Founders | My Site 1

Belinda & Reinhold Steinbeisser

Belinda and Reinhold Steinbeisser founded Mercedes Beans & Model Teas in 2001. Reinhold, born in Germany and raised in the midwestern United States, moved to Vancouver with Belinda, born and raised in Missouri, after the pair met at a coffee shop in Seattle some 42 years ago.

In 1985, the Steinbeissers moved to Hazelton, British Columbia for a teaching job and quickly discovered that it was quite a trip to the next city to get a decent cup of coffee. “Why should we settle for less than the best?” Belinda thought. She and Reinhold began researching coffee roasting methods and found that the bitter aftertaste in most coffee is due to traditional gas roasting.

They then discovered Fluid Hot Air roasting, a method that uses renewable electric heat to create a clean and clear coffee flavor. Traditional gas roasting causes gas to leech into the porous coffee bean and distort the taste,

whereas Fluid Hot Air roasting allows each continents’ unique bean flavor to shine. This method, combined

with small batch roasting, ensured premium quality in each roast.

Armed with their new-found knowledge, the Steinbeissers' opened Mercedes Beans & Model Teas in Historical

old Hazelton. Passionate for both the craft and their community, the pair were not in it for the money – they simply wanted this amazing coffee to be as accessible as possible to rural northern BC. The two were passionate about employing students and providing them with work experience to prepare for life outside of our small community.

The Steinbeissers' local contributions did not go unnoticed. Mercedes Beans and Model Teas quickly became

popular with locals and tourists alike. In addition to coffee, the shop featured a food menu, delectable homemade baked goods, and a gift shop. The store became a must-stop destination for visitors to the area, and a household name among their local patrons. So much so, that the Steinbeissers were able to market their coffee beans to many businesses in Northwestern BC. The Steinbeissers’ determination to produce a high-quality roasted coffee bean has brought so much to our small northern community. For a couple who had their first date at a coffee shop, the impact they have had on the coffee roasting scene in northern BC seems almost destined to be.