Brûlerie Virgin Hill Coffee Roasters

Patricia Lavoie

It was an inauspicious beginning: Matthew Greer and his father Bob established their coffee roasting business in a modest garage on Virgin Hill Road (North Hatley). But three years into the life of Virgin Hill Coffee Roasters, by then based in Waterloo, a devastating fire completely torched their shop.

Matthew and Tara Moar, now full owners, courageously started over. They discovered a wood burning roaster in the Swiss Alps, shipped it to Canada and converted it to a natural gas-fired roaster. The 30kg machine allowed for Virgin Hill’s artisanal process, roasting each small batch by hand.

Returning to Knowlton was in the cards. Tara and Matthew met in Grade One at École St-Édouard and were very close their entire young lives. After losing touch for ten years they reconnected, teaming up professionally and personally. The company that began with three employees now boasts 30 full and part-time staffers almost 19 years later.

Their mission has remained unchanged: “Virgin Hill Coffee Roasters is a family-owned and operated company that loves good coffee. We believe in spreading that love by offering excellently sourced coffee roasted in small batches by hand at a fair price.” Raw green beans are imported from Nicaragua, Columbia, Ethiopia, Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Sumatra (among others). There are espresso blends, organic, and regular offerings from Knowlton Blend to Peru Chanchamayo. Notably the micro-lot blends support farms with a social and/or environmental implication: beans for the Las Rosas coffee for example are farmed by a women’s collective in Columbia.

The COVID pandemic was a blow to many businesses but it was the inspiration for the drive through operation at the café. A temporary tent was erected outside as coffee lovers lined up in their cars, three lanes deep, to place their orders. Why not make it permanent? Done. 

Five years ago the café was opened “to sell a few beans”. Sandwiches, soups and sweets are now on hand to accompany your java enjoyed in a warm and unpretentious environment. Engagement with local grass roots causes is key. Who hasn’t seen the renovated 1969 Airstream mobile café? Profits from its participation at the Brome Fair are donated to the Christian Vachon Foundation that ensures a level playing field for all school children: school supplies, clothing, meals and activities. Virgin Hill donations range from financial participation to supplying both coffee and brewing machines to organizations such as the BMP oncology department, Maison Au Diapason, and teachers in Knowlton schools. Profits from the Gamache Blend contribute to the Yamaska Literacy Council as per the request of Louise Penny.

The commercial aspect of Virgin Hill Roasters, the supplying of hotels, restaurants and cafés is a central part of the business as well. Their coffees are distributed across Canada with a future eye to the US market. Are franchise operations in the offing? Stand by.