Pilot Coffee Roasters

Pilot Coffee Roasters began in Toronto, Canada, in 2009, when Andy Wilkin and Jessie Holmes opened Te Aro in Leslieville. The original name reflected Wilkin’s connection to Wellington, New Zealand. Coffee was first roasted in a garage behind the café before the business became Pilot in 2013.

Roast magazine named Pilot its 2014 Micro Roaster of the Year, recognising the company during that early period of growth. Education and practical support for cafés have remained part of its work alongside roasting.

Pilot builds its sourcing around direct relationships with producers and an interest in the quality of each harvest. Its range brings together signature blends and seasonal single origins, with profiles developed for different ways of brewing. That combination of producer relationships, professional training and adaptable roasting has made Pilot a longstanding part of Toronto’s specialty coffee scene.