You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover… except when it comes to Traffic Coffee. One look at their boldly coloured, unconventional packaging will give you a pretty good idea that the coffee inside is far from ordinary. 

Traffic Coffee was founded by Greg Lancot and Jessie Lewin, stemming from a mutual passion for discovering the pleasure and excitement in coffee. Today, Traffic operates out of Montréal, Canada, and between their playful branding and high-quality coffee beans, they’ve been leaving quite the impression. 

Bringing excitement back into coffee 

Jesse and Greg had always taken the more creative approach to life, so when they stepped into the role of roastery co-owners, they wanted to avoid reducing coffee to a mere commodity that people simply drink for the caffeine buzz. With Traffic, they began introducing the world to coffee that could be fun, spontaneous, exciting, and (of course) delicious. 

Traffic Coffee’s playful approach is apparent in their packaging, with vivid colour schemes and illustrations that make each bag stand out from just about any other roaster. From a No Name peanut butter & jelly sandwich to a laser-eyed dinosaur, every design is unique just like the coffee inside. 

Art without sacrificing quality

While Traffic enjoys having fun, they’re also passionate about the quality and origins of their coffee beans. They source only the best green coffee while always sticking to small-batch roasting to form better and lasting relationships with farmers. 

Traffic aims for a sweet balance when it comes to their beans; either they let the varietal speak for itself (i.e, a natural bourbon) or they embrace the industry’s more experimental processing techniques (i.e., co-ferments). Either way, you end up with some pretty delicious coffee. So, with Traffic’s wide ranging approach, you’re certain to find something enjoyable whether you’re a coffee purist or seeking roasts that are more fruity, funky, or just straight up eccentric. 

Where to find Traffic Coffee 

Seeing as they’re based out of Montréal, you can get Traffic Coffee from anywhere in Canada, including Eight Ounce Coffee.

Eight Ounce's Coffee Club Mix is also offering 100g bags of Traffic Coffee’s “Boye” and “Sublime” roasts in August’s Sunshine Mix – a collection of coffees roasted to evoke daydreams of summer treats best enjoyed under the sun (think strawberry lemonade and lemon curd). 

The Boye is a washed 64110 from Ethiopia with tasting notes of strawberry and white grape, while the Sublime is a juicy co-fermented Caturra and Bourbon with notes of kefir lime and lemon curd. 

The Sunshine Mix is only sticking around for a bit longer, so if you’re the type of coffee aficionado who enjoys sampling a bit of everything, you can check out the Sunshine Mix without having to subscribe or join any sort of membership. You’ll find the Boye and Sublime from Traffic alongside other summer-themed roasts! 

Get out there and start brewing! 

Photos by Traffic Coffee

@trafficcoffeeco