About Us

THE STORY

Hello, my name is Andrew Goossen. I’m a lifelong coffee lover and the proud owner of Trail’s End Coffee. Here’s how it all began. I grew up on a farm in Missouri, and one of my favourite memories is going to my Grandma’s house for “coffee time.” We, grandchildren, would sip from a little white plastic cup she got while traveling on an airplane. That tiny cup sparked something in me, long before I ever knew it would lead to a business of my own.

   (Pictured here is the little cup we used.)

On the farm, at the very back of our property, was a field — quite literally at the end of the trail. The soil was highly erodible, and whenever it rained, water would flow through, carving channels we called “gully washers.” Over time, the farm was nicknamed the “Trail’s End Washout” by my uncle.

When I needed a name for my business, I came up with the name “Trail’s End Coffee.” It felt like the perfect fit: a nod to home, to family, and to where my love of coffee began. Then I moved to Canada, made Elma my home and began roasting.

After all these years, the name also fits the landscape where our roastery is in Elma, Manitoba. It sits near the end of the trail, (Highway 15), right where prairie meets boreal forest, a new kind of trail’s end.

MORE ABOUT TRAIL'S END COFFE

I’ve always loved coffee, but my real journey started when I began roasting green beans in my kitchen. My very first “roaster” was a Whirley Pop stovetop popcorn popper. I got creative and drilled a hole in the lid to fit a thermometer so I could monitor the bean temperature. (For the record, I don’t recommend doing this at home unless you have a good exhaust fan!)

(This is a picture of that original Whirley Pop.)

After a lot of reading, experimenting, and giving friends samples, I eventually started selling coffee. 

When I moved to Elma in 2012, the Whirley Pop came out again, and the dream became more real. In 2013, I bought my first commercial roaster—and that’s when Trail’s End Coffee officially began. Since then, I’ve upgraded to a modern roaster and continue to learn, experiment, and grow as a craft roaster.

With the support of my family, friends, and the amazing community here in Elma, I’ve been able to turn a childhood memory into something meaningful.

Thank you all for being part of the journey. I’m excited to keep sharing fresh, Artisan roasted coffee from around the world with you.

— Andrew Goossen