Founding & Background
This First Nations entrepreneur founded Birch Bark Coffee Company.
Mark Marsolais-Nahwegahbow
Mark started the business this way, since he had little business experience.
by starting small and growing step by step
This certification means the coffee is ethically sourced and farmers are paid fairly.
fair trade certification
Mark's clear goal when founding the company was to create this kind of owned business.
First Nations owned business
Birch Bark Coffee was founded in this month and year.
March 2018
These two challenges the company faced early on.
limited resources and limited access to markets
The name of Birch Bark Coffee's business model.
"paying it forward"
His vision combined economic reconciliation with this.
sustainability
Before starting the company, Mark spent this many years working in indigenous organizations.
27 years
The company grew by partnering with these and using this type of sales.
other small businesses and online sales
The "paying it forward" model uses profits to support causes like these.
clean drinking water, housing, education, and infrastructure
Every cup of coffee supports indigenous livelihood and this.
environmental stewardship
Mark's work before founding the company included helping with these programs in First Nations communities.
Justice programs
These values helped the company build a business model that connects with people.
Indigenous values and social enterprise
Birch Bark Coffee offers this kind of coffee (two words).
premium organic coffee
The company supports this number of charities.
seven
This major problem in First Nation communities inspired Mark to create the company.
a lack of access to clean drinking water
Profits from the business help fund these types of community projects.
clean drinking water, housing, education, and infrastructure
The company describes its coffee as this percentage fair trade and organic.
What is 100%
The charities are dedicated to creating this kind of change in Indigenous communities.
sustainable change