Pass the (extremely delicious) coffee
I’ve always been a coffee drinker – I actually don’t remember a time where I didn’t drink it. By the time I got to university, my coffee habit was strong –but coffee “game” not so much. Coffee shops were just a stop on my way to 8:00 a.m. Calculus to make sure that I could stay awake. Coffee was the grease to get the wheels going in the morning – not an experience.
It seemed like it happened over night –maybe it was me coming out of a post-secondary haze, maybe it’s a newish trend but the coffee culture has taken over cities and towns including Newmarket.
TBH I was still a little skeptical of “this coffee is better than this one.” I mean I knew that there was BAD coffee out there. But I didn't know how AMAZING it could really be. And then Meagan Dier (owner of My Indie Coffee) handed me a cup of coffee that I literally cannot stop thinking about. It was that much better than any other cup of coffee I’d ever had. Meagan is raising the bar for specialty coffee makers (and drinkers) – one harvest at a time.
Meagan Dier of Indie Coffee. Photo taken from the best Insta-post ever: "My idea of a balanced diet is a coffee in each hand" Preach girl.
“Coffee is a conversation starter; it’s a relationship builder. It’s an authentic experience many share and one I have grown to deeply appreciate.
--Meagan Dier.
“Connecting with my community is one of my favorite parts about being an independent roaster. My growth and passion stems from these connections and experiences that inspire me to continue to learn the craft of coffee roasting.”
Today, the coffee culture is booming – especially in downtown Toronto and other urban centres, so why set up in Newmarket?
“I was raised in Newmarket and my parents started in the coffee business as local café owners,” says Meagan. “The Newmarket Chamber of Commerce is extremely supportive of local business owners, so setting up the business here was an easy decision.”
My Indie Coffee Roasters provides businesses and local café owners with organic coffee that Meagan roasts in small batches at her headquarters located at 17817 Leslie Street, Unit 7. Meagan, a second generation coffee roaster, believes that good quality coffee starts at the raw source. She sources organic beans, produced on farms in Bolivia, Peru, Ethiopia, Guatemala and Malawi - that prioritize fair working conditions and wages. The Malawi blend, Meagan’s personal favourite, is from a farm that employees 3,000 women. So when you drink this blend, you are not only helping build the country’s export business, but also supporting these women from different regions across Malawi.
While you can drop in at the Roastery for one of Meagan’s tasty lattes with thick frothy foam reminiscent of ice-cream, or pick up some beans for your own personal use (stay tuned for an online buying option), My Indie Coffee Roasters is more focused on positioning itself as a wholesale provider – myindiecoffee.com. They supply many local and independent coffee shops with their premium beans. In fact, you want the full coffee house experience; you can enjoy one of Meagan’s organic blends at the Cardinal Press Espresso Bar (formally Covernotes) in the heart of downtown Newmarket. Located at 222 Main Street, this coffee lounge and art space has a true coffee house vibe.
Indie Coffee isn't the only player in the coffee game in Newmarket. Get your caffeine (or decaf) fix in the historic downtown where you can shop while you sip at the Neon Flamingo Café located inside of Haven Eclectic Modern Style or newly opened A Hui Hou or meet with friends at Korean inspired Cafe Hesed. For those non-coffee friends, grab a tea at North America's only location of The Fresh Tea Shop, located in the oldest building on Main Street.
*big thanks to our friend Laurette for doing much of the word smithing and coffee drinking for this post.
