Starting this March, UBC Food Services will serve Indigenous Roots Coffee Co. across all three residence dining halls. Brewing coffee that’s more than just a daily ritual; each cup represents a commitment to community, culture, and meaningful impact.
Indigenous Roots Coffee Co. is a local, Indigenous-owned, family run company focused on supporting Indigenous communities through give-back initiatives and storytelling. This partnership reflects UBC Food Services’ ongoing commitment to supporting Indigenous businesses and creating opportunities for learning through food.
The Story Behind Indigenous Roots Coffee
Founded by Sk'ing lúudas Natasha Parrish (Haida-English) and Kear Porttris (Métis-Chinese), Indigenous Roots Coffee began with the goal of bringing Indigenous and non-Indigenous people together. “Today, there is a lot of discussion about Truth & Reconciliation. Folks wanting to do more and to be better visitors in the Traditional Territories where they live,” shares Natasha. “Through coffee, something many of us drink every day, we hope that people will stop and think about the incredible work Indigenous Peoples are doing everyday towards revitalizing our cultures and languages.”
For Natasha, coffee has been part of her life since childhood. Raised in a family with nearly three decades in the coffee industry, she spent many hours in a roastery learning how coffee can bring people together. Today, that sense of connection continues to shape the work she and Kear do through Indigenous Roots Coffee.
Their Indigenous connections are clear on first glance—they’ve woven Indigenous art throughout their brand, highlighting a meaningful expression of distinct cultures. Each design draws connections to their own heritage: the Métis floral beadwork can be found on their coffee bags, and their logo is the Haida formline of Kaagan Jaad Mouse Woman. The labels for each roast were designed to honour the Coast Salish Territory where their coffee is roasted. Learn more about the artists and the art here.
Connecting to Community with Every Cup
At the heart of Indigenous Roots Coffee is a commitment to supporting Indigenous communities. Every blend contributes to grassroots initiatives that help nurture community-led programs.
In looking for partners to support through Indigenous Roots Coffee, their starting place was highlighting their own cultures and the friendships that already existed in their community. They share, “we currently live in the Homelands of the lək’wəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples, present day Victoria, which is why our community initiatives are largely situated here.”
In residence dining at UBC you’ll find two of their roasts on offer—the Big House Blend, which supports community gatherings, and the Canoe Connections roast, which supports the Geronimo Canoe Club.
Donations from their Big House Blend help support a variety of community events. For example, the South Island Powwow, where thousands of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people come together to celebrate Indigenous cultures and the Haida Gwaii Museum Annual Gala & Art Auction. Natasha highlights that both big and small initiatives are priorities, “we’ve also been able to support BOḰEĆEN S’uylu Skweyul Pauquachin Spirit Days and many Indigenous local art events and student-led fundraisers!”
The Canoe Connections roast supports excellence in sport through a partnership with the Geronimo Canoe Club who are a paddling family in W̱JOȽEȽP Tsartlip. The relationship began a conversation “we met with Len and Marla over lunch and asked them what they needed and what they thought a partnership might look like. We are very honoured to be connected with the work they do in some limited way!” Learn more about the Geronimo Canoe Club and see them in action in this Indigenous Roots Coffee community initiative video.
Sparking a Conversation at UBC
For Natasha and Kear, this partnership with UBC represents an opportunity to extend their work into a learning environment where conversations about culture and community can continue to grow. They share, “We are so excited about the opportunity to spark conversations in an educational setting! We feel building relationships based on understanding and respect is key to working towards truth and reconciliation. Kear and I both work in post-secondary in some capacity and see students asking for more movement towards equity and Indigenous Rights. By being at UBC, we hope we can be part of those early discussions that build resilience and reconciliation!”
Stop by a UBC dining hall to try Indigenous Roots Coffee Co. and get the latest news from them by following along on Instagram.
