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Our Origin

In 2019, Origin Coffee Roasters was established in Kihei, Hawai’i. As a roaster with our operations based in a coffee growing region, our intention is to highlight the origin & source of our beans.

Recognized as the island’s most award-winning coffee roaster, Origin Coffee is proud to have put specialty coffee on the map in Maui. From winning Maui’s Best Coffee Roaster, to a consistent winner of scores above 90 from Coffee Review, along with roasting the first ever Maui grown coffee to be on Coffee Review’s Top 30 Coffees, our staff’s expertise & skill has impacted the culture of coffee on the island and made us leaders in our industry.

The Founder

Origin’s founder & roaster Heather Brisson-Lutz is no stranger to the specialty coffee scene. Her journey with coffee began as a part-time barista in the mid-west. It wasn’t long before this became a full-time career. Heather was inspired by cafes and roasters in the PNW, and within a few years she was on a successful path honing her craft as a barista in Portland, Oregon.

Over the years Heather became more intrigued by the roasting process, and especially interested in the intricate journey coffee takes from farm to cup. She envisioned each one, from the farmers hands, to the skilled roast-master & baristas, to the customers first taste.

As a small business owner, she knows the job is never done. Whether is it working directly with local farmers, developing roast profiles, packaging & sales, she is a well-seasoned professional continuing to innovate and lead in the field.

A lifelong dream to be in Hawai’i has brought Heather and her family to the island and she commits to establishing the strongest connection possible to this spectacular growing region and its vibrant community of coffee lovers.

The Farmers
We believe that having a direct relationship at the farm level benefits the impact we have to our consumers. Farmers and their workers are an integral part of the quality of coffee we source. When a partnership is formed between farmer and roaster there is more honest and collaborative purchasing relationship and opportunities for experimental methods and further innovation.

Farmworkers are on the frontline of the crop. They nurture the quality and care that comes forth at first taste. We know that by infusing lasting relationships at the farm level that it creates a higher success rate for us all. Origin Coffee Roasters are about doing better. We don’t rely on labels or policies as much as we rely on building and keeping successful and stable relationships, and it shows in our farm direct partnerships and throughout our entire company culture.

Roasting Philosophy

 

 

 

At Origin Coffee Roasters, we believe outstanding coffee should be accessible to everyone. To create this platform we focus on proper  development during the entire roasting process to create a naturally sweet and balanced flavor profile.

 

Development
Generally, our roast profiles can be described as a “medium roast”. However, at Origin Coffee Roasters, rather than identifying our coffee flavors in terms of color such as light/medium/dark we focus on flavor development. This brings a more direct focus to the coffees growing region and micro climate in which the beans originate.

When we roast, our goal is to unlock the naturally occurring flavors that exist in each bean, much like a Chef would with individual ingredient details in creating the perfect meal. This allows you to enjoy the very best each coffee has to offer.

We do not provide roast profiles such as Italian or French for two good reasons:

  1. We spend a large portion of time sourcing and buying coffee, in order to present it to you in its best form, and this might go outside of more traditional profiles.
  2. Each growing region provides unique flavors to work with, and our goal is to coax these flavors to the forefront of each roast, highlighting the tedious contribution of the farm and it’s workers, and bring that to you, and that means going beyond.

We are more than happy to recommend one of our coffees that naturally have a flavor profile you’ll love.

 

Consistency
Our consistency is crucial to a quality product. If our roast profiles vary from batch to batch we aren’t doing our coffees, or you, justice. We use exceptional roasting equipment with software that fine tunes each profile so we can replicate your favorite coffee day in and day out.

We generally recommend our coffees with the following descriptions in mind:

Adventurous
Our more adventurous coffees and profiles are for those in search of  a more exciting, complex cup of coffee. What does that mean exactly? Typically, these coffees have a roast profile to highlight fruit, acidity, floral notes, and other exceptional flavors while keeping the natural sweetness alive in the cup. This means the cup won’t taste like your everyday coffee.

Crowd Pleaser
Our crowd pleaser coffees will fit in with any coffee craving you might have. These beans  have a clear and direct profile that appease clean, sweet flavors in the coffee. The coffee has  more development time in the roaster and therefore a balance of harmonious flavors. If you tend to like a bold, stronger tasting cup of coffee loaded with flavors like  chocolate, caramel or vanilla then this is the profile choice for you.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESIONS?
At Origin Coffee Roasters we are a small team working hard doing what we love. Here are some common questions we have had. If you don’t find what you are looking for let us know and we will do our best to make sure you have everything you need.
Local Pick Up Option at Checkout
If you are local to Maui or visiting at the time of your purchase you can select “Local Pick-up” at checkout. Pick-up location is curbside at our warehouse at 605 Lipoa Parkway in Kihei. If you need a flexible pickup we can arrange for your order to be available at Maui Brew Co’s Restaurant Front Desk/Merch area during their hours of operation.

We will contact you within 24hrs of your order to set up a pick-up arrangements. Curbside pick-up orders are scheduled Mon-Fri 10 A.M. – 2 P.M. We ask that you are punctual for your scheduled time. Mahalo!

Does Origin Coffee have a cafe to visit?
We currently do not have a cafe to welcome locals and visitors to enjoy our coffees.

We are located inside of Maui Brewing Company’s Kihei facility. You will find many of our top selling coffees & blends along with our RTD Nitro Cold Brew cans for sale at their restaurant’s front desk/merch area

Return policy
At Origin Coffee Rosters our goal is to provide you with outstanding service, delicious coffee, and the maximum quality products and goods.

If you are dissatisfied with your purchase in anyway please don’t hesitate to reach out to us about a return or exchange within 30 days of purchase. We ensure you that we will do our best to make you happy.

Please note that we cannot accept returns on coffee due to its perishable nature. Our return policy pertains strictly to merchandise .

Where can I buy Origin Coffee on Maui?

South Maui:
Maui Brewing Company
The Market Wailea
Da Green Café
Blue Door Bakery
Hawaiian Moons

Kahului/Wailuku:
Down to Earth
Alive & Well
62 Marcket

Upcountry:
​Morihara Store

Marlow Restaurant & Cafe
Espresso Mafia
The Maui Cookie Lady
Rodeo General Store

Paia/Haiku:
Mana Foods
Kuau Store
Colleen’s at the Cannery
Pauwela Store

Lahaina/West Side:
Sunshine Market
Papa Aina
Lappert’s Shave Ice

Cold Brew Shelf life?
Check the bottom of the can for “Best By” date, 10-15 days for growlers when properly refrigerated
Is your coffee organic or fair trade certified?
We do not require 3rd party certification as we know that organic certifications may be cost prohibitive in certain parts of the world. Rather, we focus on establishing a direct relationship with farmers we can trust. This creates an environment for the producer to be paid prices well above Fair Trade.
Do you provide a dark roast option?
Our roast profiles can generally be described as “medium”. We roast each coffee to highlight the natural flavor characteristics existing within. We would be happy to direct you to the beans that best fit what you love so much about coffee, just ask. Learn more here.
Do you have a wholesale program?
Check out our wholesale page and let’s get the ball rolling!
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