Vancouver BC, 30 March 2026 – Ms. Sonia Gonzales, Founder and CEO, and Ms. Abigail dela Cruz, Co-Founder of Grounded Partners Inc. (GPI) paid a courtesy call on Consul General Gina A. Jamoralin at the Consulate on 25 March 2026.
The courtesy call was facilitated through Ms. Jamia (Mia) Pestano, Founder and CEO, Lead Coffee Roaster, who was among the participants in the Business Session for Filipino-Canadian Entrepreneurs in Vancouver held on 14 August 2025. Ms. Pestano also conducted a coffee tasting session at the Consulate on 03 October 2025 to showcase her roasted Philippine Arabica coffee products and, in the same year, launched two startup social enterprises, Whisker Beans Coffee Company and Narra and Agila Specialty Goods.
GPI is a Philippine coffee enterprise focused on building a transparent, traceable, and farmer-centered supply chain for Philippine-grown coffee. The company works directly with smallholder farmers across key coffee-growing regions in the Philippines to improve post-harvest practices, strengthen quality consistency, and establish long-term market linkages both locally and internationally. It collaborates closely with coffee farmers and producer groups, prioritizing long-term relationships, fair pricing structures, and continuous quality improvement. GPI supplies both green coffee beans for wholesale buyers and roasted coffee for retail and institutional markets, and actively develops structured partnerships in North America to position Philippine coffee as a credible, high-quality origin supported by responsible sourcing practices.
At present, GPI is seeking capacity-building partners to support enterprise development, sustainable trade, and the enhancement of its operational systems. Ms. Gonzales and Ms. dela Cruz are currently in Canada to introduce their company and explore potential partnerships in these areas. They also attended the Post-organized event marking the culmination of National Women’s Month, “Filipino Women Entrepreneurs 2.0: Scaling the Spirit of Leadership,” on 25 March 2026, where they engaged with members of the Filipino-Canadian community. END
