By the time Sarah found herself on the roasting floor, inhaling the nutty, caramelized aroma of freshly tumbled coffee beans, she had already walked an unconventional path. A self-proclaimed coffee enthusiast in college, she never imagined that a marriage proposal would lead to something more than lifelong partnership—it would lead her straight into the belly of a roaring, fire-breathing coffee roaster.
Introduced to the art of roasting by her husband, Sarah was at first wary. The idea of standing over a machine billowing heat and smoke, its steel drum turning with the slow, hypnotic rhythm of alchemy, seemed more intimidating than inviting. There was the smell, yes—heady and intoxicating, but also dense, all-encompassing, inescapable. And then there were the questions of safety, toxicity, and the invisible threats that might be carried in the very air she breathed. But as any good scientist—and Sarah, with her background in animal behavior, was nothing if not methodical—would tell you, curiosity tends to win out over fear.
You can watch the video of our interview at the bottom of this article.
A Coffee Brand with a Wagging Tail
Sarah’s transformation from casual coffee drinker to full-fledged roaster didn’t happen overnight. It began, as most obsessions do, with small, incremental steps. She first became a branding specialist, then an ERP consultant, navigating the intricate web of business logistics before realizing that what she really wanted was something more tactile, more immediate. She wanted coffee—deep, complex, unrelenting coffee.
But Sarah’s love for coffee was never going to exist in a vacuum. It had to coexist with another passion: animal welfare. Her experience in animal behavior had instilled in her an ethos of kindness, a belief that science and empathy could, and should, walk hand in hand. And so, Fetch Coffee was born—not just a roastery, but a brand with a mission.
The name, chosen for its boundless energy and joyful connotations, was no accident. Sarah wanted something that would communicate movement, excitement, and above all, connection. But branding a specialty coffee company with an animal welfare mission came with its own complications. “There’s always the concern that people might see us as a charity first, rather than as a serious specialty coffee brand,” she admitted. Yet, if Fetch Coffee’s growing customer base was any indication, people were more than willing to embrace both.
The Roaster, The Ritual, The Reality
Sarah officially launched Fetch Coffee in late 2019, blissfully unaware that a global pandemic was waiting just around the corner. At first, she roasted on demand, moving through orders with the precision of an artist at work. Then, in 2021, an opportunity arose—an actual coffee shop. The leap from roastery to café was dizzying, but Sarah knew she needed the right equipment to match her vision.
She invested in a San Franciscan roaster, the industry’s equivalent of a well-worn, impossibly reliable workhorse. The decision wasn’t just about quality—it was about philosophy. The roaster’s blend of craftsmanship and control mirrored the kind of experience Sarah wanted to offer her customers: something personal, something intentional. She paired it with a Synesso espresso machine, Curtis brewers, and Mahlkönig grinders, ensuring that every step of the process, from bean to cup, met her exacting standards.
Of course, no journey is without its regrets. “I should have gotten a double brewer,” Sarah admitted with a laugh, half-kicking herself for the oversight. And, despite her careful planning, she found herself wishing for an extra grinder—one dedicated to decaf, for those customers who wanted all the taste but none of the midnight regret.
A Dollar, A Dog, A Difference
For Sarah, coffee is more than a business—it’s a bridge. With every bag of Fetch Coffee sold, one dollar goes toward supporting dogs in need through a program she aptly named “The Friends of Fetch.” In Thailand, where stray dogs navigate city streets with an unspoken code of survival, the program has helped change laws, making the dog meat trade illegal. It has also worked to educate children on compassion and care, shifting the culture toward kindness, one young mind at a time.
Closer to home, Fetch Coffee has partnered with organizations like The Pongo Fund and Oregon Dog Rescue, ensuring that both humans and their four-legged companions receive the support they need. To Sarah, the mission is clear: good coffee and good deeds can, and should, exist in the same cup.
Brewing the Future
With Fetch Coffee thriving, the inevitable question arises—what’s next? Expansion looms on the horizon, but in what direction? Should Sarah double down on the e-commerce side, sending beans to caffeine lovers across the country, or take the plunge and open another café?
“I want to roast more,” she says simply, her eyes lighting up at the thought of standing before the roaster, listening to the first crack, watching the beans transform. The act of roasting is both meditative and exhilarating, a dance between art and science, control and surrender. Whatever the future holds, one thing is certain: Sarah will meet it with the same boundless enthusiasm that fuels her coffee, her business, and her commitment to something bigger than herself.
And if Fetch Coffee continues to grow? Well, that just means more coffee, more dogs, and more lives changed—one bag at a time.
Useful Links
- The Fetch Coffee Roasters website is here: https://fetchroasters.com/
- The Coffee Roaster Hi-Fi uses is the SF-25
Here is the full interview
