How Calgary’s Motherlode Coffee Supports The Communities They Care About 365 Days A Year
Learn how the Calgary-based, women-owned brand shows continuous support to the community throughout the year.
By Hana Hossain
During Pride Month, the line between real and performative support for the LGBTQ2S+ community gets a bit blurry and, meme’s aside, it’s not uncommon to feel as though that support seems to disappear after June 30. But for some entrepreneurs, giving back to communities they care about isn’t tied down to a date in the calendar. Take the entirely female- and LGBTQ2S+ owned Motherlode Coffee for instance. This pandemic-launched coffee roaster is certainly not the business to shy away from their vocal support for causes they care about at any point of the year.
Karissa Savage and Frieda Cornejo started Motherlode Coffee on June 5, 2020. The couple’s shared passion for coffee and entrepreneurship led them to launch Calgary’s first coffee trailer. However, when renewed pandemic restrictions hit, they were forced to pump the metaphorical breaks on the trailer. They eventually realized their hearts lied in coffee roasting, but the learning curve to roast coffee was so steep. Fortunately, the pandemic gave them some very valuable time and Motherlode Coffee was born.
Despite watching business after business close down, they persevered. Taking an “old school” approach to marketing, they researched and inquired with local businesses, determined to find a place to carry their product — rich and beautiful locally roasted Peruvian coffee beans.
“If you have that hustle it allows you to be creative, even if it's scary; when it is your dream, you make it work,” says Karissa. The pair held their dreams high and never let them down for a second.
They wanted Motherlode to represent them and their ideals. Growing up in Peru, Frieda says she experienced gender inequality firsthand. She was inspired to use Motherlode as a way to challenge this inequality, eventually aligning with Peruvian Hearts, an organization that empowers Peruvian women through post-secondary educational opportunities. A portion of the proceeds from all but one of their selection of roasts supports Peruvian Hearts through Motherlode’s Buy A Bag, Grow A Mind program. “It is more than a business transaction, it’s about making a difference.” The main source of their coffee is also from Peru, and they work with Central Fronteriza del Norte de Cafetaleros (CENFROCAFE). The organization supports thousands of members of the community by promoting sustainable solutions to the four main areas of improvement: economic, social, environmental, and educational.
But Motherlode’s drive for social good doesn’t stop there. A portion of each bag of their No Closets Pride Blend supports the local organization End of the Rainbow Foundation. The volunteer-run Foundation was created to bring services and programs to support people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities or expressions (SOGIE) to Calgary. One of those programs is the Calgary Rainbow Railroad Station which assists SOGIE refugees in settling in Calgary after they have been assisted in fleeing unsafe countries.
“It is important for us to be visible but to show people that you can not only thrive as a woman in business but be in the LGBTQ community and also thrive,” says Savage.
Before starting, Frieda and Karissa say they worried about announcing who they are and sharing their identity with their followers. and if they should keep it to themselves. Their advice to other hopeful LGBTQ2S+ entrepreneurs: don’t hold back. “No matter what, people will always have opinions on who you are, whether it is positive or negative,” says Cornejo.
Hana Hossain
PIB — Content Writer
Hana Hossain (she/hers) is a second-year Hospitality Management Student at SAIT. Her passion for activism and supporting the LGBTQ2S+ community led her to co-create the SAITSA Pride Club. As a content writer for Pride In Business, Hana is delving into Calgary’s LGBTQ2S+ business community and bringing her community-focused lens to her writing.
Pride In Business article in partnership with TD.
By Hana Hossain
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