Macaila Wagner
Conservationist and Environmental Educator
An adventurer, Macaila is passionate about exploration and the stories that bring us closer to nature. She will join us on the adventure to experience the beans’ journey and life at sea.
The Premise
Carried by the wind
From Farm to Cup
Coffee travels thousands of kilometres before it reaches your cup.
At Café William, we have chosen to rethink the way it gets there.
“We can’t change the distance, but we can change the way we travel it.”
Serge Picard, co-owner of Café William
Our Largest Shipment Yet
For the fourth time, our coffee will make its way from the Caribbean by sail, reducing transportation-related emissions by 80%.This year marks our largest shipment yet: 1,000 tonnes of green coffee will make the crossing.
Your Coffee’s Journey
Origin: Organic and Fairtrade cooperatives in Colombia and Honduras.
Crossing: 20 days at sea, carried by the wind.
Arrival: The coffee will dock in Montreal before continuing on to our Sherbrooke facility.
Roasting: 100% renewable local hydroelectricity, right here in Quebec.
Follow the Journey Live
On August 6, 2026, our team and ambassadors will come aboard.Follow along for a behind-the-scenes look at life at sea, navigation and the challenges of the open ocean.
Welcome aboard!
Set for Adventure
With a shared passion for nature, climate and the oceans, these ambassadors will be aboard the sailing cargo vessel to document this one-of-a-kind journey.
Karishma Porwal
Storyteller and Climate Activist
Known as “Climate Girl,” Karishma makes environmental issues accessible and encourages her community to rethink its environmental impact. She will offer a climate-conscious perspective on the adventure and on ways to travel more sustainably.
A Wind-Powered Cargo Ship
As Café William continues to grow, so does our sail transport initiative. This fourth shipment will be our largest yet, with more than 60 containers carried primarily by wind power.
For this voyage, our coffee will travel aboard the Neoliner Origin, the largest sailing cargo ship currently in operation.
80%
Up to 80% fewer GHG emissions than a conventional vessel of the same size.
1,000 tonnes
of green coffee transported: our largest shipment to date!
20 days
to cross the Caribbean and the Atlantic
3%
of global GHG emissions are linked to maritime transport
Follow the Adventure
Go behind the scenes of your beans’ journey.
The Journey
The Journey
This year, 1,000 tonnes of organic, Fairtrade coffee will begin their journey in Colombia and Honduras aboard a sailing cargo ship.
Our team and ambassadors will be on board to bring the adventure to life and take you behind the scenes of sailing cargo transport.
Discover the journey
Dashboard
Follow our coffee beans’ journey in real time.
Current stage:
Heading to Sherbrooke for roasting
Days at sea
0
days
Days until unloading
0
days
Log book
Follow the story behind the trip and discover the journey of our coffee beans, life on board and the adventure at sea!
Day 21
Following their 21-day journey aboard the Neoliner Origin, our 1,000 tonnes of organic and Fairtrade coffee beans have arrived at the Port of Montréal!
Over the coming hours and days, the beans will make their way to Sherbrooke, where roasting will begin. They will become our newest coffee: ALIZÉ!
Day 20
After crossing the Atlantic, we made a stop at the Port of Québec!
For a few hours, we got to share our story, our origins and ALIZÉ with visitors who came to meet us. Coffee, treats offered by Costco, tastings and a close-up look at the Neoliner Origin were all part of the day.
Days 9-19
Our beans are making their way across the Atlantic ocean under beautiful skies. Back home, our teams are getting ready for their arrival and for what’s next: upcoming stops, events, and finally, their journey to Sherbrooke for roasting!
Day 8
A new shipment is coming on board! We’re picking up more than twenty containers of coffee from the COMSA cooperative. Together with the beans already loaded in Colombia, more than 8.5 million cups’ worth of organic and Fairtrade coffee are now continuing their journey aboard the cargo sailboat.
Next stop: Montreal!
Day 7
It’s the end of the adventure at sea for our team and ambassadors! After nearly a week on board, they’re leaving the cargo sailboat in Puerto Cortés, Honduras. One last stop to take in some of Honduras’ beautiful landscapes before heading back home.
Day 6 at Sea
After several days on board, our team and ambassadors have now experienced everyday life aboard a cargo sailboat: the rhythm of the shifts, community living, endless stretches of open water, and plenty of sunrises and sunsets. A one-of-a-kind experience that will surely leave them with many unforgettable memories!
Day 5 at Sea
Today, we got a full tour of the Neoliner Origin with the crew! From the bridge and radar equipment to learning how the sails work and getting a closer look at the ship’s mechanical side, we got to explore the behind the scenes of this one-of-a-kind cargo sailboat.
The tour ended in the garages, where, among other things, our precious coffee beans are continuing their journey on board!
Day 4 at Sea
Have you ever wondered how a crew spends long days at sea? Between shifts, life on board is anything but boring: Mario Kart tournaments, games, music, films, gym sessions, aperitifs and a few well-deserved naps… There’s something for everyone!
Day 3 at Sea
After several days of hoping to spot some, we finally did: dolphins! They appeared at the bow of the ship, creating a little moment of wonder on board. The whole team quickly gathered to watch them swim through the waves.
Day 2 at Sea
A calmer day, filled with some of the simple joys of life at sea: the sound of the waves, flying fish and stargazing.
Day 1 at Sea
We’re heading to Honduras, where a second coffee loading awaits us. Our first day at sea was a lively one, sailing along the Colombian and Venezuelan coasts, carried by the warm and powerful trade winds.
Loading the Coffee
After a few port-related twists and turns, loading is finally complete! 545 large bags of ANEI green coffee are now on board, heading for Honduras.
All Aboard
We’re off! Our ambassadors and team members have finally boarded the Neoliner Origin.
Meeting ANEI
We had the pleasure of meeting the ANEI team, who travelled from the Sierra Nevada to join us in Santa Marta. A great opportunity to connect and put faces to the coffee we know and love.
Arriving in Santa Marta
We’ve arrived in Santa Marta, the starting point of our journey and the port where our team and ambassadors will board. While we wait for the ship, we’re enjoying the Colombian sunshine and scenery!
The Arrival
The Arrival
Setting Sail for Québec
On August 26, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., the Neoliner Origin will make a stop at Québec City’s Old Port before continuing its journey to Montréal. In its holds: the green coffee beans for our brand-new blend, ALIZÉ.
Come see the sailing cargo ship up close and enjoy our Signature coffees with our Mobile Barista. Our team will also be on site to give you an exclusive first taste of ALIZÉ.
Setting Sail for Montréal
After 22 days at sea, the Neoliner Origin will arrive in Montréal on August 27 and 28. In its holds: the green coffee beans for our new ALIZÉ blend, transported across the Caribbean and the Atlantic.
The sailing cargo ship will be unloaded before the beans continue their journey to Sherbrooke, where they will be roasted. You’ll also be able to catch a glimpse of the ship from Montréal’s Old Port during its stop.
Next stop: Roasting
Once our green coffee beans are unloaded in Montreal, they’ll make their way to Sherbrooke to be roasted using the world’s first industrial coffee roaster powered entirely by hydroelectricity.
100% ELECTRIC
The world’s first industrial coffee roaster powered entirely by hydroelectricity.
20 MILLION
Built to roast up to 20 million pounds of coffee annually, without fossil fuel combustion.
800 TONNES
Our electric roaster helps reduce approximately 800 tonnes of CO₂e every year.
LEED SILVER CERTIFIED
Our 100,000+ sq. ft. Sherbrooke facility was designed with energy efficiency at its core.
ROAST PRECISION
Greater control for consistently better coffee.
BEYOND THE CUP
Rethinking every stage of coffee’s journey, from sourcing and transport to roasting.
ALIZÉ
Limited Edition
Let the warm trade wind of Alizé fill your cup each morning. Handpicked high on the mountains of Colombia and Honduras, this unique medium-roast blend is transported by sailboat across the Caribbean Sea, journeying from tropical waters to the Canadian North. Enjoy this coffee with notes of toasted nuts and chocolate, specially crafted for those who appreciate the journey as much as the destination.
