Media and Press Kit

JUST THE FAQs

Company Name:

Sparkplug Coffee

(autocorrect hates it but Sparkplug is ONE word, not “Spark Plug”)

Location:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada & serving all of Canada and the USA

Mailing address:

Box 29
Toronto’s First Post Office
260 Adelaide St. East
Toronto, ON, M5A 1N1 

Contact:

Email: news@sparkplugcoffee.com

Call: 647-479-2897  

SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

Facebook: @SparkplugCoffee

Instagram: @SparkplugCoffee

Twitter: @SparkplugCoffee

Pinterest: SparkplugCoffee

LinkedIn: Sparkplug Coffee & Kara Isert, Founder & CEO

Coffee Fundraising
Facebook: @Sparkplug.Coffee.Fundraising

Instagram: @Sparkplug.Coffee.Fundraising

Sparkplug Milestones

2013

• Sparkplug Coffee Ltd. incorporated

• First bags of coffee sold at a Christmas craft market December 2013

2014

• E-commerce website sparkplugcoffee.com launched in time for Canada Day 2014

• Started with 4 signature coffee blends – 3 different styles plus a delicious decaf available by personalized subscription or a la carte / on demand

2015 & on

• Growing, introduced more coffees to the roster

• Coffee subscription became the Autopilot Coffee Club with additional membership perks

• introduced Coffee Fundraising program - an easy, fully online way for schools, teams and clubs to earn some funds

• moved website to sparkplug.coffee - yes! a dot.coffee domain

2020

• Sparkplug available outside Canada – delivery area now includes the USA  

• Moved HQ to Queen & Broadview in Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood

2021 & on

• Coffees available from local Toronto retailers including mobile coffee vendor Coffee Brake Truck

• Expanded the Coffee Fundraising program. Became an approved Toronto District School Board (TDSB) fundraising vendor.

• Offer custom label coffees in partnership with local businesses and clubs, provider of the official coffee of the Vespa Club of Canada

2024

• Celebrating 10 years of Sparkplug Coffee! Still growing and keeping Canadians caffeinated and happy.

Sparkplug Logos

Right-click to download / save

All the Sparkplug logos in CMYK and Adobe Illustrator format:

THE SPARKPLUG STORY

Kara Isert launched Sparkplug Coffee in 2014 out of a personal quest to share her love of really, really, good FRESH coffee, made at home. Armed with a vintage Vespa scooter and the simple belief that everyone deserves amazing coffee in their favorite mug, the brand was born.

 As an e-commerce company, Sparkplug Coffee is devoted to personalized service, delivering consistently fresh, premium beans, not only to her neighbours in Toronto by vintage bicycle or Vespa, but to coffee lovers across Canada and the USA by mail. 

Every week, Sparkplug’s beans are roasted to order, blended into Kara’s custom recipes, and shipped to coffee lovers all across the continent.

The growing Autopilot Coffee Club membership has devotees hooked on their regular deliveries, which are personalized to their individual coffee drinking habits. From sweet and balanced lighter roast (Road Trip) to dark and smoky (Bullit Custom Dark), there’s a bean for every coffee lover; including delicious low-caffeine (Low Voltage) and fully decaffeinated (Unleaded) options.  

Kara is always looking for ways to support other women in business. Sparkplug Coffee’s cotton, reusable coffee filters (for pour over coffee and cold–brew coffee) are handmade by a local social enterprise, the Regent Park Sewing Circle, that supports new immigrant families. And, she has found a number of ways to support other small businesses and charity organizations through coffee sales and a fundraising program. Sparkplug’s partners can even get custom coffee labels!

Sparkplug Coffee has seen accolades in magazines such as Toronto Life, is the “Official Coffee of the Vespa Club of Canada,” and is the java of choice for various film and TV production crews in the city.

Brief Description - Third Person

Without a physical storefront, Sparkplug Coffee delivers its coffee by mail - or if you're in Toronto, by bike, on foot, or on the back of founder Kara Isert’s vintage Vespa scooter. With a range of coffees to suit different brewing styles and taste preferences, Canadian coffee lovers find it easy to find their perfect coffee match in one of Sparkplug's blends. Roasted and hand-blended to order each week, Sparkplug's premium coffee beans will surely kick start your day.

Press Mentions

Here are some recent press mentions and features:

Corktown News, Winter | Spring 2021 6 Secrets for the best coffee you’ve ever made

Hello neighbour! If you’re like me - and like most Canadians - you love coffee. Making a cup (or pot) of coffee is the first thing I do every day. [Here are] the secrets that can help you to make the next cup the best cup you’ve ever made.

Kawartha NOW Peterborough’s SPARK Photo Festival expands reach with national coffee-themed photography competition

SPARK has partnered with Sparkplug Coffee and PhotoED Magazine for 'Focus on Coffee' competition that includes four prizes for the winning photographer.

Toronto Life Fourteen of Toronto's top coffee roasters, and the must-brew beans from each one

Without a physical storefront, this small-batch roaster ships its beans by mail -- or, for local orders, by bike, on foot, or on the back of founder Kara Isert’s vintage Vespa scooter. Fans of darker roasts will find plenty to like in Sparkplug’s catalogue...

Driving.ca That's a Wrap: 10 gift ideas for the gearhead on your list

What better way to wake up to the Formula 1 race from Monaco than with a steaming cup of Bullit Custom Dark, Sparkplug’s “strongest and boldest blend.” If they watch MotoGP, motorcycling’s F1 equivalent, sample the medium roast Kickstart.

Healthy Moms Sparkplug Coffee 

Dark roast, medium roast, espresso, drip… Whatever your coffee tastes, they have a coffee you’ll love. They guarantee it! Love it or your money back.

Extreme Coffee Freak blog Sparkplug Coffee Review

This hand brew had some really terrific subtle sweet flavors and really knocked my socks off. As this one cooled down a bit the flavors really jumped out at you. I really enjoyed this coffee...this one was the office favorite.

Community Activities

• Canadian Women in Food
  Kara is a member of this amazing group of women food entrepreneurs. Here’s our Meet the Maker profile: Meet Kara

• Riverside BIA
  Sparkplug HQ is part of Riverside, Toronto’s oldest (and best) Business Improvement Area

• Underpass Park Farmers’ Market
  Kara is one of the co-founders of UPFM and Sparkplug is a corporate sponsors of this seasonal (May to October) farmers market in Corktown, Toronto.

• Corktown Residents & Business Association - Kara is a past board member and past-President of this neighbourhood association.

• Have You Ever Seen podcast sponsor
  Ryan and Bev Ellis are partners in film nerdery who share their often humorous musings on movies - classic and new releases. Each episode has a promo for Sparkplug Coffee in the style of the film being reviewed - so much fun!