Sourced from Spirit Bear Coffee Company
Spirit Bear Coffee Company is an inspiring example of a business that cares not only about the quality of their products, but also about their impact on the environment. As the first national Indigenous-owned coffee brand, Spirit Bear has grown considerably since it was founded in 2006. Now sold in over 600 locations nation-wide, as well as internationally, this local business continues to stay true to its origins.
Co-president Paul Biglin explains what makes Spirit Bear Coffee Company special. “I think we look at things a little bit differently. We go back to our Indigenous roots where we follow the Seven Teachings as a part of our business culture,” he says. These Seven Teachings, each connected to an animal, bird, or mythical creature, ground Spirit Bear in guiding ethical principles: wisdom (beaver), courage (bear), love (eagle), respect (buffalo), humility (wolf), honesty (Sasquatch), and truth (turtle). “We’ve tried to apply every single one of those to our business practices,” he says.
Spirit Bear’s business ethics led to a decision to sell only Fair Trade Certified and Certified Organic coffee. “Coffee has always had a ‘nefarious’ background. Most people don’t understand coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world,” he says. To combat negative practices that still exist in the coffee world, Spirit Bear is committed to certified sourcing because they want their customers to feel confident they’re purchasing something based in fairness and sustainability.
Sourced from Spirit Bear Coffee Company
The result is incredibly high-quality coffee. For example, their Orca dark roast coffee is rich and nutty in flavour, yet gentle on the palate. The company names each of their coffees after an animal or bird, such as an Eagle for their medium roast coffee and a dolphin for their decaffeinated option.
The connection between their coffees and nature goes well beyond names. Spirit Bear not only contributes to local communities through donations and fundraising, but they also support a variety of eco-initiatives and not-for-profit organizations. Biglin is particularly proud of their work with Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter, which rehabilitates and releases orphaned wildlife. Spirit Bear purchases bear cub boxes, which are controlled via a helicopter in order to allow for safer release into the wild.
Peter and Angelika Langen of the Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter with Paul Biglin (in the middle); all posing with “Clover” who wintered with the shelter in rehab before being released; Photo sourced from Spirit Bear Coffee Company
The company also funds drones called SnotBots in partnership with Ocean Alliance. These drones help with ongoing scientific research and data collection on whales and other ocean life, which are being threatened by a variety of human-caused impacts. Biglin was blown away by recent and ground-breaking footage of bottlenose whales feeding. With the simple purchase of a bag of coffee, customers can further important work related to conservation and education.
Alaska snotbot; Photo: Christian Miller
“We’re putting our money back into the community that is actively doing something constructive and doing something restorative for Mother Earth. We couldn’t do what we do without our customers who believe in what we believe,” Biglin says. Other enterprises they champion include the Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Kamloops Wildlife Sanctuary, First Nations Snowboard Team, and Bear Clan Patrol. Biglin likes to use the word “reconcili-action” to highlight the proactive next steps after necessary recognition and understanding.
Jordan Hocking, founder of Sriracha Revolver Hot Sauce, thinks about her children as she models what it means to be a successful business owner. “I am Indigenous. It’s a big part of my life, particularly since I have kids. I want them to know about where they come from, who they are, and who their family is—and to see that in as much of a positive light as they can. They will grow up seeing their Mom be an entrepreneur,” she says.
Photo: Wendy D
Hocking takes her responsibilities as a business leader seriously. She says she has so much reverence for ingredients as well as for other cultures. This respect is evidenced in the small-batch srirachas that she offers. She started making the hot sauces when she was pregnant and seeking a way to express herself. “I never had a medium for my creativity. Turns out it’s spicy peppers,” she says.
Drawing upon her travels in Thailand, Hocking set about putting her own unique spin on sriracha. “A lot of srirachas are fermented, and even though I have huge amount of love for all things fermented, my product is more about capturing the fresh flavour of the ingredients,” Hocking says.
She gathers together fresh ingredients and makes and bottles the hot sauces within a matter of hours. Her flavours include a Clean Mango Sriracha that bursts with umami and has a slightly sweet and sour flavour, in addition to a Beets and Tequila version, which features caramel notes. “When you taste it, that cilantro should be popping out of the bottle. The mango flavour should be present. All of that should be tasting fresh,” says Hocking.
Photo: Ben Didier, Pretty Ugly Design
Because Hocking has many people in her life who love hot sauce, she created products they would enjoy. Interestingly, she isn’t a die-hard hot sauce fan herself, which gave her a unique perspective on the condiment. “I wanted it to taste good to me and also have the element of spiciness. I don’t think anybody needs hot sauce. I think it’s more that life is better with hot sauce,” she says.
Quality of life is really important for Hocking. Part of the reason she decided to open a small food business was because she wanted work that could be balanced with her home life. Even though she’s very busy, she makes the time to be the secretary for the school PAC (Parent Advisory Council). She also wanted the company to become a part of their family, so they all have a sense of ownership in it. “My kids know all my retailers since they’ve come with me for deliveries. They’ve sat with me at farmers markets. They come with me to buy vegetables. Everyone at the commissary knows who they are and knows all about them,” she says.
Hocking is grateful to Vancouver’s vibrant local community for helping her get off the ground. “Once I started having an interest in having a food business, there were so many people around me who were doing the same thing. It was really easy to ask for help from the supportive community,” she says. Natalie Ferrari-Morton, founder of East Van Jam, was a great resource for tips on how to juggle being a business owner, wife, and mom.
Photo: Wendy D
Ultimately, Hocking sees Sriracha Revolver Hot Sauce, in its bringing together of ingredients and various food cultures, as emblematic of Vancouver itself. “I was born here. I love the food community, the restaurants, the mixing together of all different food styles,” she says. Like Spirit Bear Coffee Company, Hocking believes in the power of food to connect people and celebrate commonality. It’s that passion that makes their products taste that much better.
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