Elena Vasquez — Founder & Head Roaster
"The terroir of coffee is as nuanced as any Grand Cru.
We are simply its stewards."
Our Story
Born from a
single cup of
wonder.
ORIGEN began in 2018 with a single morning in the highlands of Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia. Our founder, Elena Vasquez, watched as a farmer hand-sorted cherries destined for a commodity market — extraordinary coffee being treated as ordinary.
That morning changed everything. We built direct relationships with small-lot farmers across eight countries, paying 40–80% above fair-trade floor prices. Every coffee in our portfolio has a name, a face, and an altitude.
We roast in small batches in our Brooklyn atelier — each profile refined through weeks of cupping until the terroir translates perfectly into your cup.
"Every lot we buy changes a farmer's season.
Every cup you drink closes the circle."