Toasti Bean

Basic Information

Business Name: Toasti Bean
Website: www.toastibean.com
Established: 2020

Questions answered by: Hayley Johnston

Social Media

About Them

Can you please fully explain your business or product line?

We make specialty infused ground coffee using coffee direct trade sourced from all-female coffee producers. We are proud to support women in agriculture in traditionally gender-imbalanced communities and are committed to building a network that empowers women everywhere.

The coffee beans we bring in are skillfully roasted in the heart of River Heights by Railway Roasters, which we then grind and give our Toasti touch with unique flavour combinations. We’ve worked tirelessly to perfect our line up of infused (pre-ground) coffee flavours. Some of our favourite flavours include Irish Cream Truffle and Blueberry Pancakes, but our most popular flavour is Caramel Sticky Bun.

With the Winnipeg local maker community continuing to grow, what is the most important thing you’d like potential customers of your company to know?

We are committed to making a difference across the supply chains of our products, continuously searching for ways to source from Canadian, female business owners wherever we can. This means that our customers can indulge in delicious coffee concoctions while also supporting a great initiative.

What inspired you to start your business?

As a trio of working women, our daily routines consisted of morning and often midday pick-me-ups to get through the working day. Some days consisted of multiple walks through the downtown concourse to catch up and refuel.

Come March 2020, the world had other plans and our daily caramel macchiato dates turned into a date with the rusty French press. Working from home became the norm and we slowly became the baristas we never knew we wanted to be.

Discovering more about what exactly was in that decadent daily double double with a pump (or four) of French vanilla and other sugary syrups was an eye-opener! This inspired us to experiment with infusing freshly roasted coffee beans with fun and delicious flavours, minus all of the extra fixings. We set out to create the perfect infused coffee featuring unique flavours that can be enjoyed in multiple ways, whether it’s a simple cup of black coffee or a frothy latte – Toasti Bean was born.

What was the biggest struggle you’ve had to overcome?

Launching an online business during a pandemic and trying to get our product into the hands of customers without them having the ability to try it first.

What has been your biggest success as a maker?

The positive feedback on our coffee has been extremely heartwarming. What is even more heartwarming is the feedback we get from people who recognize the impact we are trying to make in empowering other women locally and globally.

Do you have any advice that you would pass on to someone hoping to start up their own business or product line?

Don’t be afraid to cold call or message other people in the business community for advice; you never know what opportunities or collaborations may come of it!

Please share any upcoming events (virtual for the time being, of course) as well as the best place(s) for people to purchase your product!

Look out for us at local summer markets, popups and of course, online!