Roast Magazine Salutes Local Coffee Company’s Efforts

For the second year in a row, Portland Roasting Coffee earned the title of Runner-Up Roaster of the Year at the industry’s fourth annual competition hosted by Roast Magazine in September. A close second, next to Zoka Coffee of Seattle, Portland Roasting collected high grades for its sustainable business efforts and top-quality single-origin coffees.

Nearly 40 coffee companies from around the country threw their hat into the ring for a competition that involved a written application pertaining and a cupping of three coffee samples. Portland Roasting shot to the top of the heap of applicants with its work in the environmental and fair trade practices arena. Their Farm Friendly Direct™ coffee sourcing program and recent introduction of the region’s first compostable to-go cup, the ecotainer™, were just two of the company’s notable efforts that placed them apart from their competitors.

“Portland Roasting is a leader in the coffee industry as they are changing the way people look at direct trade and sustainability,” explains Connie Blumhardt, publisher of Roast Magazine. “They act as a model for new roasters who want to make inroads into sustainability while roasting excellent coffee.”

In the blind cupping portion of the competition, coffees were judged per SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) standards on a 1-100 point scale. Judges examined coffee samples for their defects, flavor profile, density, body, aroma and mouth feel, among others characteristics.  In the blind cupping, Portland Roasting scored of 80.5 for its Morning Blend, an 86.50 for its Portland House Blend and 88.50 for its Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Kochere blend.

About Portland Roasting
Since 1996, Portland Roasting Coffee Company has been roasting coffee and espresso for the Northwest community.  The company’s products are available via wholesale, internet and retail channels as well as through corporate, university and specialty venue businesses. Portland Roasting prides itself on its sustainability initiatives such as its Farm Friendly Direct™ program that pays premium prices to its growers to ensure quality coffee while helping to sustain the families and communities that support the coffee farmers. For more information on its coffees and environmental programs, please go to Portland Roasting.