River Coffee Roasters

River Coffee Roasters grew out of a learning journey through Latin America and established its base in Hampshire. Founder Will Harrigan spent a year working alongside coffee producers and pickers; the idea for the roastery took shape while he was staying on a farm in Costa Rica. In 2018, he returned to the United Kingdom to launch it, having previously trained, worked, and competed in the specialty coffee industry.

The beginnings were small: a tabletop Ikawa roaster with a 50-gram capacity. The company describes subsequent growth into a rural Hampshire headquarters capable of roasting more than a metric ton daily. That change in scale retains a central idea of the project: understanding coffee’s origins and connecting a producer’s work with the final preparation, whether at home or in a coffee shop.

The collection distinguishes house blends, single-origin coffees, and decaffeinated options. Flow Blend and Source Blend sit alongside coffees such as Maliba from Uganda, La Naciente from Peru, and Mayra Solis Decaf from Costa Rica. The 250-gram and one-kilogram sizes can be ordered as whole beans or ground for espresso, AeroPress, filter brewing, or a French press. Brewing method is therefore part of the choice alongside origin.

The home catalog includes espresso machines, grinders, drippers, paper filters, milk pitchers, moka pots, and cleaning products. Hario equipment includes the Mini Slim Pro, Buono kettle, and V60 brewing tools. Coffee Lover and Duo boxes, subscriptions, cards, and a selection of tea, chocolate, and capsules provide different ways to buy for everyday use or as gifts.

Sourcing is organized through direct producer relationships and visits to places of origin. The company presents traceability and payment for agricultural work as purchasing criteria. Its packaging account distinguishes single-material plastic bags introduced in 2023 and reusable two-kilogram containers for wholesale customers since 2019, collected, cleaned, and refilled on a weekly rotation.

For coffee shops, restaurants, offices, and catering businesses, River offers blends, single origins, and complementary products. Training covers espresso production, filter coffee preparation, sensory development, and workflow. Advice on setting up a coffee service area and the supply of machines and grinders accompany that training, with leasing or rental options and payment plans.

Technical support adds annual servicing, breakdown assistance, machine installation, spare parts, and replacement equipment. The wholesale offering also includes Kokoa Collection chocolate, Birchall teas, and plant-based milks. These services extend the relationship beyond delivering a bag of coffee and place the roaster within other businesses’ daily operations.

River Community connects the business with charities and local initiatives in Hampshire and with coffee-producing communities. Online sales, gifts, and wholesale supply are the main channels of a roaster connecting bean selection with the equipment and knowledge needed to brew it. Its journey from working on farms to distribution in the United Kingdom links those different activities.