At its heart, coffee is a social driver and an invaluable tool for sparking important conversations, according to Mark Marsolais-Nahwegahbow, founder and CEO of Birch Bark Coffee Company.
A member of Whitefish River First Nation on Birch Island, Marsolais-Nahwegahbow is using people’s love of coffee to build his Ottawa-based company into a social enterprise that brings awareness to issues that impact Indigenous communities in Canada and across the world.
The idea started five years ago, when he attended a water symposium in British Columbia held by the Assembly of First Nations (AFN). Marsolais-Nahwegahbow, who is Objibwe, said the event was the beginning of his shift from justice to business and advocacy.
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“While I knew of our communities’ infrastructure issues, particularly with water, I didn’t realize how deep the problem was until I went to the AFN on water,” he said. “It kind of struck me, as a First Nations person, that I had to do my part and help in any way I can.”
Founded in 2018, Birch Bark Coffee Company produces six coffee blends sourced from small growers of Indigenous descent across South America, mixed with beans from African countries such as Ethiopia.
The blends reflect different elements of various Indigenous cultures, with names like Indigenous, Dream Catcher, Summer Solstice, and Two-Spirit. Each is accompanied by a unique story, printed on the label.
“Each one is meaningful. Each one has a unique flavour to it. And what I’ve learned from my consumers is they’re drawn to a particular blend, they resonate with the story,” Marsolais-Nahwegahbow said.
A dark roast blend, which has been picked up by Costco, is called Inukshuk, for the stone structures erected by Inuit peoples throughout the Arctic to serve as navigational aids. Coureur des bois, a medium roast, references the Métis who travelled and opened the waterways of Turtle Island.
The blends are a key part of Birch Bark Coffee Company’s awareness efforts.
“When you look back historically, coffee was something that was traded,” said Marsolais-Nahwegahbow. “First Nations people referred to it as ‘black medicine.’ Coffee just has such a meaningful piece behind it, where it draws people together to sit down, socialize and talk. I wanted to apply that to the business because it was an important piece, to be able to help people; starting dialogue, starting conversations and promoting issues within our communities.”
Marsolais-Nahwegahbow wants to practice what he preaches when it comes to his own business.
The products are all fair trade and organic. They’re also SPP (Small Produce Partners) certified, meaning the products come from “authentic, democratic, self-managing organizations of small producers and that they have been produced in line with criteria for economic, social, cultural and ecological sustainability, and commercialized under fair conditions.”
These kinds of standards are especially important when working with Indigenous farmers, who have typically been exploited and impacted by colonialism and unfair trade conditions.
“In Latin America, the big conglomerates that can overpower them really try to take advantage of the farmers. They took over the land and pushed them up into the mountains. Families still have to handpick all the beans. That’s a lot of work,” said Marsolais-Nahwegahbow.
“There’s been a movement where consumers are really paying attention to their purchases and really wanting to make healthier choices. I think the importance of being organic and fair trade really shows a lot of integrity for consumers, to make sure that farmers are being paid the proper wages that they need to be able to sustain their families.”
He adds that maintaining these kinds of labour practices is vital for truth and reconciliation efforts.
“We will never see the truth unless we actually start talking about it,” he said.
At home, Marsolais-Nahwegahbow said the primary mission is to address the drinking water crisis that impacts many Indigenous communities in Canada. According to Statistics Canada, there are currently 28 long-term drinking water advisories across 26 communities, dating as far back as 2015. At times, the number of short-term advisories can reach into the hundreds.
While awareness has been the cornerstone of Birch Bark Coffee Company’s work, its goal is to “try and create more of an impact on a larger scale,” an effort that was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, Marsolais-Nahwegahbow said his company is getting its feet on the ground. So far, it has provided assistance to two communities through smaller-scale projects, including helping clean up a diesel spill in a lake near one community.
The efforts are now expanding to larger, longer-term projects to install water infrastructure, with the help of partners. The company is currently working with True North Aid, a charity that provides humanitarian support to Northern and remote Indigenous communities across Canada, and Life From Water, which has brought water access to more than 400,000 people in four different countries.
Marsolais-Nahwegahbow added that other businesses have the ability to take on similar initiatives, and called on corporations to re-examine their business practices.
“Some of the bigger corporations, people probably ask themselves how they can help others,” he said. “People need to start looking at their own social impacts and how their businesses can change people’s lives.
“I see a big shift happening, where millennials and gen Z are starting to question where things are coming from. Whether it’s coffee or whatever else, I think it’s important that they reconsider their business model and see how they can make a difference in people’s lives.”
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