coffee and an elevated contemporary café experience and I wanted to share that with our community.”

Drinking coffee from a local roaster benefits the local economy in several ways, explains Legler, including keeping one layer of margin in the local economy. If you purchase from a larger company, that margin goes to the city where the larger company is based. With roasters, baristas, coffee delivery people and more all working together to distribute the product, coffee offers employment as well as enjoyment. Aside from the economic benefits, local shops give the community unique gathering places with a variety of blends and roasts to entice the palate.

The complex product involves a multitude of steps and processes that undoubtedly change the flavour, according to Legler.

“It all starts with the farmer and the quality of the bean,” he says. “As with any agricultural product, the farmer, weather, soil, and delivery all affect the taste.”

We’ll let you be the judge. Purchase a coffee from any participating shop and receive a proof-of-purchase stamp on your card. After nine stamps, customers are entitled to a free coffee at any participating business. The first 100 people to fill their card will also receive a Chamber espresso cup. Enjoy!