TORONTO, Canada – Peter Pesce, expert coffee roaster and founder of Reunion Coffee Roasters (Reunion), has been awarded the Coffee Industry Lifetime Achievement Award by the Coffee Association of Canada (CAC). This award is the CAC’s highest recognition for an individual whose extraordinary and ground-breaking contributions have created positive change and have had a significant, profound and lasting impact on the coffee community.
Peter Pesce has been a driving force in the North America Coffee business for over 50 years and is a visionary in delivering specialty coffee, sustainably. “I am honoured to receive the Coffee Association of Canada’s Lifetime Achievement Award,” says Peter Pesce. “It is truly a reflection of the hard work, dedication and passion that was made possible by many partners, friends, and individuals along the supply chain. I am fortunate to have people who believed in, and supported, my vision to produce a high-quality coffee at an affordable price, without sacrificing on sustainability, ” he adds.
Starting Out
Peter Pesce, smitten with the coffee roasting process when he first discovered it, recalls, “I was fascinated that funny-looking green beans turned into a beautiful beverage, and knew immediately that I wanted to be a coffee roaster.”
He entered the coffee industry with the launch of Bourbon Coffee, a specialty coffee roaster that operated in a small warehouse in Downsview, ON. Bourbon was part of coffee’s second wave that swept through North America in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Second wave coffee was a movement marked by the introduction and popularisation of specialty coffee and espresso-based drinks, and characterised by the rapid growth of chain coffee shops.
An early adopter of specialty roasting, Peter earned a reputation as an expert cupper, a method of tasting coffee practised by professionals to evaluate the attributes of a coffee and its quality. By 1986, Bourbon Coffee had grown to over 21,000 square feet and was the largest distributor of specialty coffee in Canada. Peter became trusted in the industry for producing high-quality coffee, and soon garnered attention from large corporations. He received multiple offers to purchase his company and ultimately sold the business in 1988 to a large Canadian Corporation, at 41 years old.
Peter led the coffee team at this corporation and worked with iconic Canadian coffee brands for almost a decade before moving onto his next venture.
The Birth of Reunion Coffee Roasters
With a desire to continue pushing the industry forward, Peter started Reunion Island Coffee (now Reunion Coffee Roasters) in 1995. The company was named for a small island known for growing exceptional coffee beans. This specialty coffee roaster began in the B2B space, supporting businesses across the G.T.A. The modest roastery was housed in a 3,000-square-foot facility in Mississauga, ON. Today, Reunion Coffee Roasters is one of North America’s largest, and most sustainable, roasters of specialty coffee. Their 46,000-square-foot roasting facility, one of Canada’s largest renewable energy-powered roasting facilities, is based in Oakville, Ontario. The company supports the foodservice, hospitality, office coffee and retail sectors providing specialty coffee under the Reunion name as well as for major Canadian brands.
Advancing Sustainability in the Coffee Industry
In 1995, Reunion deepend its focus on sustainability with the purchase of its first FairTrade and Organic Coffees, becoming the first major roaster to utilise renewable energy through a partnership with Bullfrog Power. Peter’s son Adam Pesce, joined the business in 2006 and worked alongside his father leading sustainability initiatives and pushing the industry to adopt more ethical, impact-driven practices.
Reunion was one of the first Canadian Certified B-Corporations, a designation they’ve held annually since 2013, signifying the company’s commitment to meeting rigorous standards for social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. Reunion Coffee proudly holds Rainforest Alliance, USDA Organic, FairTrade Canada and Direct Trade certifications on many of its products. With a focus on impact, the brand supports numerous organisations including Grounds for Health, a partnership that has generated over $41,000 to raise awareness and find solutions to treat cervical cancer for women in Ethiopia and Kenya, and Native, A Public Benefit Corporation, a fellow B Corporation that has provided over 4.4 million litres of clean drinking water to coffee growers in Honduras.
Always an advocate for building and supporting the coffee community, Peter served three terms as chairman of the Coffee Association of Canada. Today, Adam Pesce is the President of Reunion Coffee Roasters and continues to advocate for sustainability and transparency in the industry. “I am so proud of this incredible business that my father has built and it’s wonderful to see him receive this much-deserved recognition from the Coffee Association of Canada,” says Adam. “I carry forward his passion in making great tasting, sustainable coffee more accessible. Like my father, I see the potential in coffee to act as a force of good and look forward to continuing the work he started,” he adds.
With an emphasis on reducing their carbon footprint and continuing to advance sustainability efforts, Reunion Coffee Roasters have maintained their B-Corp certification, and offer premium, specialty coffee that is sustainably sourced and ethically produced.
Visit www.reunioncoffeeroasters.com to learn more.
