The Story
Heart Coffee Roasters was established in 2009 by Wille and Rebekah Yli-Luoma , though its origins trace back even earlier to Wille’s basement roasting experiments in 2008 . Wille, a Finland native and professional snowboarder, settled in Portland after moving to the States for snowboarding when he was 23 . His transition from professional athlete to coffee roaster began with a fascination for specialty coffee that evolved from commercial machines in his kitchen to a basement filled with green coffee beans . What started as a hobby seeking to understand why coffee tasted different from day to day became “a passion, almost an obsession” .
Eight months after launching, Wille’s wife Rebekah jumped in to help out where she could and has been there ever since . Initially planning to “come in for a couple weeks and clean some stuff up,” Rebekah found herself staying permanently , bringing her business acumen and passion for hospitality to complement Wille’s technical expertise. The early years weren’t easy—“For the first two years our coffee was good only every now and then” —but the founders remained committed to their vision of highlighting coffee’s natural fruit flavors through precise roasting.
In Heart’s 15th year, they currently have two busy Portland cafés and over 120 wholesale accounts, but their main mission hasn’t changed . As Wille explains, “We’re not going to change anything. Every year, we’ll keep putting more focus on sourcing green coffee and roasting” . The company has grown from those basement beginnings to become recognized by Thrillist as one of “The Top 10 Coffee Roasters in the Nation” and later “The 21 Best Coffee Roasters in the Country” .
Sourcing & Relationships
Heart’s sourcing philosophy centers on securing green coffee during its peak time of the year, referred to as ‘seasonal’ or ‘current crop’ buying . They believe the coffee’s vibrancy is most apparent when it is fresh, and Heart travels to origin during and at the end of harvest times to show support, assist with quality control and select the best crops . Their commitment is clear: “It’s important for us to have close relationships with coffee producers, and every decision we make is geared towards bringing out the best flavors in coffee” .
Heart sources beans through direct trade relationships with producers across Kenya, Ethiopia, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Brazil, and Guatemala, visiting farms annually to maintain those connections . They visit farming partners throughout the year, maintaining healthy working relationships built on open communication, trust and respect, with the goal to provide financial stability so relationships will last and be mutually sustainable . The quality of coffee Heart works with is not affected by C-Market pricing , allowing them to focus on quality rather than commodity market fluctuations.
The company’s transparency extends to their sourcing practices and pricing. They understand FOB (“Free On Board”) pricing that includes services such as milling, packaging, and everything until coffee is ready for export . In 2019, they diversified their importing network to better serve origin partners regarding support at mills, expedience in payment, and better relationships between exporters and importers, allowing more transparency and communication on the ground . This approach has proven particularly beneficial in Ethiopia and Kenya, while also allowing exploration of newer origins like Brazil, Mexico, and Peru .
Roasting Philosophy
Heart’s roasting philosophy is built around showcasing origin character and natural fruit flavors. Heart’s doors opened in 2009 with the idea that a great cup should highlight the distinct fruit flavors that are found in coffee , and Wille roasts his coffee “so you can taste where the coffee comes from” . They exclusively buy washed coffees and want to roast the coffee so you can taste where it’s from without knowing . Their roasting style is intentionally light, designed to preserve delicate florals, citrus acidity, and complex sweetness .
During the roasting process, they focus on even development throughout the bean, maximizing sweetness, without over-roasting or baking the coffee dry. This style of roasting results in pronounced sweetness and fruit tones with a juicy finish . In 2019, Heart made a significant equipment change, replacing their antique Probat roasters with modern Neuhaus Neotec air roasters after determining they were unable to achieve the amount of convective heat transfer they desired without being hindered by the conductive energy of the drum . This change resulted in increased consistency, clarity, and sweetness in their coffees .
Wille’s approach brings “a certain rigor and scientific method” to roasting. Seven years ago, Heart was probably the only roaster in the Northwest using refractometers and really measuring their coffees . Every bag of Heart coffee is tagged with a roast date and batch number that directly relates to a specific roast in their database, which was tested for quality. Any roast batches that do not meet their standards are donated to the local food bank . Because of their commitment to treating coffee with care, they do not label their coffee as light, medium or dark roast .
What to Try
Heart’s approach to coffee offerings centers on seasonal rotation and origin expression. Their Roaster’s Choice Subscription offers a diverse selection of coffees sourced from around the globe, including smaller lots that may not be featured on their menu . With a rotation every two weeks, subscribers enjoy a fresh and exciting coffee experience with each delivery .
Their signature Stereo espresso forms the base of their espresso drinks , and Condé Nast Traveler noted that “Chemex- and Aeropress-brewed ‘pour-over’ coffees are perhaps the best way to sample the results, though espresso drinks are excellent here, too” . Their beans are ideal for filter methods like pour-over, Chemex, and batch brew—but also make for expressive, silky espressos . At their newer locations, Heart focuses on consistency by batch brewing into glass-lined carafes that never sit for more than 20 minutes .
For those new to light roasts, Heart offers a gateway into a more refined, terroir-driven coffee experience . Nearly every coffee from Heart honors the origin in flavor with clarity in taste and notes that comes from devotion to origin and natural fruit flavors throughout the roasting process . Their ideal coffee features “fruitiness and delicate sweet notes, along with a rich body, and pronounced acidity” . Their roasts are not for those chasing bitterness or boldness—they’re for coffee lovers who crave nuance, acidity, and refinement in every cup .