2026 Annual Member Report
Home Roasters Coffee Collective
ANNUAL REPORT
Common Grounds Ottawa
2026 Annual Member Report
Celebrating a milestone year of member growth, collective purchasing power, direct-to-community savings, and sustainable specialty green coffee sourcing in Ottawa.
PERFORMANCE & GROWTH
2026 By The Numbers
Membership Growth
Expanded our local community of home roasters, boosting our reach and expanding our buying power capacity.
Green Coffee Sourced
Nearly half a ton of specialty unroasted green coffee distributed directly to Ottawa collective members.
Inventory Diversity
Curated selection ranging from washed Central Americans to natural East Africans and experimental micro-lots.
Member Offer Average
Maintained a sub-$10 average price tag across 13 core single-origin allocations during official drop windows.
VALUE REALIZED
How Our Member Pricing Compares Nationally
By aggregating individual member orders into pooled importer purchases and distributing locally in Ottawa, Common Grounds eliminates traditional commercial retail markups and mandatory parcel shipping costs.
| Purchasing Tier | Price Range (CAD / lb) | Shipping / Logistics | Savings vs. National Online Retail |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Online Retailers iDrinkCoffee, Buy Coffee Canada, etc. |
$14.50 – $17.50 / lb | + $10.00 – $15.00 parcel shipping | Commercial Benchmark |
| CGO Public Retail Non-member single-pound orders |
$12.50 – $16.35 / lb | Free Ottawa Local Pickup | 15% – 20% Lower |
| CGO Member Off-Window Top-Up 10% discount on public single pounds |
$11.25 – $14.71 / lb | Free Ottawa Local Pickup | 25% – 35% Lower |
| CGO Member Offer Drop Average Core collective purchasing drops |
$9.98 / lb | Free Ottawa Local Pickup | 35% – 58% Lower |
Collective Green Coffee Savings
$5,266+ CADDirect member savings realized on 954 lbs of green coffee compared to online national retail prices (excluding $1,500+ in saved shipping fees).
Value vs. Pre-Roasted Coffee
$14,320+ CADTotal household savings retained by our members by roasting green coffee at home versus purchasing pre-roasted specialty cafe beans ($22–$28/lb equivalent).
GLOBAL TRENDS & SOURCING
Navigating 2026 Price Fluctuations
The global green coffee market experienced notable price movements throughout 2026. Weather disruptions, supply tightness in high-grade washed Arabicas, and rising international differentials pushed up prices across key producing regions.
Guatemala Washed
+17.3% SpikeClimbed through the year due to tight SHB micro-lot supply late in the crop year.
Colombia Supremo
+14.4% RiseRose through the year main-crop differentials tightened across Canadian imports.
Sumatra G1
+11.3% SteadyEscalated steadily driven by heavy global demand for wet-hulled lots.
Peru & Brazil Anchors
Price StabilizersPeru and Brazil softened, cushioning members against inflation.
Portfolio Hedging In Action
+0.67%Despite sharp individual surges in Guatemala and Colombia, price drops on regional anchors absorbed the impact. Our multi-origin catalog held total annual inflation to under 1%.
Result: Stable $9.98/lb Drop Average
OPERATIONAL MILESTONES
2026 Community Highlights
Website Platform Launch
We launched commongroundsottawa.ca, establishing a centralized digital hub for members to explore real-time inventory, view green bean specs, submit drop allocations, and coordinate Ottawa pick-ups.
✓ Simplified Drop Allocations
2 Member Cupping Events
We brought our home roaster community together for two in-person sensory cupping workshops. Members evaluated sample roasts, compared processing methods side-by-side, and directly voted on upcoming origin selections.
✓ Community-Driven Sourcing
Micro-Lot Reserve Feature
We successfully introduced 2 ultra-premium Micro-Lot Reserve selections (including Colombia El Paraiso Red Plum). Based on positive member feedback, we are expanding reserve lot features for 2027.
✓ Expanding Reserve Allocations in '27
LOOKING AHEAD
2027 Strategic Monthly Sourcing
To capture the best possible green pricing from Canadian importers while ensuring palate variety for members, 2027 will transition to an optimized Monthly 3-Coffee Rotation Framework aligned directly with regional crop harvest arrival windows.
Chocolate & Nutty Baseline
High-value regional anchors (Peru, Brazil, Lekempti) that keep monthly drop averages under control and provide crowd-pleasing espresso & drip foundations.
Bright & Fruit-Forward
Vibrant, high-elevation washed Central Americans (Guatemala SHB, Costa Rica Tarrazú) and Ethiopian washed lots (Yirgacheffe) scheduled during landing windows.
Heavy or Exotic Profile
Distinctive specialty lots (Sumatra G1, Indian Monsoon Malabar, Tanzanian Peaberry, and experimental Micro-Lots) timed to avoid spot warehouse surcharges.