The Story
Kaelin McCowan didn’t come from coffee. He had worked in film as a camera operator, and when he decided to start a specialty roastery in 2009, he drove across North America to Seattle, bought a roaster, and hauled it back to Dundas — the small town just outside Hamilton — in a rented truck. That’s how Detour Coffee Roasters started: on conviction and a willingness to do the unglamorous groundwork.
The company set up its first cafe in Dundas with co-partner Jeff, entered their coffees into national competitions, and started winning — not once, but repeatedly, even while roasting out of a tiny garage space. That run of competition success put Detour on the specialty coffee map nationally, well ahead of the recognition that typically follows a roastery out of Southern Ontario.
The operation has since matured from a garage startup into a serious roasting and sourcing business, but Kaelin’s original instinct — that coffee could be more than mindless morning fuel — still defines the culture.
Sourcing & Relationships
Detour’s sourcing model is built on three pillars: relationships with the people behind the coffee, understanding of the process from cherry to green bean, and rigorous evaluation of the product itself. Kaelin travels to origin regularly, visiting farms and cooperatives directly before committing to a purchase.
The transparent pricing approach means buyers know what Detour paid and why. The company sources from Ethiopia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Kenya, and Guatemala, among others, with an emphasis on returning to farms that have earned trust over multiple seasons.
Roasting Philosophy
Detour roasts to highlight the character inherent in well-sourced green coffee, with profiles that tend toward the lighter end for filter and a touch more development for espresso. The competition background of the founding team shaped a roasting approach that values precision and repeatability — every batch is evaluated against the same standards applied in competitive cupping.
Their color theory-inspired packaging (drawing on Josef Albers) reflects a design sensibility that takes presentation seriously alongside the coffee itself.
What to Try
The seasonal single-origin filter offerings rotate with each new harvest and represent Detour’s sourcing program at its most expressive. The Détour Espresso is well-calibrated for both straight shots and milk-based drinks. For a sense of what the competition program has produced, keep an eye on their limited Competition Series releases.