Authentic Colombian Coffee: Taste of Colombia

Meet Yury Wu, founder of Taste of Colombia, a Colombian-inspired and fair-trade café. Yury moved to Canada from Colombia in 1999. She opened the café in 2012 wanting to bring a taste of her own country to Bronte. Co-owner and business partner Lynn Choi joined Yury in 2014. Since then, they have grown to be a go-to coffee shop in Oakville. The Bronte BIA got a chance to interview Yury to discuss her business and her thoughts about Bronte. 

What are you known for?

“I think we are one of the best spots in Bronte to have and enjoy coffee,” says Yury. “We are known for our good coffee, our lively atmosphere – it’s so friendly and lovely. When you walk into Taste of Colombia you automatically get hit with the smell of the coffee and the colorful décor of our business. Customers can ‘taste’ Colombian culture the moment they walk in.” 

What makes you different?

Yury says that what sets them apart from big-brand coffee competitors is the pureness of their coffee and the ethical means by which they get their beans. She says, “Our coffee is organic and fair trade. When we came in, we really wanted to be an independent café that was making a difference in the lives of the producers. Fair trade guarantees that the producers have been paid fairly, and that is the main thing that cafes like mine try to do. And, the bonus is that you are drinking organic – free of pesticides – high quality, coffee.”

What do you love about Bronte?

Having her café near the lake and the overall potential of the area was a draw for her. “I scouted out the area and location,” says Yury. “I could see that thestreet had a lot of potential and you can see that pay off today with the many great businesses that are there.”

She also says, “The area is a safe area. I’ve always felt very safe and the community is very supportive. We have built a great community of clients that keep coming back to us. You should see the kind messages we get on our social media accounts, it’s very motivating.”