Who doesn’t love coffee? Well, there are exceptions, but coffee is a universal language, and coffee brings people together. It is one great way to socialize and to spend time with your friends, family, and neighbors.

Who They Are

Omar Khartabil, Owner and Founder of Roasted Coffee Roastery, immigrated to Nova Scotia approximately 16 years ago from Dubai where he was raised, studied, and worked. The move was a big shift for Omar, his wife, and 2 daughters at that time (now total 4 kids!).

Roasted Coffee is the by-product of our love for coffee and our passion to share this love with others and bridge cultural coffee lifestyles into our local Canadian market. As a previous co-owner of a coffee and chocolate shop (Choco Cafe https://bit.ly/3zAGDWH ) in downtown Halifax, Omar developed a love and appreciation for coffee.

During that time, Omar developed a better understanding of coffee and fell in love with coffee even more. He had the opportunity to develop appreciation for coffee and its importance in his everyday life, and came to understand that coffee is an essential part of any community.

After shutting down the Cafe in 2015, Omar never gave up on the idea of running another business but was not sure exactly what until May of 2021. After six years, Omar was drawn back to the coffee business but this time, from a different perspective. It all came about during a discussion with a friend (over a cup of coffee, obviously). They realized that there was a gap in the market: Turkish coffee in the local market is all imported and is not freshly roasted and blended locally, and Arabic coffee barely existed locally. Light bulb moment. Ahaa!

So why not try something different? Why not sell traditional middle eastern coffee blends and introduce them to the local market and beyond. Not too many people are aware of these unique coffee blends, and the ones who know or have tried Turkish or Arabic coffee (Turkish seems more popular, by the way) really appreciate the unique taste each blend brings.

Obviously, it was not an easy start. Omar and his wife had to figure out how to test the market, how to create the right blend to ensure the appropriate taste profile, and find the right roasting partner to help manufacture. Their coffees are more complicated to make than traditional coffee because of how different they are from traditional esspresso grinds. Both blends are total opposites and are at the extreme spectrum of the grinding profile. Turkish coffee is extremely fine (almost like powder), and Arabic Coffee is a coarse grind. Both blends are brewed in a unique way and served in small espresso-like coffee cups (even the cups differ in look to differentiate between both drinks).

The business is still in its early stages and is growing steadily, and customers are loving it. Five stars reviews, nothing less. Even the most sophisticated coffee drinkers who have a well-trained palette have loved our blends way better than what they used to drink back home! What keeps them going is the wonderful feedback and support from their customers along the way. Without happy customers, there will be no business. Their satisfaction is our success!

However, nothing is easy and obviously there were too many obstacles and hardships that faced them as small business owners. Balancing their family life with their business is key, yet very hard. Giving each one of them the right amount of attention while also maintaining a full time job is no easy task. Plus, dealing with COVID and its impact on prices, supply chain, and other issues make it mentally hard for a small business owner to run the business efficiently. They simply try to think of creative ways to maneuver their business and keep it running.

What they’ve learned from 14 months in business

1. Consistency and persistence are key. Do not give up easily because there are times where you simply feel like giving up and walking away. Who said it is easy to run a small business? If it was as easy as it seems, then everyone would be doing it.
2. Patience is also a virtue and key in running a business, especially with all the current COVID impact. You have to believe in your business in your product and continue doing what you do best.
3. Surround yourself with like-minded people/entrepreneurs and learn from them and seek advice whenever needed. Do not be shy to reach out. We all learn as we grow our business.
4. Do your market research before you start a business. It does not have to be detailed, but some thought has to be put in place before diving into the entrepreneurial world. Enjoy and learn as you grow.

The Mission

Roasted Coffee’s mission is to introduce everyone to the unique cultural tastes of Turkish and Arabic Coffee, to have everyone experience the richness of these blends and to learn about the cultures that they originate from. They want to share this unique coffee experience with every coffee lover willing to try something new and unique.

Roasted Coffee is on a mission to spread awareness about these two interesting and distinctively flavorful blends and to share this unique experience with coffee lovers around the world and specifically in Canada & USA.

So if you are looking for a fresh and unique coffee taste like you have never experienced before, then you have come to the right place.

Where can people find my business?
www.roastedcoffeehfx.com
www.instagram.com/roastedcoffeehfx.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/roasted-coffee-hfx