Our Coffee Story

The Beginning

1980 - Charles, armed with his experience growing coffee on Costa Rican plantations, seeks out the best roasters, flavorists, and cuppers in the coffee industry.

His goal is to create a line of flavored coffees unlike anything else in existence.

The Original FlavorCoffee Company Inc.

1982 - The Original FlavorCoffee Company is incorporated, under the laws of Ontario, as a specialty coffee company exclusively offering gourmet 100% Arabica coffee products.

Passion for the Freshest Coffee

1985 - In the early years, FlavorCoffee's strategy was focused on producing gourmet flavored coffees for the broad coffee industry and supplied the top coffee brands of the time.

The best of the best companies including Nestlé Enterprises, Kraft General Foods, Nabisco Brands, Timothy's, Mother Parkers, and The Second Cup were all supplied by FlavorCoffee Company Inc.

Innovation and Excellence

1987 - Following extensive research and development into blending applications for coffee and flavorings, FlavorCoffee begins to develop and build its own blending equipment to meet its exacting specifications.

FlavorCoffee Co. sets the taste standards for flavored coffees in North America.

Obsession With Quality

1988 - By the end of 1988, approximately 85% of all the flavored coffee sold in Canada was produced by the Original FlavorCoffee Company Inc.

A new strategy is followed to build the brand that so many loved, but so few had known.

Fighting and Full of Life

1991-1994 - Sales increase by two and a half times during these three years. FlavorCoffee now sells to a variety of customers across Canada, including large chains such as Price Club/Costco and initiates export of flavored coffee gift packs into Wal-Mart in the U.S.

Export sales account for approximately 10% of FlavorCoffee Co. Inc.’s sales during this time.

Export Ramps Up

1997 - The Original FlavorCoffee Company Inc. begins to export to the Asian Pacific Rim.

Export sales now account for approximately 25% of FlavorCoffee's sales.

The Story Continues...

1999 - After years of R&D, FlavorCoffee perfects a revolutionary line of unsweetened liquid flavorings to flavor brewed coffee, tea, hot chocolate and other hot or cold beverages based on its proprietary recipes.

Towards the end of 1999, FlavorCoffee begins to sell flavored whole bean coffee in 100 Sam’s Clubs in the United States.

FlavorCoffee Goes Online

2000 - One of, if not the first company to offer coffee products for sale online, FlavorCoffee provides its customers with direct access to the full range of its gourmet coffee products.

Singapore Airlines begins testing FlavorCoffee's portable liquid flavorings on its flights.

The F1 Flavor Dispenser

2001 - Development of the F1 Flavor Dispenser begins; an automated method to deliver flavor into a cup of coffee cup-by-cup

Zavida ends up patenting a unique DC Current process to control what was thought to have been an "uncontrollable dispensing pump", allowing minuscule amounts of flavor to be added consistently to a cup of coffee.

A New Beginning...

2002 - To better reflect the wide range of gourmet non-flavored coffees and coffee products that FlavorCoffee produces in addition to its flavored coffees, FlavorCoffee Company Inc. changes its name to Zavida Coffee Company Inc.

Zavida means fighting and full of life.

A Great Step Forward...

2005 - Zavida begins shipping its renowned Hazelnut Vanilla Whole Bean Coffee to Costco Japan nationally.

The Hazelnut Vanilla recipe is produced using a blend of five separate secret flavors combined with 100% Arabica coffees.

Dual Certified

2006 - Zavida launches its brand new, dual certified 100% Rainforest Alliance and 100% Organic coffee brand.

Sustainability and worker care are assured with the purchase of this coffee; Zavida increases its purchases consistently every year since.

Carbon Neutral Certified

2010 - Zavida Coffee Company Inc. proudly becomes Carbon Neutral Certified through Trees for the Future™ and plants 10,000 trees throughout the world.

An additional 10,000 trees are set to be planted by October of 2011.

Plant-a-Tree Partner

2011 - Zavida Coffee Company Inc. commits to planting a tree for each and every single product sold on this new website.

Haiti is one country of many which has suffered from extreme deforestation. Zavida has committed to helping plant the majority of its trees in Haiti. In 2011, an additional 5,300 trees will be planted by Zavida Coffee to support this program.

MiniSyrup - The Unsweetened Syrup

2011 - Zavida launches the world's first unsweetened syrup specifically made to flavor brewed coffee and dispensed beverages cup-by-cup, without adding any sugar or artificial/natural sweeteners.

MiniSyrup... Endless Flavored Beverage Possibilities

Our Passion For Flavor…

Welcome to Zavida

and the FlavorCoffee Brand

Zavida is celebrating it's 30th year anniversary as the first coffee roaster to be dedicated to the production of exquisite flavored coffees. Our combination of superb ingredients, extensive research, dedication to quality, and expert tasting has resulted in a range of smooth and natural tasting coffees unlike any other.

The opportunity to experience some of the world's finest gourmet coffee is here. At Zavida, coffee is our passion and to make great coffee we start with top-quality beans. We source green 100% Arabica beans from top growers in 30 different countries. Our Roast Master, one of the most skilled in the industry, carefully tastes and continually refines the combination of beans in our blends. Our R&D team, alongside our Chief Taster with over 40 years experience, taste tests each and every single batch of coffee that comes through our doors. We form a “taste profile” checking for richness, sharpness, strength, finish, body, acidity… a whole host of desirable qualities.

Today, you can savour the result of our hard work and superb craftsmanship. Zavida continues to develop wonderful new recipes, but we remain true to our original vision – to provide our customers with the opportunity to experience some of the world's finest and freshest coffees.

But, why the new look?

Over the years, our FlavorCoffee Brand icon has come to be recognized as a symbol for the best flavored coffees. But that's not all we do. In fact, Zavida produces a wide range of gourmet organic, blends and origins, and decaf coffees from around the world in addition to our flavoured coffees. To shift the focus to this wide selection of gourmet coffees, we decided to update our image with a brand new look… Zavida Coffee.

Zavida Coffee…
Awaken your senses –
Discover the style.
Experience the passion!