Our Roastery
What began as one family roasting for friends and neighbors is now a full roastery and cafe — but the goal has not changed: honest coffee, roasted with care, served by people who are glad to see you.
Our Story
From stovetop popcorn popper to full drum roaster
Sam and Elena Whitfield started roasting coffee in 2014 on a modified popcorn popper in their garage, giving away bags to neighbors along Hollow Creek Road in exchange for honest feedback. By 2016 they had outgrown the garage and installed their first real drum roaster in a rented warehouse bay.
In 2019, Hollow Creek Coffee Roasters opened its cafe doors so the same coffee could be served fresh, cup by cup, right where it was roasted. Today the roastery supplies a handful of local cafes and restaurants while the tasting room stays true to where it started — a warm, unhurried place to slow down with a good cup.
Come Meet UsHollow Creek, By the Numbers
2016
Year our first drum roaster came online
7 countries
Current single-origin sourcing regions
12+ cafes
Local wholesale partners across Asheville
How We Work
Our roasting process, start to cup
We treat roasting as a craft that is never quite finished. Here is how a bag of Hollow Creek coffee comes together.
Sourcing
We buy from importers who visit the farms every season and share detailed lot information — altitude, varietal, processing method, and the story of the people who grew it.
Cupping
Every sample is cupped blind against past crops before we commit. If it does not taste as good as what is already on our shelf, we pass.
Roasting
Small 15 lb batches go into our refurbished drum roaster, tracked by hand and adjusted batch to batch to bring out each lot’s character.
Resting & Serving
Roasted beans rest for 3–5 days to hit peak flavor, then go straight to our pour-over bar or into bags for the shelf.
The People
Meet the Hollow Creek team
Sam Whitfield
Co-Founder & Head Roaster
Started roasting on a stovetop popcorn popper in 2014. Still chases the perfect Ethiopian light roast.
Elena Whitfield
Co-Founder & Cafe Manager
Runs the cafe floor and the pastry partnerships. Believes every regular deserves to be remembered by order.
Marcus Deland
Green Coffee Buyer
Ten years in coffee sourcing across Central America and East Africa before joining Hollow Creek in 2021.