Coffee Association of Canada

What Coffee Association of Canada does

The Coffee Association of Canada (CAC) is a registered not-for-profit trade organization, founded in 1999 and domiciled in Ontario, Canada, that serves as the recognized industry voice for the Canadian coffee sector. It represents the majority of the country's coffee industry across seven vertical categories: roasters, retailers, green coffee importers/brokers, allied trade suppliers, grocery/convenience/gas retailers, office coffee/beverage service providers, and growers/producers/exporters. The association's stated mandate covers four pillars: advocacy, proprietary research, education, and networking.

CAC does not develop proprietary technology products. Its service portfolio consists of (1) events — a flagship Annual Conference in Markham, Ontario that has sold out three consecutive years (2022–2024) with 250 attendees and 87% satisfaction, and a newer regional West Coast Coffee Connect in British Columbia; (2) proprietary research — most notably the annual Canadian Coffee Drinking Study, available in full only to member Patrons; (3) educational programming — a monthly "What's Brewing" webinar series and Coffee 101 resources; and (4) member services — an online member portal, a Career Opportunities Board, cost-savings programs, and an annual awards program across categories including Lifetime Achievement, Innovation, Sustainability, Small Chain-Big Impact, and Volunteer of the Year. Marketing and distribution are executed through the CAC website, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter/X, email newsletters, and in-person events.

The business model combines recurring membership dues (structured by business category and size tier), one-time conference ticket sales and exhibitor booth fees, and event sponsorships across multiple tiers (Signature, Platinum, Major, Speaker). The association has secured deep enterprise sponsor relationships — including Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee (Signature Sponsor), Nestlé Canada, Tim Hortons, BUNN, Club Coffee, Circana, and Keurig Dr Pepper Canada (Platinum/Major) — alongside charity partnerships with Project Waterfall (2025) and Grounds for Health (2024). No audited revenue figures are disclosed, and the organization is funded entirely through member-generated revenue streams rather than equity investment.

Name

Coffee Association of Canada

Legal name

Coffee Association of Canada

Website

https://coffeeassoc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Coffee Association of Canada is a not-for-profit trade organization, founded in 1999, representing Canada's coffee industry across roasters, retailers, importers, and allied suppliers through advocacy, proprietary research, annual events, and member services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Trading/Wholesale (AFAIAKAD), Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Beverage Wholesale (AFAIAGAD), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Coffee trade association
• Industry advocacy services
• Market research subscriptions
• Industry networking events
• Membership association

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from coffee industry businesses including roasters, retailers, importers, and allied trade suppliers. Membership provides access to proprietary research, advocacy representation, networking events, and cost-savings programs. Fees vary by business category and size tier (North American, National, Regional, Micro for roasters; unit count for retailers; etc.).
2. Conference Revenue: Annual conference ticket sales (member and non-member pricing), exhibitor booth fees, and sponsorship packages. The 2026 conference offers member tickets at $525, non-member at $650, with group discounts available. Conference marketplace exhibitor spots available at $3,000.
3. Webinar Programming: Monthly webinar series providing industry insights, free to members and non-members. Members get exclusive access to archived recordings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Coffee Association of Canada is a registered not-for-profit trade organization that provides industry leadership to the Canadian coffee sector across four pillars: advocacy, proprietary research, education, and networking. It sells annual memberships (tiered by business category and size), produces the flagship Annual Conference, runs regional events such as West Coast Coffee Connect, delivers the monthly What's Brewing webinar series, and commissions the proprietary Canadian Coffee Drinking Study. Members include coffee roasters, retailers, foodservice operators, green coffee importers, and allied equipment, packaging, and logistics suppliers.

Product overview

The Coffee Association of Canada (CAC) is a not-for-profit trade association, not a technology product company. Its offerings consist of industry events (Annual Conference, West Coast Coffee Connect), educational programs (What's Brewing Webinars, Coffee 101 resources), proprietary research (Canadian Coffee Drinking Study), and member services (portal, awards, career board). These programs collectively support advocacy, research, education, and networking for Canada's coffee industry, serving roasters, retailers, importers, and allied suppliers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Conference Canada's premier one-day coffee industry event featuring market insights, keynote speakers, industry panels, networking, and a marketplace exhibition. Held at Angus Glen, Markham, Ontario. Sold out for 3 consecutive years (2022–2024), with 87% of 2024 attendees rating it Excellent/Very Good and 87% willing to recommend. Member tickets $525; non-member tickets $650; group discount of 10% off for 10+ tickets.

Quantifiable outcome

• 87% of 2024 Conference attendees rated the event Excellent/Very Good; 87% would recommend to a colleague
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Swiss Water Decaffeinated CoffeecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2026Swiss Water hosts the 2nd Annual West Coast Coffee Connect event at their facility in Delta, BC. CEO Frank Dennis and Director Dave Wong participate as speakers. The venue provides an educational tour component for attendees.
• CircanacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2025Circana (formerly NPD Group/IRI) serves as Platinum Sponsor and provides industry analyst expertise at CAC events. Vince Sgabellone, Foodservice Industry Analyst at Circana, presents at conferences on foodservice trends.
• Nestlé CanadacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2025Nestlé Canada serves as Platinum Sponsor of the CAC Annual Conference, contributing to industry event funding and visibility.
• Tim HortonscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2025Tim Hortons serves as Platinum Sponsor of the CAC Annual Conference. Christopher Lebreton, Senior Manager of Coffee Trading and Operations, participates as a conference speaker.
• BUNNcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2025BUNN, a coffee equipment manufacturer, serves as Platinum Sponsor of the CAC Annual Conference.
• Club CoffeecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2025Club Coffee serves as Platinum Sponsor of the CAC Annual Conference.
• Keurig Dr Pepper CanadacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2025Keurig Dr Pepper Canada serves as Major Sponsor of the 2025 CAC Annual Conference. Senior Director Cynthia Shanks won CAC Volunteer of the Year 2024.
• DanoneminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2025Danone serves as Speaker Sponsor of the CAC Annual Conference.
• MoninminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2025Monin serves as Speaker Sponsor of the CAC Annual Conference.
• The J.M. Smucker Co.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2025The J.M. Smucker Co. serves as Speaker Sponsor of the CAC Annual Conference.
• Dairy Farmers of CanadaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2025Dairy Farmers of Canada serves as Signature Sponsor of the 2025 CAC Annual Conference. CMO Pamela Nalewajek participated as a speaker.
• Fairtrade CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2025Fairtrade Canada won the inaugural CAC Sustainability Award in 2024. CEO Julie Francoeur participates as a speaker at CAC events on ethical sourcing and fair trade practices.
• Mother Parkers Tea & CoffeeflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 November 2024Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee serves as Signature Sponsor of the CAC Annual Conference. Established in 1912, they are one of Canada's largest tea and coffee companies. They also sponsored the Charity of the Year Award in both 2024 and 2025.
• Project WaterfallcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2024Project Waterfall was named CAC's 2025 Charity of the Year. The charity focuses on providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene education in coffee-growing communities. CAC raised awareness and funds through their conference and events.
• Grounds for HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2024Grounds for Health was named CAC's 2024 Charity of the Year. The organization has screened and treated over 215,000 women for cervical cancer prevention in coffee-growing communities in Latin America and Africa over 27+ years.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Restaurants Canada: Canadian foodservice industry trade association. Adjacent industry organization that participates in CAC events (Restaurants Canada is a featured speaker at West Coast Coffee Connect) and overlaps in foodservice coffee member base; not a direct coffee-industry peer but a closely allied industry body.
• Tea & Coffee Trade Journal: Long-running B2B trade publication covering the global coffee and tea industries. Not a membership trade association but a comparable industry-information and content channel that overlaps with CAC's research, news, and education mission.

Direct peers

• Coffee Quality Institute: Non-profit focused on coffee quality standards, training, and certification across the value chain. Comparable non-profit trade body structure and educational/training mission to CAC's Coffee 101 and awards programming.
• European Coffee Federation: European umbrella trade association representing the coffee value chain (roasters, traders, equipment makers). Directly comparable in function (advocacy, research, networking) and member structure to CAC, but with a pan-European remit.
• Specialty Coffee Association: Global trade body for the specialty coffee industry with membership, certification programs (e.g., Q Grader), an annual specialty coffee event (expo), and proprietary research/standards. Comparable membership model but with global geographic scope and a specialty-coffee focus; competes for member mindshare among premium Canadian roasters.
• UK Coffee Association: National UK coffee trade association providing advocacy, research, and networking to British coffee industry members. Closely comparable single-country trade body, with similar member categories (roasters, importers, allied trades).
• National Coffee Association of U.S.A. U.S. national trade association for the coffee industry, the closest structural parallel to CAC: membership-based, runs an annual convention, commissions proprietary consumption research, and advocates for the U.S. coffee sector. Directly comparable business model, member types, and event-driven GTM.

Broad incumbents

• International Coffee Organization: Intergovernmental body bringing together coffee-exporting and importing countries; produces the flagship International Coffee Agreement statistics and global consumption data. Not a commercial membership org like CAC, but a comparable coffee-industry data/advocacy player at a global scale.

Regional players

• Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council (CECAFÉ): Brazilian coffee exporters' association representing green coffee producers/exporters — one of the segments CAC explicitly engages through its "Growers/Producers/Exporters" member category and West Coast Coffee Connect programming. Thematically adjacent trade body focused on the supply side of the same value chain.

Emerging players

• World Coffee Research: Non-profit collaborative R&D organization for the coffee sector focused on agricultural innovation and variety research. Comparable non-profit structure and industry-research mission to CAC's proprietary research function, but with a global, R&D-only mandate.

Market position

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CoffeeAssociat1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coffee-association-of-canada
• Instagraminstagram.com/coffeeassoccanada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Coffee Association of Canada