We’re finally back with a new feature in our Barista Series! You may know Juan if you’ve been haunting Subtext Coffee or maybe you’ve seen him land his big win during the 2022 Toronto Aeropress Champs - regardless, Juan gives us an insightful look into his journey with coffee with this interview.
Do you have any future goals you're working towards?
I’m always working towards growing within the coffee industry, either by being active in the community or by connecting with it. I do want to compete next year in brewer’s cup so that is one of main goals.
What do you really enjoy about working in coffee?
I love the community aspect of it. How big the community is but at the same time we all know each other somehow. I’ve worked a few years behind the bar and it’s definitely made me a better person. Also, the excitement of new coffees every new season and seeing the improvement of work from producers year by year and connecting with them, recently back in December I was able to be in Huila, Colombia with Importer Osito Coffee and being able to connect with producers which coffee we had in the past was just an amazing feeling.
...and something you'd like to see change?
I’d like to see change the credibility over what wealthy and famous farms/families have been doing lately with processing coffee. Coffee is always moving forward and it should but for producers getting affected by climate change and inflation and social barriers it’s hard to move forward while also being sustainable. Small scale producers deserve more visibility, their coffee is as amazing (even better) than some big scale farms but for roasters sometimes having the farm’s name in their bags is a profitable business.
Any final thoughts you want to share?
Being coffee has always been an accident for me, I used to work in the film industry prior to this and having stumble upon coffee bags on set from roasters like Pilot or Propeller back then and wondered why the coffee tasted different than a Tim Horton’s Take 12. It was a happy mistake that literally changed my life for the best. After working at a few cafes during COVID I almost lost my love for working in coffee to the point of not wanting to do it again. Then Subtext Coffee came to the rescue and made me fall in love with coffee again. I love the Toronto Coffee Community and I love events when I get to see everybody!
Where can we grab a coffee from you?
(optional)
You can grab coffee from me at Subtext Coffee Roasters at 130 Cawthra in the Junction! Mon to Fri 9-3 :)