Anchored away

The Business Development Bank of Canada is taking votes for the winner of its Young Entrepreneur Award, and in first place is Zane Kelsall, co-owner of Two If By Sea Cafe. Kelsall always wanted to create Anchored Coffee, a roastery specializing in direct-trade and high quality coffee. The grand prize grant of $100,000 would be the necessary starting push. “We feel like we’ve proven ourselves to the community. A roastery will further our control in the coffee quality,” says Kelsall. Opening Anchored Coffee in downtown Dartmouth will provide coffee roasted to customers tastes and allow transparency---customers will see where the coffee came from, who grew it and how much it cost. Kelsall will choose the coffee farmers himself by visiting their land, resulting in a long-term relationship and ethical prices. The roastery will have public space and a “coffee lab.” People can try exclusive coffee tastings, attend seminars and the room will be rentable for private events. “The grant would accelerate the process to get this going, but we are determined to make the roastery happen either way,” says Kelsall. If you want to help keep him at first place, vote via thecoast.ca/VoteForZane. Voting ends June 19 and everyone can vote daily.