Membership

Membership Explained

Becoming a member of Common Grounds Ottawa means joining a growing network of home roasters focused on community, connection, sustainability and education. Membership grants you access to green specialty coffees from around the world in quantities not otherwise available to home roasters at wholesale cost.

Why Join and How Membership Works

Feature	Details
Membership Fee	A $25 annual fee is required to gain exclusive access to member benefits including making purchases.
What the Fee Covers	It pays for administration costs, materials, and event-related expenses.
Member Benefits	Exclusive Access to the Collective: Members enjoy specialty green coffee in home-roaster quantities at true landed costs (Importer's spot price plus share of transport), with a minor $1.13/lb fee applied to cover the collective's operations and administration; privileged access to member-only content (articles, community forums, and exclusive events); and a direct voice in shaping our buying philosophy and the selection of the specialty coffees we bring in.
Community Role	Members help shape the organization, from coffee selection to programming and partnerships. Common Grounds Ottawa operates on a principle of listening, collaboration, and growth.
Volunteering	Not mandatory. However, volunteers are always needed to help weigh and distribute coffee, support event delivery and share insights. Your volunteer support goes to keep costs down and grow the community.

 

Common Grounds Ottawa Coffee Offering Buying  Philosophy

Common Grounds aims to provide a reliable, diverse, and affordable supply of specialty green coffee.

Core Offerings: We aim to maintain an essential selection from the three largest growing regions: Eastern Africa, the Pacific Region, and the Americas.

Specialty Offerings: We choose special lot coffees and they are regularly featured in the member offer sheet and available while quantities last in our product catalogue. These are chosen by the members usually based on profile, specific producer, or seasonality. 

Quantities & Frequency: Green coffee is sold in 1, 2.5, and 5 kilogram bundles to facilitate distribution and avoid competing with traditional retail offerings. Offerings will begin as bi-monthly and increase based on member demand.

As a member, you are notified of offers and deadlines via a dedicated email notification, the members forum, and the home page.

Events  

Distribution Day Events: This is the main gathering for order pickup, where coffee is weighed and members bring their own containers to collect it. Our central distribution centre is from Kafia International Coffee on Boyd avenue.  Distribution events occur typically on the Saturday following the member offer ordering closing deadline, and become an opportunity to meet other roasters.

Roastings & Cupping Events: Beyond our signature distribution days, Common Grounds Ottawa hosts other member, networking, education and cupping events throughout the year.