🤝 Meet Matthew Booth. He’s the head of marketing for Anchored Coffee, a popular roastery based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia that has collaborated on coffee blends with celebrity chefs like Matty Matheson and Brad Leone. We sat down with Matt to talk about their brand, the economics of running a roastery, and how a chance surfing encounter during a hurricane got him into the business.
What is it about Anchored Coffee’s brand that sets it apart?
The one thing they had dialed from the start was the product is great. The coffee is awesome. But you can have the best product in the world, and people don’t actually care unless you can communicate that and have an identity people want to ride with. There are so many good products out there and so many places to spend your money. Our aim is to get across that maritime energy and what it means to live out here and be out here.
Part of that is the outdoors. We’re not planning elaborate media trips. It’s more: do the things you love, and coffee is along for the ride. It’s just a part of it. If we’re going to play hockey on the outdoor rink, we’ll bring coffee because it’s warm and tastes good. We’ll take some photos and that’s it.
How’d you get started at Anchored?
I met Dean Petty, the founder of Anchored, three or four years ago when we were surfing. We had this unreal hurricane day. I had my camera and I got a photo of him on a wave and sent it to him and it grew from there. With my background in photo, video, and marketing, it felt like the universe just lined things up.
Can you talk about the economics of running a roaster in Canada right now? For people who can’t see it, what goes into producing a $25 bag of coffee?
A crazy amount of things, it’s a long list. First, the tariff situation changed things a lot. It made green coffee prices skyrocket. Having your cost of goods go through the roof isn’t great, but it gives us an opportunity to prove that we’re for the people by not jacking our prices up. Our margins shrank. Instead of raising prices and hitting customers, we dug into it and we managed to lower our shipping costs, which in 2026 is rare.
We’re not here to have this crazy payday. Coffee is not the business for that. It’s more about having a great crew, keeping them going well, keeping us going, giving people great coffee, having it feel human, and making their day better. Everything is focused on that.
You have bike shops in Toronto selling your beans — how does a collaboration like that happen with so many options in the city?
It’s the message and the whole vibe. Go enjoy your day and bring it along. They’re the same as us. They sell awesome bikes, but it’s about getting outside, having fun, and enjoying your day. Get some sun, do things, share it with people you love. It’s about making your day brighter and doing things that foster that.
Do you see more people willing to splurge on nicer coffee even as everything gets more expensive?
Yes and no. It plays a factor. It’s a real issue for people, but coffee is something you have every day. You can say life’s tight, or you can make your morning better. Things are tough, give yourself that little light in the morning, give yourself some grace.
Can you explain why coffee has gotten so much more expensive lately?
The big one is shipping from the source of the beans. Importing green beans is expensive. A lot of shipments don’t come directly into Canada, they go through U.S. hubs first, then get distributed. Tariffs also play a role.
We’ve adapted by not buying massive lots. We buy smaller supplies so we can pivot based on shipping or seasonal factors. If there’s a drought in Brazil, we can shift to other regions having a better year. That flexibility is important in a changing market.
Aside from free coffee and having the best-smelling workspace, what’s the coolest part of running a coffee business?
It has to be the humans. The people here are incredible. I’ve never had a day where I don’t want to go to work. I’m up early, excited to hang out with friends. We’re doing something we love and have a good day every day. The social aspect is huge, we work with amazing people, and that’s everything.
