The Story
49th Parallel Coffee Roasters was founded in 2004 by brothers Vince and Michael Piccolo in Vancouver, BC. They arrived at a moment when specialty coffee in Canada was still a fringe concern, and they set out to change that — building one of the country’s first dedicated third-wave roasting operations from the ground up.
The company grew steadily through its first decade by doing the unglamorous work: building direct relationships with farmers, developing a wholesale network, and earning the trust of Vancouver’s café scene. The addition of Lucky’s Doughnuts as a sister brand — a natural pairing that leaned into the café culture already surrounding their locations — helped 49th reach a broader audience without compromising the coffee program.
In 2019, Montreal-based investment firm Claridge Inc. announced a strategic partnership with the company, providing capital for further expansion. Today 49th operates multiple cafes across Vancouver and continues to operate its direct trade sourcing program at the same standard it held from day one.
Sourcing & Relationships
49th’s sourcing model is built on direct trade with producing farms, with full transparency on pricing and provenance. They work primarily with farms in Latin America — Colombia, Guatemala, and Costa Rica — alongside East African origins like Ethiopia and Kenya, rotating offerings seasonally to reflect harvest cycles rather than maintaining static menus.
Small-lot purchasing is central to how they operate. Rather than locking in large contracts that outlast a crop’s peak, they buy in quantities that allow frequent product updates and keep the offering fresh. This creates a constantly evolving retail lineup that rewards repeat customers.
Roasting Philosophy
49th roasts for clarity and sweetness, with profiles calibrated to highlight origin character rather than roaster signature. Their espresso blends — particularly Epic Espresso and Old School Espresso — have become Vancouver benchmarks, designed to be versatile across different milk ratios and extraction methods while remaining distinctly traceable to their component origins.
The roastery approach is methodical: small batches, frequent evaluation, consistent feedback loops with wholesale accounts. The result is a house style that reads as clean and accessible without sacrificing complexity.
What to Try
Start with Epic Espresso to understand why the blend became a regional standard — it balances brightness and body with enough sweetness to hold up in milk-based drinks. Old School Espresso offers a darker, more chocolatey counterpoint for those who prefer that register. For filter, their seasonal single origins from Ethiopia and Kenya are consistently well-sourced and showcased at appropriate roast levels.