Our Team

What is Yoani’s story?

Yoani, was born in the Netherlands and immigrated to Canada as a baby, travelling back and forth in recent years between both countries. As a result, he suffers from a hyphenated Canadian identity.

When he was 19 he decided to teach English for a year in an industrial town in the southern China. Although cliché and not profound, he realized that he lived in a global economy where the impacts of our consumption back in good old Canada had implications for others far away.

Yoani holds an MSc in Environment Resource Management from the VU University of Amsterdam and an B.A. Hons in International Studies from York University’s Glendon College.

Why does he work at ECC?

Yoani and Adam came up with the idea for ECC shortly after graduating. Realizing that the world was full of troubles and the only job prospects were either working at a bank or continuing a career in food service, Yoani decided that his efforts were better suited for making the world a smaller and better place. As CSO Yoani is responsible for ensuring that standards and practices for labour and environmental conditions at the farms that ECC works with, guarantee a dignified existence for labourers and farmers and that coffee production minimizes its environmental impact.

What is Yoani’s vision for the World?

Yoani wants the world to be a place where all people can live with dignity. 

What is Adam’s story?

Adam was born in London, Ontario, but spent most of his formative years in the country of Bangladesh, where his parents worked with a missions organization. The poverty and resilience of the people there and the role models around him engrained Adam with a faith, social conscience and global perspective that still inform his sense of purpose.

Adam attended Heritage College in Cambridge, Ontario for biblical and religious studies, and then York University’s Glendon College, where he received a bilingual honours degree in political science and a certificate in law and social thought.

He now lives in Brantford with his wife and two children, where he runs a small creative shop, Unnormal, producing projects like this one.

Why does he work for ECC?

Because, as Richard Buckminster Fuller said, “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” Systems like Ethical Coffee Chain are exactly the sort of thing that will change lives across our world for the better.

Also, he's been working at it too long to stop now.

What is Ali’s story?

Ali has been a web developer for 5 years and graduated from Trent University with Bachelor of Computer Science. Originally from Morocco, Ali has been living in Canada since 2002.

Why does he work for ECC?

Ali got involved with ECC because he believes in the cause of helping farmers like Gus. When he heard about Gus’s story, he knew he wanted to be involved.

Early Investors

Alex Kuiper
Mandy Kuiper
Anneke Janssens
Juan Carlos Duarte
Blanca Duarte

Special thanks to...

Innerkip Presbyterian Church
Mark Janssens
Peter Cameron
Hazel Corcoran at OnCoop
Ryan Taylor at FTJCo.
Lois Fine
J.J. McMurtry
Darryl Reid
Chad Craig
Jessica Perkins
Francis Darwin
Itay Keshet
Autumn King
Hilde Anna de Vries
Thiago Trovo
Jack Ngan
Jason Mann at Dover Ave Coffee
Ian Hines
Aaron Mahnke at Wet Frog Design
Jena Weber
David McKendrick at Fused Network
Peter Castell
SiG@MaRS
Jennifer White
Cheryl May
Allyson Hewitt
George & Karen King
Harold & Beatrice Anderson
Steve & Valerie Cornish
Larry & Nancy Allen
Kaela Greenstein
Amanda Hardman
Erica Mawson
Trevor Moore
Anna Haley
Aaron Doupe

Jessica Duarte

Was central to our pilot phase launch, ran fulfillment operations, managed supply chain logistics, led initial incorporation process, crafted bylaws, served as board director.

Madison Matthews

Worked in core pilot phase team doing video production and marketing formulation, team strategy, and local sales.

David Wierzbicki

Created our logo, helped with print design and brand development, and was a founding member.

Ariel Filotti

Created backend systems for e-commerce, IT, and security.

Pat Dryburgh

Consulted on branding, materials and experience design.

Theepah Tharmalingam

Helped formulate web systems and financial modelling.

Lillian Chan

Formulated and animated the snazzy video you see on our front page!

John Poon

Scored our animated video.

Jonathan Grime

Took our coffee bag product photographs.

Alex Kalmar

Helped coordinate bag production and export logistics.

Tyler McIntyre

Aided with early stage web development.

Alex Duarte

Helped with sales and logistical modelling.

Luis Duarte

Consulted on cashflow formulation.