2025 Future Leaders in Convenience + Car Wash Awards winner: LUCAS GOODENOUGH

Breaking into the competitive coffee industry and helping build a new company from the ground up using responsible business, sustainability and give back principles proved a great opportunity for Goodenough.  

“Partnering with Van Houtte Coffee Services to launch Back Coffee nationally and seeing our footprint grow to 500 sites across Canada, including hotels and an airline, is testament to what can happen when we share a purpose-driven mission. It also shows us that there is an increasing appetite for an offering that prioritizes quality, purpose, connection and impact,” he says.

Founder and CEO Roxanne Joyal says Goodenough has been a driving force and an exemplary leader who helped secure distribution across more than 500 sites.

“As a purpose-driven coffee company dedicated to empowering women coffee farmers, and creating meaningful change by offering premium, responsibly sourced coffee that uplifts communities and champions responsible practices,” she explains.

“Lucas plays a pivotal role in expanding the company’s reach and brings a unique perspective to the industry as an advocate for diversity and inclusion. As a member of the LGBTQ2S+ community, he’s been a bridge-building advocate for greater representation and inclusion within the industry.”

Goodenough notes that meeting the farmers who directly benefit from the company’s mission has been meaningful and inspiring.

“Every intentional step in our supply and value chain really matters—from sourcing to distribution, building a company with responsible business practices, sustainability and relationships in mind makes my work very rewarding and fulfilling,” he says.

“Knowing that our products improve the livelihoods of coffee growing communities is what makes me proud to come to work each day.”