To all our Friends and Customers

Why we made the difficult decision to move most of our core business operations off of Salt Spring Island.

It’s been a while since I’ve written to you about the many changes taking place at Salt Spring Coffee. Well, after months of searching we’ve happily settled into our new home and consolidated our operations into one central site. As of December 13, 2010 all roasting, production, shipping and head office services will be housed under one roof - 3551 Viking Way in Richmond, British Columbia.

You’ve probably heard bits and pieces of information in the local news about our move off of Salt Spring and are maybe wondering why decided to leave the Island, a place we’ve called home for two decades.

Here’s a brief version as to why we made the move.

Robbyn and I first moved to Mansell Farm on Salt Spring Island in the early 1980s, but it wasn’t until 1996 that we opened the doors to our first roasting café on Salt Spring Island. Turns out there was a sizable demand for freshly roasted, organic coffee on the Island and after three days of crushing line-ups, we had to close for five days simply to regroup and catch our breath. Between the roasting and the mopping of floors, we rarely got more than a few hours of sleep in those days.

What Salt Spring Coffee brought to the Island in those early days was great coffee, roasted responsibly and it offered jobs where no jobs existed. For 15 great years, we were able to operate a small business on Salt Spring Island with the hard work and dedication of our staff.

But word started to spread about Salt Spring Coffee. So, with demand for our product on the rise we started to think about and plan for expansion. Our intent was always to grow the business based upon our founding model: to serve great coffee that doesn’t compromise the earth.

Our first choice was to stay put on Salt Spring Island and we had the support of the Island Trust to do so. After much looking we found a suitable property, applied for rezoning and spent more than $200,000 in land cost, consulting and application fees, permits and environmental studies for the acreage.

The Island Trustees didn't discourage us from proceeding, but they did make it clear that signing a deal was far from a sure thing. Finally, after close to two years of work our rezoning application was unanimously turned down. Two years and $200,000 were gone - an eternity and small fortune to a business the size of Salt Spring Coffee.

Robbyn, my brother Ross, my trusted executive team and I talked, argued back and forth and spent many long sleepless nights considering our options. In the end, we decided to move most of our core business operations to the mainland. Our Ganges Café, Tasting Lab and history remain on Salt Spring Island.

As difficult as this might seem to some, the move to Richmond, BC is about becoming a better employer all while continuing our mission to become North America’s most respected and most socially and environmentally responsible coffee roaster. I encourage you to learn about our mission and our work – all of the details are posted on our website.

Lost in all of this is the ‘coffee’ in Salt Spring Coffee: certified organic and certified direct fair trade. Again, I encourage you to learn more about our direct trade program - Fair to Farmer Direct - and the tremendous benefits it brings to our partner farmers in origin.

It’s my hope to see you in one of our three Salt Spring Coffee Cafés soon but if you can’t make it in take advantage of our new coffee subscription service. Freshly roasted coffee, delivered directly to your front door.

Thank you again for your time and for your loyal support. A bright future lies ahead.

From all of us at Salt Spring Coffee, we wish you the best of the season.

Mickey McLeod

Co-founder, President and CEO of Salt Spring Coffee