Meet the Makers

At Izere, we believe that cultivating coffee is key to rebuilding our country and to empowering local farmers. This is why we focus on delivering high-quality Burundian coffee and ensure it’s accessible in different markets — on a global level. As a mother-daughter company, we also believe that opportunity shouldn’t be a luxury for any woman. Our facilities and operations are led by a group of women who support their families through Izere. When you purchase our coffee, you become more than just a customer, you become part of a global community.

Ferme et forêt blurs the line between the cultivated and the wild as it partners with nature to reap the best tasting and highest nutritional foods possible.  The herbal tea production is a personal favorite for Geneviève, who harvests most of the wild growing herbs from their forest and fields. All of the herbs are dried whole, with no heat or light, to preserve the essential oils that give the herbal teas their unique aromas and flavours.

Kayoki Whiteduck is an Algonquin Anishinaabe from Kitigan Zibi. He has worked with gardens and plants since he was in high school. He has a certificate in horticulture (Camosun College, Victoria), has studied western herbalism (International Academy of Health Education, Ottawa), and has studied as a tea sommelier (Algonquin College, Ottawa). In 2016 he started his own business with his own brand of herbal tea called "Kayo-tea". Kayo-tea is organically grown and is produced with as little impact on the earth as possible. All teas are harvested and produced by hand. The gardens where these teas are produced are pollinator gardens and help improve the bio-diversitea!

The summer of 2009 is when Michael began making gourmet jams. With numerous praises from patrons together with his passion and dedication for culinary delights, Michael established Michael's Dolce in January 2010. Since then, business has expanded producing distinctive drink syrups and sauces including Sriracha! 

The Artery Community Roasters are proud to employ a diverse group of individuals who all self-identify as living with a disability. Their mission is to employ people living with disabilities, pay them a living wage and maintain a culture of respect, diversity, inclusion, and learning. They help inspire other businesses to hire more people living with disabilities, roast ethically sourced speciality coffee with care, and limit and reduce their environmental impact.

City Seltzer make delicious, refreshing, and flavourful non-alcoholic sparkling water. Their seltzers are naturally calorie and sugar-free; perfect for anytime.

City Seltzer's belief in true sustainability means doing things in a way that can go on forever. Accordingly, their facility is powered entirely with zero carbon renewable electricity through Bullfrog Power. They donate 1% of all revenues to Ottawa Riverkeeper in support of their mission to keep our watershed clean for all generations and all species.