Yabitu Koba

Greg, who was born in Moscow and grew up in Israel, founded Ethica Coffee Roasters in 2019 in Toronto's Junction neighborhood, naming it after the philosopher Spinoza's exploration of inner freedom through aligning actions with reason. The roastery works with small Dutch Giesen roasters in a European roasting style, having moved production to a dedicated facility on Symes Road in April 2023 where a second Giesen was installed. Around five single origin varieties are available at any time, sourced from regions like Ethiopia, El Salvador, Colombia, Kenya, Yemen, and Panama through partners like green bean importer Orange Brown. The roasting philosophy aims to showcase terroir as much as possible, letting customers explore the flavor profile of each origin without interference. Ethica gained particular attention in the specialty community for their exceptional Yemeni Haraaz Red coffee. The international team also runs the Ethica Coffee School, offering courses in specialty coffee, barista skills, and alternative brewing, with roasting courses in development.