Roaster of the Year Award
The Roaster of the Year Award recognizes the top roasters in the world.
The competition is fierce and draws applications from every part of the globe. Could you be our next Roaster of the Year?
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2025 Roaster of the Year Award!
Competition Overview
The competition begins with a written questionnaire covering topics ranging from company mission statement, sustainable/employee practices to commitment to the industry.
From the written applications three finalists are chosen from two categories, roasting less than 100,000 pounds per year (Micro) and roasting more than 100,000 pounds per year (Macro). The finalists are required to send in 3 pounds of roasted coffees. The coffees are cupped and scored. The cupping scores and the written scores are combined. The company with the most points is crowned our Roaster of the Year.
The competition has TWO categories and TWO winners:
Micro Roaster Category
Roasters who roast less than 100,000 lbs per year
Macro Roaster Category
Roasters who roast more than 100,000 lbs per year
Criteria and Award Package
We developed this award to help inspire further excellence and success in the roasting industry.
The Roaster of the Year winners will be chosen based on the following criteria for both Micro and Macro categories:
Company mission
Commitment to sustainable practices
Commitment to employees and educational practices
Commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity
Commitment to and involvement in the coffee industry
Innovations in roasting, marketing and business practices
Quality of coffee
The Roaster of the Year award package includes:
A full-length feature story in the November | December issue of Roast
$500 USD
Recognition on the Roast website
Contest Rules
Three finalists will be chosen based on the criteria above for each category. Contestants will be notified if they are chosen as finalists. At that time, each finalist will be asked to submit three different one-pound roasted coffee samples. Coffees will be judged on aroma, color, imperfections, bean size and a clean cup. Coffees will be blindly judged by professional coffee cuppers.
Winner of the Roaster of the Year award will be announced in the November/December issue of Roast. The Roaster of the Year award will be presented to a company and not an individual. All entries become the property of Roast and will not be returned to applicant. Entries are judged by Roast employees and representatives. Decisions of the judges are final. All scores are confidential and undisclosed. Applicants can either be a wholesale roaster or roaster/retailer. Applicants must roast their own coffee. By entering this competition you give permission to Roast to publish your name and likeness in association with this competition and the promotion of this contest.
Past Roaster of the Year Winners
2024
Micro—Bridge City Coffee
Macro—Verve Coffee Roasters
2023
Micro—Rabbit Hole Roasters
Macro—Cafe Kreyol
2022
Micro—Little Waves Coffee Roasters
Macro—Huckleberry Roasters
2021
Micro—Greater Goods Coffee Company
Macro—Tony's Coffee
2020
Micro—Mostra Coffee
Macro—Coffee By Design
2019
Micro—Dragonfly Coffee Roasters
Macro—Peerless Coffee & Tea
2018
Micro—Amavida Coffee Roasters
Macro—Oughtred Coffee & Tea
2017
Micro—Mudhouse Coffee Roasters
Macro—Thanksgiving Coffee Company
2016
Micro—Propeller Coffee Co
Macro—Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea
2015
Micro—Portola Coffee Lab
Macro—Reunion Island Coffee Roasters
2014
Micro—Pilot Coffee Roasters
Macro—Coda Coffee Company
2013
Micro—Olympia Coffee Roasting Company
Macro–Gimme! Coffee
2012
Micro—Bird Rock Coffee Roasters
Macro—Portland Coffee Roasting
2011
Micro—Conscious Coffees
Macro—Dillanos Coffee Roasters
2010
Micro—Kickapoo Coffee
Macro—Equator Estates Coffee
2009
Micro—Coffee Klatch
Macro—PT's Coffee Roasting Co.
2008
Micro—Higher Ground Roasters
Macro—Zoka Coffee Roasters
2007
Micro—Metropolis Coffee Co.
Macro—Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea
2006
Winner—Stumptown Coffee Roasters
Runnerup—Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea
Runnerup—Dillanos Coffee Roasters
2005
Winner—Counter Culture Coffee
Runnerup—Taylor Maid Farms
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