Brewing Business: Founder Stories from Calgary’s Coffee Scene

This panel will explore their founding stories, lessons learned in building a brand from the ground up, and how they’re thinking about scale from second locations to supply chains, digital tools, and community loyalty.

This special edition of Founders Lunch, in collaboration with the Alumni Built Business (ABB) program, puts the spotlight on coffee businesses owned by incredible UCalgary alumni.

Panelists:

• Jamie Parker, President, Canadian Heritage Roasting Company
• Chris Meginbir, President, Devil's Head Coffee
• Phil Robertson, Co-Founder, Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters
• Ines Bartilotti, Senior Director, New Ventures, Innovate Calgary - moderator

Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters

The standard for coffee is too low. We're here to raise it. For nearly two decades, that belief has driven us across continents, into deep partnerships with producers, and through every decision we make. From building our own custom production roaster to challenging industry norms, we’re committed to showing that coffee can be more. Rooted in Calgary, Canada, our intentional approach to sourcing and roasting empowers producers, elevates expectations, and transforms the daily ritual into something remarkable.

Devil's Head Coffee

Devil’s Head Coffee was born from our passion for the outdoors. As avid adventurers, we often found ourselves awake early, tackling trails with terrible coffee in hand. Determined to change that, we started roasting in a small popcorn popper, quickly upgrading to an electric drum roaster as our needs grew. Soon, we were roasting 50 lbs a month in our Bowness laundry room, often drawing curious neighbors who ended up buying our coffee!

Canadian Heritage Roasting Company

Calgary Heritage Roasting Company is built by the wilderness that drives it. We meticulously marry fresh and bold coffee with the urge to explore. The company found its inspiration over a percolated cup of coffee on a backpacking trip one morning in the rolling hills of Alberta, Canada. Our methods and values were forged from our experiences as wildland firefighters. Since then, the company's foundation continues to grow and evolve during backyard BBQs, weekend mountain adventures, cold ones with friends and late nights under star-filled skies.

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This event is part of the monthly Founders Lunch Series, which aims to empower and support entrepreneurs. Organized by Innovate Calgary and supported by Alberta Innovates, ElevateIP Alberta, and the TD Ready Commitment Program, this dynamic platform connects entrepreneurs, fosters knowledge sharing, and inspires collaboration. Be a part of this transformative experience to expand your network, learn from industry leaders, and confidently navigate your entrepreneurial journey.

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Lunch will be provided.

Parking is $1.50 /every 30m or $10/day, and the building is accessible by transit. The Brentwood Train station is about a 10-minute walk away.

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