Born from a restless curiosity
What started as a 5lb sample roaster in a garage became a pursuit that reshaped everything.
From garage roaster to craft obsession
In 2012, founder Mara Okafor bought a second-hand Behmor roaster after tasting a single-origin Kenyan that made her rethink everything she knew about coffee. That first home roast was uneven and slightly scorched — but something clicked.
Within a year, she was roasting for neighbors. Within two, she'd traveled to Ethiopia's Yirgacheffe region to meet the farmers behind the beans. By 2015, Ember & Roast had a permanent home, a Probat UG-22, and a mission: treat coffee like wine — respect the terroir, honor the process, and never stop learning.
Today we work directly with 14 farming cooperatives across 6 countries. We cup every lot, profile every roast, and question every assumption. The garage is long gone, but the restless curiosity remains.
Our Values
Radical Transparency
We publish our green buying prices, share roast profiles, and tell you exactly where your coffee comes from. No opacity, no vague "farm blend" labels.
Sustainable Practice
We pay above Fair Trade minimums, invest in reforestation programs at origin, and run our roastery on 100% renewable energy. It costs more. It's worth it.
Relentless Craft
Every roast is profiled on Cropster, cupped by our team, and evaluated against the previous lot. Good enough isn't. We roast until it's right.
Behind the Bar
Mara Okafor
Founder & Head Roaster. Q-grader certified. Still gets nervous before every cupping session.
Ben Torres
Head of Coffee. Former barista champion. Believes the pour-over is the purest form of brewing.
Lin Sorensen
Green Buyer & Sourcing. Travels to origin 4 months a year. Speaks fluent Amharic and Spanish.