Pour a cup of coffee at the Casinos of Winnipeg and join a story that begins both thousands of kilometres away, and right here in Manitoba.
This Fairtrade Month MBLL is replacing its usual Fairtrade certified coffee with one that has a local twist. Former Manitoban Roxanne Joyal, founder and CEO of &BACK COFFEE, is excited to see her company’s product highlighted throughout October.
Joyal was born in Winnipeg and attended school in nearby Île-des-Chênes before building an international career in social enterprise and women's empowerment. A Manitoba Rhodes Scholar, Joyal has spent more than 25 years working with communities across East Africa and Latin America to create opportunities for women through her Fairtrade certified coffee brand.
&BACK COFFEE is a women-owned Fairtrade certified company dedicated to supporting women farmers and creating positive change throughout the coffee supply chain.
In 2026 alone, &BACK COFFEE has supported cervical cancer screening, financial literacy training, and agricultural training for women coffee farmers. Those investments reflect the company's belief that everyday purchasing decisions can contribute to lasting social and economic opportunities.
The company's name reflects that philosophy. While many coffee companies focus on moving products from bean to cup, &BACK COFFEE asks what happens after that.
"We wanted to build a company around a different idea: that value and visibility should travel back,” said Joyal. “Back to the women who grow coffee. Back to their families and communities. Back to the places where coffee begins."
Throughout her career, Joyal witnessed a common challenge in many communities: women possessed the talent, determination, and entrepreneurial spirit to succeed, but often lacked access to income, markets, training, and decision-making opportunities. Those experiences shaped both her business philosophy and the mission of &BACK COFFEE.
"For us, women are not a side note in the story. They are central to it," she said. "When women have greater access to income, markets, training, and opportunity, it changes more than one person's life."
That focus on ethical sourcing and positive impact resonates with MBLL's own approach to responsible business practices according to Jeff Wiebe, director of corporate procurement at MBLL.
“When we go to market for products or services – anything from computers to coffee to cleaning products – we are looking at so much more than the cost in dollars,” said Wiebe. “At the very minimum, our supplier code of conduct requires suppliers to uphold international labour standards and addresses issues including wages, workplace health and safety, forced labour, child labour, and freedom of association.”
Beyond this supplier code of conduct, MBLL seeks higher ethical standards throughout its supply chain with decisions informed by environmental sustainability, involvement of traditionally marginalized groups, local entrepreneurialism and more when seeking business partners.
MBLL has held the Fair Trade Workplace designation from Fairtrade Canada since 2019 and is recognized as the largest such company in Canada. The designation reflects the corporation's commitment to sourcing Fairtrade-certified products and raising awareness among employees and customers about the benefits of fair trade.
Van Houtte Coffee Services supplies MBLL with Fairtrade certified coffee and tea throughout the year, which alongside Fairtrade certified sugar are used throughout corporate offices and casinos. Manitoba Liquor Marts sell Fairtrade certified wines. The corporation maintains an active fair trade working group.
For Joyal, those kinds of commitments matter because they recognize the expertise and effort behind every cup of coffee.
"What stands out to me in fairtrade communities is the expertise behind every cup. The care. The patience. The knowledge passed down between generations," she said.
For Manitobans enjoying &BACK COFFEE this Fairtrade Month, that means each cup represents more than a morning ritual. It is a connection between Manitoba and coffee-growing communities around the world, between responsible procurement and ethical trade, and between consumers and the women whose expertise, hard work, and resilience make every cup possible.
#MBLLGoodTogether demonstrates Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries’ (MBLL) commitment to partnering with Manitoba communities, non-profits, and charitable organizations that help make our province an even better place to live. Our Community Champion series highlights MBLL employees that are making a difference in the lives of Manitobans through their work or volunteer efforts in the spirit of being “good together.”
Read more Our Stories here.