roaster feature series ☕
It’s time for my second roaster feature on the blog: Caravan Coffee! In this series, I’m diving deeper into coffee and the people behind it by highlighting local roasters in Portland and others I discover during my travels. We’ll be exploring Caravan’s roasting philosophy, sourcing practices, tasting room experience (yes, coffee tasting!), and more. Let’s get into it!
caravan coffee: about
I first came across Caravan Coffee this past fall when I moved to Dundee, Oregon for the wine harvest. On my days off, I’d drive into Newberg and stop by Lyrics Cafe to treat myself to an oat milk latte and a cinnamon roll. Lyrics brews Caravan, and every single latte I had there was incredible. (Fun fact: the owner of Caravan also previously owned Coffee Cottage, the first espresso bar in Yamhill County, now home of Lyrics).
As I explored more coffee shops around Oregon, I kept noticing Caravan popping up everywhere, from small cafes in wine country to places like Elk Creek Coffee in Cannon Beach. After consistently loving their coffee, I knew I wanted to learn more about the people behind it.
Caravan’s roastery and tasting room is located in Newberg, Oregon. I had the chance to sit down with Matt, the tasting room manager, to talk all things coffee and even experience a tasting of several of their coffees.
What immediately stood out to me about Caravan was the intentionality behind everything they do, from sourcing to roasting to brewing. They hold extremely high standards when sourcing coffee, making sure every coffee they bring in has a specific social impact within its region, sustainable environmental practices in place, and direct traceability to individual farms or farming communities.
I’m always amazed when I talk with people in the coffee industry about the process of getting coffee from farm to cup. Coffee truly is a craft, and speaking with Matt made it clear just how much thought, time, and dedication goes into every roast. When you add in the relationship-building with farmers and the intentional sourcing behind it all, the process becomes even more impressive (read more in my post Coffee: From Plant to Latte). I left Caravan with an even deeper appreciation for both coffee and the people behind it.
Q&A
tell me about the main coffees you offer and where they are sourced from?
We offer five coffees that we carry year-round, rotating special release single-origins, and several blends. The five single-origins we always carry are from Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Peru, and Ethiopia, and right now we also have special releases from Nicaragua and Honduras.
The three things we look for when sourcing are social impact, environmental sustainability, and traceability. We want to ensure that we are benefiting both the communities producing the coffee and the communities drinking it.
how would you describe your roasting style and philosiphy?
Each coffee cherry is unique, so every coffee requires its own roast profile. We use a small sample roaster in our cupping lab for trial and error, testing different roast profiles to determine which one brings out the best characteristics in each coffee.
We roast Monday through Thursday and typically complete around 30–40 batches per day, depending on orders. Each batch is around 17–20 pounds, and we intentionally roast in small batches, and always roast to order for quality and consistency.
how would you describe the tasting notes of your espresso?
The main thing that we look for in espresso is balance. When brewing espresso we are looking for an even extraction that allows for even presentation of sour, sweet, and bitter notes. Our blend that we use on espresso, Capstone, was created with a sweet milk chocolate base and a punch of citrus to help cut through the milk on classic cafe drinks. That being said, we also rotate through single origin features on espresso each month so guests can taste the spectrum of what coffee has to offer.
how do you differentiate yourself in portland’s crowded market?
Portland has one of the most respected coffee scenes in the country, and we have a great deal of respect for the roasters who have helped build that reputation. Our differentiation comes from the combination of quality, hospitality, education, and our connection to Oregon wine country.
Our location in wine country has also shaped how we think about coffee. We approach coffee with the same curiosity and sense of place that wineries bring to wine. Our Tasting Room experience encourages guests to slow down, compare coffees side by side, explore flavor, and learn how origin, variety, and processing influence the final cup.
Our goal is simple: create exceptional artisan coffee experiences through quality, education, and hospitality. That combination has allowed us to remain relevant for nearly three decades while continuing to evolve with the industry.
how did you get your start in coffee?
I started working as a barista and worked my way up to my current role as tasting room manager. Along the way, I gained valuable experience working at Coava Coffee Roasters in Portland.
What kind of relationships are you trying to build with your customers?
For our wholesale partners, we aim to be more than a supplier. We focus on long-term partnerships through training, operational support, menu development, and hospitality coaching. We help businesses build coffee programs that strengthen their guest experience and support their growth.
For our retail guests, we aim to be more than a coffee shop. We focus on creating meaningful experiences, and a genuine connection to coffee. Whether someone is stopping in for their daily cup, exploring a coffee flight, joining a tour, or learning about a new origin, our goal is to make every visit engaging, welcoming, and memorable. We help our guests discover coffees they love, deepen their understanding of where coffee comes from, and experience coffee in a way that adds value to their everyday lives.
what’s one coffee myth you wish would disappear?
The myth we’d like to see disappear is that coffee is simply a daily transaction or ‘fuel’. Coffee is an agricultural product with a deep connection to place, people, and craft.
We believe the future of coffee is terroir-driven. Just as people have learned to appreciate how wine reflects where it was grown, coffee offers the same opportunity. Origin, elevation, variety, climate, and processing all shape what ends up in the cup.
As guests become more curious, they are seeking a stronger connection to where their coffee comes from and the people who produce it. Our role is to help make those connections tangible through education, hospitality, and experiences that bring a sense of place to every cup.
Final thoughts
I was honestly blown away by my experience visiting Caravan and am incredibly grateful to Matt and the team for making it so memorable. I learned so much not only about what makes Caravan unique, but also about coffee as a whole.
Caravan has become one of my favorite roasters because of how intentional they are with every aspect of their coffee. Their tasting room creates a space where people can truly experience the differences between coffees and appreciate the craftsmanship behind each one. There’s a real artistry behind coffee, and Caravan does an amazing job showcasing just how creative, nuanced, and thoughtful the process can be.
I highly recommend stopping by Caravan if you’re local to the Portland area or visiting the Willamette Valley. It’s the perfect way to start a day of wine tasting — with a coffee tasting first.
Thanks for reading 🙂
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