Interview with Risham Waraich, Co-Founder & Roaster of Origin Hill Coffee Roasters
What inspired you to start Origin Hill?
Origin Hill started at home. I was always the coffee drinker, and over time, I introduced my husband to it as well. Eventually, he became the barista of the house. We started with coffee pods, then moved to an espresso machine, and eventually got into pour-overs. We started noticing how different coffee could taste when it was roasted well and brewed with care. Some coffees tasted like what we always thought great coffee should taste like: smooth and balanced. Others were bright, floral, fruit-forward, and completely different from what we thought coffee could be. That made us curious. We started learning more about regions, processing, and roasting. Eventually, we wanted to learn how to roast ourselves. We roasted a few early batches, brewed them at home, and shared them with friends and family. That part was exciting for us; seeing how everyone responded, what they tasted, and whether the coffee became something they wanted to drink again.
Both of us come from technical backgrounds in different ways, so roasting naturally pulled us in. There is so much happening in the process; heat, timing, development, and small adjustments that can completely change the cup. I love baking, and roasting reminds me of that in some ways. There is science, patience, and repetition, but also a lot of feeling.
That’s how Origin Hill started. It grew from the coffees we loved drinking at home, the curiosity to understand them better, and the wish to share them with others. At the core, the idea is still simple: find unique coffees, roast them with care, and share them with people who enjoy a better cup at home.
How would you describe Origin Hill’s mission and sourcing philosophy?
Before we roast anything, so much has already happened at origin that shapes what ends up in the cup. Our role is to carry that work forward and roast in a way that feels honest to where the coffee came from.
When we were getting ready to launch, we tasted close to thirty coffees before finalizing our first four. We were not just looking for good tasting notes. We were looking for coffees with something specific to say, and producers whose work we were genuinely excited to share. Every coffee we carry is fully traceable, and every bag carries the producer's name because that connection is the whole point.
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