in the media
"Boasting Good Roasting – Classic Gourmet Coffee & Rufino Espresso"
by eva lampert
"Canadian coffee has a certain roll-up-the-rim reputation. But with coffee consumption surpassing tap water in our own true North home, we started to wonder if people really knew what they were waking up with in the mornings. Whether you flick a switch on a home brewing machine or visit the cafe down the street, we think that just like a great meal, your coffee should be memorable. So when John Rufino, the master roaster behind Classic Gourmet Coffee and Rufino Espresso, invited us for a coffee 101 class at his lab, we could not resist..."
"Buy Groceries Where the Top Toronto Restaurants Do"
by ivy knight
"...John Rufino started roasting coffee back in 1974. Today his business, officially called Classic Gourmet Coffee, supplies more than 200 restaurants and cafes. Richmond Station, Jimmy’s Coffee and Pizzeria Libretto are just a few loyal customers of the company that continues to be run by the Rufino clan...."
"How green is your bean? local coffee roaster sets world standards"
by Ady jonsohn
"...Unsatisfied with the products from his supplier, John decided to try roasting coffee himself, testing different blends and techniques until achieving a taste he was happy with. He soon expanded into a wholesale coffee business and his operations only grew from there, eventually leading to the creation of Classic Gourmet Coffee in 2002 - one of the most energy efficient roasting facilities in the world..."
"The accidental ecologist"
by pamela cuthbert
"For 30 years and counting, John Rufino has been driven by a fervent need to perfect the craft of roasting coffee beans. In the process, the owner of Classic Gourmet Coffee, in Concord, says it's something of a happy surprise that he's also an eco-leader in a business that is notoriously costly to the environment..."
CHCH News, on quality and the roasting process
While discussing the roastery, John Rufino also explores the impact of coffee roasting on the environment and some of the process involved in creating a great-tasting coffee.
"Pure Coffee Taste: Coffee roaster relies on nickel-containing stainless steel to avoid that tainted taste"
by jamie veeneman
"Nobody wants his double-shot espresso laced with rust or paint chips. Yet most coffee roasters in North America use painted steel silos that can contaminate their precious contents, especially as they age.
The status quo wasn't good enough for John Rufino, Master Roaster and president of Classic Gourmet Coffee, one of Canada's leading specialty coffee roasters..."
"A greener York: Classic gourmet coffee"
John Rufino is interviewed about Classic Gourmet Coffee's environmentally-friendly coffee roasting system.
"Roaster's Realm: Profile Roasting's Minimal Impact"
by chris ryan
"...He crafted a roasting facility that focuses on both high-quality beans and minimal environmental impact. Here, Rufino discusses his roasting background, how he built his roasters and chose his machine, and why he wanted to go green..."