In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mustard Seed Coffee Company launched an online ordering service for those who want to get their caffeine fix and support the food bank from home.
B.C.’s provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has ordered residents to practise social distancing and stay home as often as possible in an effort to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus. In response, the Mustard Seed Coffee Co. – a facet of the Mustard Seed Street Church that also operates a food bank in Victoria – opted to start taking coffee orders online.
“Got cabin fever? Let us deliver our delicious coffee to you,” said Janiene Boice, executive director of the Mustard Seed.
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Since 2017, the Mustard Seed Coffee Company has sold various roasts – created in partnership with Oughtred Coffee and Teas – and all proceeds go to supporting individuals in need across the region. The coffee is sold at Fairway Market, Thrifty Foods, Redbarn and at the Royal Oak and Esquimalt Country Grocer locations, Boice explained. Beginning in the summer of 2019, the coffee was also sold at outdoor markets.
The coffee sales are just one of the ways the church fundraises to support its various outreach projects, Boice said, but this year things will be different because most of the church’s spring and summer fundraisers have been cancelled. Since the coffee sales make up a large portion of the Mustard Seed’s charity budget, staff came together to figure out a way to keep selling coffee safely.
For $25, coffee lovers receive two one-pound bags of whole beans. Those who need a larger supply can order five-pound bags of whole beans for $50 or opt for ground for $55. The company will deliver or ship orders of two or more bags of coffee and delivery is free for those in Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay, Esquimalt or on the West Shore.
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Boice said those interested in ordering coffee for delivery can choose between two local roasts: Before Dawn, a dark roast with a chocolatey flavour, and Restorative, a medium roast said to have smooth notes of honey and caramel. Both are certified carbon neutral and direct trade – which aligns with the Mustard Seed’s sustainability values.
Online coffee orders can be placed by emailing coffee@mustardseed.ca but a website is coming, Boice said. Payments can be made by e-Transfer, credit card, cash or cheque.
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