1. 18 • SOAR
Jumping Bean is also known for its
teas, as well as Italian olive oil, bal-
samic vinegar and pasta. It is currently
expanding its network of franchise cafes
to Halifax, Moncton, Saint John and,
potentially, Prince Edward Island within
the next 24 months.
Meanwhile, five Jumping Bean
coffee products (Espresso, East Coast
Roast, Lighthouse Roast, Deep Water
Dark and French Colombian) can now
be found in 124 Target stores from St.
John’s to Victoria. One of the reasons
Target, a sustainability-focused retailer,
was attracted to JBC is that LeDrew and
his team use the ECO2 Roast process,
which reduces 85% of the emissions
from each pound roasted.
“We are the first roaster to launch
a true environmental and sustainable
coffee with our signature ECO2 Roast
Coffees,” says LeDrew. Jumping Bean
roasts all coffee to order so customers
are guaranteed freshness.
Guaranteeing fresh and sustainable
coffee means doing a fair bit of travelling.
Jeff, a father of four, is an expert at busi-
ness travel, which takes him mostly to the
Greater Toronto Area and Montreal to
meet with suppliers.
“I used to be on the road every third to
fourth week, but have scaled it back per
child ratio,” he says, explaining that for
each of his four children he has reduced
his time on the road proportionately.
Even with a reduced schedule Le-
Drew is still kept hopping and offers the
following tips to frequent flyers:
“Relax and give yourself more time,”
says the former electrical engineer who
came into the coffee business after
spending his honeymoon in Italy. “Check
the long-range forecast and reschedule
on weather if possible. I was able to
sneak through Montreal a couple times
with big snow in Toronto.”
For pleasure, LeDrew likes California.
“I would love to hit San Francisco and
wine country,” he says, adding that for
now he’s content with family trips to
The emperor
of caffeine
Jeff LeDrew switched from engineering to coffee.
His empire is growing fast.
BY Susan Flanagan
Jeff LeDrew knows his coffee. He also knows his airports. LeDrew
is the owner of Jumping Bean Coffee (JBC) on Harvey Road in St.
John’s. It’s a business with 22 employees that has positioned itself as
the premier roaster and seller of fair-trade organic coffee in the city.
With kiosks on Memorial University campus, Mile One Centre and St.
John’s International Airport, as well as cafes in St. John’s, Gander and
Grand Falls, Jumping Bean has come a long way since it began
as a Rotary Club fundraiser in 2005.
Business Traveller
Sponsored by:
Photo Credit • Maurice Fitzgerald

2. Top Right: Jeff LeDrew on the deck at the back
of Jumping Bean Coffee.
Top Left: Jeff LeDrew at Jumping Bean Coffee on
Harvey Road in St. John's. Photos by Susan Flanagan
Florida and Montreal and is always happy
to come home.
“I like St. John’s airport because you
don’t feel the hustle and bustle of other
internationalairports,”he says. “You don’t
feellostinthemalaise.There’s lotsoffamily
there picking people up. You don’t see
thatotherplaces.It’s a happy place to go.”
Photo Credit • Susan Flanagan Jeff LeDrew at Jumping Bean Coffee on Harvey Road in St. John's