The Story
Coava began in Matt Higgins North Portland garage in 2008. The veteran barista and roaster bootstrapped the company by repairing motorcycles.
Having spent years in specialty coffee, Matt dreamed of starting his own company where he could roast and prepare coffees that would be exciting for professional baristas and inviting to everyday drinkers.
So he studied agriculture, farm practices, and sustainable business. He sought farmers who were committed to producing quality crops, and focused his attention on under-sourced regions.
His hard work and willingness to go above and beyond eventually earned him a reputation among coffee producers as a respectful, diligent, and honest person. Those early years were difficult, but exciting, and laid the foundation for many of the longstanding partnerships Coava has with farmers to this day. The company has grown significantly since those garage days, moving through multiple locations before establishing their current 13,000-square-foot roastery and headquarters in Southeast Portland. In 2018, he was named Oregon’s small business person of the year.
Over the years, we’ve grown to a team of nearly fifty coffee lovers who have a vast scope of knowledge and experience and of course, a genuine passion for coffee. The company has expanded beyond Portland with locations in San Diego and has gained national recognition, particularly after being featured on Jerry Seinfeld’s “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.” “It’s a reason to live here,” he quipped.
Sourcing & Relationships
Our sourcing model is built around partnerships with great coffee producers and in depth agronomy analysis of every farm we work with. Our sourcing model is built around partnerships with great coffee producers and in depth agronomy analysis of every farm we work with. We invest in those we work with and we partner for the long term.
Before selecting a producer, Coava performs a farm agronomy audit, where they assess the soil and coffee bean production of the farm. From the results, they determine if the farm can produce the quality of coffee they need, year after year.
We’ve worked closely with a small group of truly excellent producers for over a decade, and we are absolutely invested in their success. We’ve helped to build new drying beds, improve living conditions, and provide the financial means to help farmers purchase new equipment and make farm level investments.
Yes, we have a very close working relationship with our coffee-producing partners and visit most on at least an annual basis. We’ve worked closely with a small group of truly excellent producers for over a decade, and we are invested in their success.
The company’s approach goes beyond transactional relationships. Being socially responsible, honest, and investing in infrastructure allows us to get the same great coffees each year, to build trust between us and our producers, and to offer stability and security to the coffee producing communities we partner with.
We recognize that it is the growers, not us, who determine a coffee’s potential, and we are honored to work with producers who take such pride in their work.
Roasting Philosophy
Coava focuses on development rather than color. What matters to us is that each bean is properly developed from the inside out.
When we roast, our goal is to unlock the very best that individual coffee has to offer so you taste the unique, exciting, single origin coffee, not the roast. This approach reflects their commitment to showcasing the inherent character of each origin rather than imposing a house style.
This means that due to variations in size, weight, density, moisture content, moisture activity, and environment, each specific lot of coffee has its own roasting profile. We roast two development profiles; one is for espresso and the other is for drip.
Espresso is a unique brewing method that produces a concentrate and therefore needs a roast that tones down the acidity, allowing the full taste profile and balance of that coffee to shine and taste its best in an espresso format.
We choose to roast on drum machines. We use drum machines because they hold heat energy well and provide the balance between convective, conductive, and radiant heat that we desire. Every machine we roast on gets key aftermarket modifications that allow us to maximize and calibrate each roaster to our specific coffee roasting program. The company emphasizes precision and consistency, with Coava focuses on developing the bean from the inside out, to ensure the full flavor of the bean is extracted.
What to Try
The S.O. Blend is the result of significant effort and years of building long lasting relationships with coffee producers. Top quality specialty coffees from Colombia, Brazil, and Ethiopia offer rich, dark caramel and chocolate notes. This blend represents Coava’s flagship offering— “This tried and true coffee is the kind of cup you want to drink every day.”
Their single-origin offerings showcase the company’s commitment to highlighting unique terroir. Our single origin coffee menu changes seasonally offering an exciting variety of freshly roasted specialty coffees. Current offerings include varieties like Benjamin Miranda - A small lot with delicious notes of plum, caramel, & Campari and specialty lots featuring flavor profiles ranging from Ethiopian coffees with pomegranate and rosé notes to Honduran beans with strawberry lemonade characteristics.
Designed around simplicity, we always offer two selections of hand poured coffee and two selections for espresso based drinks. The company’s retail approach emphasizes quality over quantity, focusing on perfecting a curated selection rather than overwhelming customers with options. For cafe specialties, Our signature honey and vanilla lattes are handcrafted using house-made syrups & mochas are made with Seahorse Chocolate.