The urban location features steel elements, exposed brick and an employee’s artwork. 

“In the suburbs, we have a little bit softer colours, community tables — it’s to suit the community, to be a community gathering,” said Docherty. 

The menu, designed by corporate chef Kari Ginakos, features a selection of baked goods, breakfast items, panini and flatbreads, soups, salads and hot specials. 

“As a coffeehouse, what differentiates us from most of our competitors is our food,” said Docherty. 

 Good Earth serves coffees with a focus on direct and ethical trade. 

“Good Earth has been around for 25 years and throughout the life of the brand, we’ve always had Fair Trade coffee. Recently over the last few years, we realized Fair Trade didn’t cover off everything that we wanted,” Docherty said. “We moved to more of a direct trade relationship; we have representatives who actually go out and visit the farms, meet the farmers, see how they’re treating the environment, making sure they aren’t using pesticides.” 

Good Earth also considers how the farmer is giving back to the community and whether workers are getting a fair wage. 

“It’s not just, are they getting a fair price for their coffee? How, in turn, are they treating [the community]?” he said. 

On the other side of the business, Good Earth expects the same type of community involvement from its franchisees.  

“We don’t dictate what that is; everyone is going to be a little different in how they are going to support what’s going on in the community,” Docherty said. “We expect that of our coffee farmers as well, so it’s a full circle of community giving.” 

Good Earth, which has 46 units in five provinces, plans to open between 10 and 12 units each year, with a majority of its focus on the Ontario market. Currently, there is an Ottawa location under development as well two more Toronto establishments in the works. 

Docherty said Good Earth is also interested in Southwestern Ontario for future growth. 

West of Ontario, there are locations in the pipeline for Winnipeg and Regina. 

“We have some places to infill in the Vancouver market, and in Saskatchewan and Manitoba,” he said.