Olympia Coffee Roasting Co.

Olympia Coffee Roasting Co. was established in 2005 in downtown Olympia, Washington, beginning as a small-batch wholesale operation. In 2010, Sam Schroeder and Oliver Stormshak—who had previously founded Sea Level Coffee—purchased the company from its original founders. Under their leadership, the business expanded its footprint to include multiple café locations across Olympia, Tacoma, and Seattle, alongside the establishment of Moonrise Bakery in 2021.

The company’s operational philosophy is centered on a 'quality-of-life' mission, which dictates that business decisions should benefit farmers, employees, and the local community. This approach is most visible in their sourcing practices. Olympia Coffee maintains direct trade partnerships across nine countries in East Africa, South America, and Central America, emphasizing long-term relationships built on fairness and respect rather than transactional commodity purchasing.

A cornerstone of their business model is the 'Fair for All' sourcing protocol. This initiative serves as a framework for their direct trade efforts, requiring the company to document and report on their purchasing practices. By publishing annual transparency reports, the company provides public data on the prices paid per pound for their green coffee, allowing stakeholders to track their commitment to paying premiums that exceed standard market rates.

In practice, this sourcing model has led to significant investments in origin-level quality. For example, the company has historically invested in specific producer lots, such as their work with Melvin Flores in El Salvador, where financial support for processing and farm management resulted in measurable improvements in cup quality scores. These efforts are designed to ensure that the economic benefits of specialty coffee reach the producers directly.

Technically, the company focuses on precision roasting, historically utilizing Diedrich equipment and more recently integrating a 70kg Loring roaster to scale production while maintaining quality standards. Their product range includes a variety of single-origin coffees and signature blends, often featuring experimental processing methods. In 2024, they launched 'Oliver’s Custom Coffee,' a reserve brand specifically dedicated to rare varietals and experimental fermentations.

Beyond their roasting operations, the company has achieved recognition within the specialty coffee industry through various awards and a consistent focus on professional development. Their business structure remains integrated, with the roastery and headquarters serving as the hub for their retail and wholesale operations. Today, the company continues to operate as an independent entity, balancing its growth in the Pacific Northwest with its ongoing commitment to its established transparency and sourcing standards.