Café William: acting beyond the cup
Café William, a Canadian company dedicated to producing organic fair-trade coffee, was founded in 1988 as Café Vittoria, distributing coffee for food service operations in Quebec City. In 1995, the company relocated to Sherbrooke and underwent a name change—Café Vittoria became Café William. The shift coincided with the brand’s debut at Costco, a pivotal turning point that accelerated the company’s growth.
New directions
In 2018, under the leadership of the new President and CEO, Rémi Tremblay, Café William embraced a renewed mission: environmental responsibility. Determined to act in a rapidly evolving world, the company eagerly championed sustainable development initiatives. “Our focus is on producing exceptional organic and fair-trade coffee, making sustainability accessible to everyone.”
Driven by this vision, the company embarked on building a new LEED-certified plant spanning three locations and covering 120,000 square feet. The goal? To transition to 100% electric production, positioning Café William as the first large-scale electric roasting operation. The team travelled all the way to Germany to make it happen, bringing in a 25-tonne roaster by ship. In the short term, management hopes to establish an electric ground transportation link between the Port and Sherbrooke. But the company is also banking on those small steps that have a big impact, like reusing packaging from imported products. Jute sacks used to transport coffee by ship, for example, can be reused to make protective tarps for trees and shrubs in cold winter months. “We act directly on the production chain to save the planet one cup at a time.”
The Port of Montreal: a coffee gateway
Over the past three years, Café William’s imports via the Port of Montreal have surged. The coffee containers hail from as far afield as Indonesia, as well as Africa, South America and beyond. “We stand as the leading importer of fair-trade coffee in Quebec.” Last year, 14 million pounds of coffee made its way through the port.
Full green ahead
Café William has big plans for the year ahead. They’re rolling out new branding and launching their most sustainable coffee line to date. Collaborating with producers, they ensure the selection of beans that are ethically grown and harvested. Not to mention the achievement of their wildest dream yet: shipping coffee via sailboat, aboard the Vega cargo ship, further shrinking their carbon footprint. And with plans to roast all their coffee using electricity and incorporate more recycled plastic in their packaging, Café William is setting a new standard for 21st-century businesses—one that prioritizes our planet’s future. Ready for that cup of coffee?
Hundreds of local businesses work with the Port of Montreal every day to connect the public with their favourite products and services. But who is behind this colossal task? Meet some of our partners here.Founded in 1988
1200 distribution points
14 million pounds
200 employees
100 M$ in sales
120,000 square feet
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