Pilot Coffee Roasters was founded in 2009 in Toronto's Leslieville neighbourhood, originally operating as Te Aro Coffee Roasters — a name inspired by founder Andy Wilkin's New Zealand roots. The company began as a small café and micro-roastery, supplying coffee, equipment and training to a growing community of café owners across the city. By 2013 it had rebranded as Pilot Coffee Roasters and moved its roasting operations to its current Toronto headquarters.
The roastery's commitment to quality earned it national recognition as Roast Magazine's 2014 Micro Roaster of the Year. Central to Pilot's philosophy is direct trade sourcing: building transparent, long-term relationships with producers and travelling to origin to select exceptional green coffee. This focus on traceability and sustainability runs from farm to cup, and has helped shape modern specialty coffee culture in Toronto and across Canada.
Pilot's small-batch roasting highlights balance, clarity and sweetness, with a recognizable signature of caramel, chocolate and brown-sugar notes depending on origin. Its carefully crafted blends — including the sweet, full-bodied Heritage and a naturally processed decaf — are roasted for any brewing method, performing equally well as filter coffee or espresso for everyday drinkers and home baristas alike.
At ECS Coffee, we're proud to carry a curated selection of Pilot Coffee Roasters whole bean coffee, helping you bring award-winning Toronto specialty coffee into your own kitchen. Explore our Pilot collection to discover fresh-roasted blends ready to grind for filter, pour-over or espresso.
