Meet the Maker Tag

Rory and Diana are the business owners of Scavenger Coffee, a unique bicycle transported business that doubles as a traveling coffee stand, based right here in Strathcona.

Drawing from Diana’s love of bicycles as well as her experience in the cargo-bike delivery industry, the pair started their coffee business during the beginning of the pandemic. A challenging obstacle to their original business plan has led them to find their community at a number of Vancouver Farmer’s Markets as well as festivals, weddings and other events.

Learn more about Rory and Diana’s story below.

Tell us a little bit about your brand and what you do.

Rory: Scavenger Coffee is a mobile coffee shop, pulled behind a bicycle. Our cart is handmade, by us, from local and scavenged materials. Our espresso is hand-pulled, on our 1970s Italian espresso machine.

We launched just before the pandemic, and it’s been an interesting ride since then figuring out ways to survive. We thought we’d made it when we got a Downtown operating permit for the corner of Robson & Granville St starting on March 1st, 2020… but we’re fortunate to be flexible and we pivoted to operating in neighborhood parks so we could serve people working from home.

Now we have a happy mix of farmer’s markets, private events, festivals, and sunny days at the park.

How did your love for coffee begin and when did you decide to turn your passion into a business?

Diana: I’ve always loved coffee, but it was my passion for bikes that inspired me to start a business. I worked for Shift Delivery, which is a cargo bike delivery co-op, a few years ago. They had such a great community and really showed me the potential of a bike-based business. They inspired me to combine my love of coffee culture with my passion for bikes and start a business.

Where in Strathcona are you based and what makes this neighbourhood special to you?

Diana: We feel really lucky to live and work in Strathcona. It’s a 2 minute commute to our kitchen space, which is tucked under the Powell St overpass. My admiration for the community that coffee can bring was fostered in no small part by some of our neighborhood mainstays, like the Wilder Snail and the Union Market. Those spots are just a couple of examples of the many reasons why I love this neighborhood.

How does your work impact the community?

Diana: By operating a small business exclusively from a bicycle, we hope to inspire folks, and shift the city towards being more bike-centric, active, and community-oriented.

Rory: People love to see crazy things being pulled by a bicycle, and no one believes us at events when we tell them that yes, we did bike it here. I like to think that we open some people’s eyes to what you can do with a bicycle. It’s such a great way of getting around Vancouver.

Where can we find you?

Diana: On the weekends we’ll be bouncing around the Riley Park, Kitsilano, West End and Trout Lake Farmers Markets all summer long: April 30th – Oct 30th. We’re also really excited that festivals, events, and weddings are happening again this summer! We’re still filling our schedule, but we’ll be posting our location on our Instagram @scavengercoffee.

You can also learn more about Scavenger Coffee at www.scavengercoffee.com

Interested in meeting more Strathcona makers? Learn more about Orii Jewelry, Yardi Grabz, Living Lotus Chocolate and Awesome Sauce Designs.