Roast Local is a directory of independently owned coffee roasters across the country. This page explains how we decide which roasters are listed, how data is maintained, and what "independent" means to us.
What "Independent" Means
A roaster is listed on Roast Local if it meets one simple criterion: it is independently owned and operated. That means the business is not owned by, or a subsidiary of, a large holding company, private equity conglomerate, or multinational food corporation.
Roasters that were once independent but have since been acquired — such as those owned by JAB Holding Company, Nestlé, or similar entities — are not listed. We believe that supporting truly independent roasters matters, and we want the directory to reflect that clearly.
How Roasters Get Listed
Roast Local's initial dataset was compiled from public sources: roaster websites, state business directories, Google Maps, social media profiles, and specialty coffee community resources. Each roaster was verified to confirm they are a real, operating business that roasts coffee. We did not scrape images or content — all profile data is either publicly available business information or provided directly by the roaster.
Roasters can also submit their own listing or claim an existing profile at roastlocal.com/claim.
What a Profile Includes
Every roaster profile on Roast Local includes basic public information: name, city, state, and a link to their website. Beyond that, profiles may include roast styles, origin types, certifications (organic, fair trade, direct trade, Rainforest Alliance), whether they ship nationally, and a description of their business.
When a roaster claims their profile, they can add and update their own information: coffees, tasting notes, photos, and business details. Claimed profiles are marked with a verified badge.
Geographic Coverage
Roast Local currently covers 63 states and regions: Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Nevada, Wyoming, Alaska, British Columbia, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado — over 2,700 independent coffee roasters in total. We plan to expand nationally over time.
City-level landing pages are automatically generated for any city that has at least one active roaster in the database.
Data Accuracy
We update roaster data on a rolling basis. Roasters who have claimed their profiles can update their information at any time through their dashboard. For unclaimed profiles, we periodically re-verify that the business is still operating and that the information is current.
If you notice an error, a closed business, or a roaster that should be added, please contact us at hello@roastlocal.com.
Known Limitations
Not every roaster has a complete profile. Many unclaimed profiles have limited information — a name, a city, and a website link. We are actively reaching out to roasters to claim and complete their listings.
Our coverage is strongest in Oregon and Washington, where the indie coffee scene is densest. Newer state coverage (Utah, Wyoming, Nevada) is still growing.
Buying Coffee
Roast Local does not sell coffee directly. We do not run a cart, hold inventory, or process transactions. There is no first-party checkout on this site.
When you click "Visit Website" on a roaster's profile, or "Buy direct" on a coffee in our shop catalog, you are taken straight to that roaster's own site or online store. The shop catalog is a directory of coffees from active roasters in our database — it makes their products discoverable and filterable by origin, roast level, and tasting notes, but every purchase happens on the roaster's own site.
Shop links are routed through roastlocal.com/shop/go/<id> so we can count how many click-throughs each coffee receives. That telemetry helps us improve discovery and tells roasters which of their products are getting traction. We currently do not earn commission on those sales. If we ever introduce an affiliate model, we'll say so plainly here and on the roaster's dashboard before it goes live.
The goal is simple: help you discover great independent roasters, then get out of the way so you can support them directly.