How far are you willing to go for an excellent cup of coffee? Vince Piccolo made it his personal worldwide quest to not only find the best coffee but also to create his very own blends. The result was 49th Parallel Roasters, a Vancouver coffee-roasting company that, in seven years, has grown to distribute coffee across Canada and the U.S.

So what makes 49th Parallel coffee so special? Piccolo says it starts with the right beans, and he's willing to pay a premium -- currently two to three times above market value. "I've built my product on fairness to farmers and co-ops, and by doing that, I get the best quality," he explains.

Piccolo also goes above and beyond to hone just the right roasting technique, during which all the bean's nuances are retained, not masked. His company aims to highlight the flavour profile of each bean. The care he takes in roasting makes 49th Parallel stand out in the competitive coffee market.

You won't find third-party labels on the elegant in-house-designed packaging. Piccolo stands behind 49th Parallel's integrity and retains an open-book policy with the public on its relationships with farmers, ecosystems and the environment. Look for 49th Parallel at independent cafés and coffeehouses across Canada, where you can taste a cup before taking a bag home for yourself, or shop online at 49thParallelRoasters.com, $14 to $22.

Photography, Ryan Brook.