A new collaboration between Mazda Canada and the Coffee Association of Canada is redefining the coffee experience, not in cafés, but on the open road. With the launch of the Mazda Coffee Tour, Canadians are being encouraged to explore local coffee culture through curated road trips, blending travel, sustainability, and the nation’s enduring love of coffee.
This partnership is more than a marketing stunt. It signals a growing convergence of lifestyle branding, experiential tourism, and consumer engagement trends, particularly relevant to the beverage and hospitality industries.
From Lattes to Landscapes: Coffee Tourism Is Canada’s Next Big Consumer Journey
Mazda Canada’s new partnership with the Coffee Association of Canada is turning a daily ritual into a national experience. The Mazda Coffee Tour, covered by Autosphere, Canadian Auto Dealer, and The Globe & Mail, invites Canadians to explore local cafés via curated road trips, blending sustainability, culture, and caffeine-fuelled discovery.
Centred around two Toronto routes and supported by the hybrid CX-90 and CX-70 SUVs, the tour is part of Mazda’s Move and Be Moved campaign. According to Mazda Canada CEO David Klan, it’s about connecting with communities while embracing the open road. With over 70% of Canadians drinking coffee regularly, and more than 60% saying they’d take part in a coffee tour, the appetite is clear.
Motivations vary by generation. Gen Z wants shareable experiences, Millennials chase flavour, and older consumers value nature and local support, as reported by Canadian Auto Dealer. But across all ages, the message is the same: consumers crave experiences that go beyond the product.
For the beverage industry, this signals a powerful shift. Coffee is no longer just a commodity, it’s a cultural touchpoint, a tourism driver, and a storytelling opportunity. Independent cafés, in particular, can capitalise on this movement by aligning with lifestyle trends and leaning into local identity.
As brands blend mobility, sustainability, and sensory experience, coffee tourism could redefine how Canadians travel and how they consume. For businesses in the beverage space, now’s the time to think beyond the cup.
Industry Analysis: The Rise of Experiential Coffee Culture
This initiative speaks to a broader evolution in how Canadians interact with coffee. No longer just a commodity or daily ritual, coffee is increasingly positioned as a gateway to local culture and shared experiences. The strategic alignment between an automotive brand and a beverage association underlines a critical trend: cross-sector collaboration to build emotionally resonant, lifestyle-driven campaigns.
For beverage businesses, particularly independent cafés and roasters, the tour represents both validation and opportunity. As Autosphere notes, Canada’s coffee industry supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and generates over $8 billion in economic activity. Initiatives like this help funnel consumers toward local venues, increasing footfall and fostering loyalty, especially important during periods of economic pressure.
Moreover, the inclusion of hybrid vehicles and sustainability messaging reflects a wider shift in consumer priorities. As travel and beverage brands navigate increasingly eco-conscious markets, aligning with values like environmental responsibility and localism becomes not just relevant, but necessary.
Looking Ahead
Mazda’s Coffee Tour hints at a future where beverage consumption is deeply embedded in lifestyle and tourism ecosystems. For cafés, roasters, and allied industries, the challenge now is to meet this moment, by creating place-based experiences, leaning into local storytelling, and collaborating across sectors.
If this trend continues, we could see beverage brands playing a central role in curated travel experiences, cultural exploration and sustainability storytelling, all brewed together in one cohesive cup.
