Born in Kona, Hawaii, Nathan spent his early years on a coffee farm before moving away at the age of five. “It’s in my blood,” he says of his lifelong passion for coffee. “I tried to run away from coffee when I went to college, (but) it didn’t work and grabbed me right back.”
Determined to pursue his craft, Nathan used a student loan to buy his first coffee roaster. At just 20 years old, he became the youngest certified Q-Grader—a professional expert in evaluating the sensory qualities of green coffee. “After that, I just couldn’t really turn around,” he continues.
Over the years, he has built strong relationships with coffee growers around the world. “I work with a handful of different importers,” he explains. “[Since] coffee is picked all around the equator around the world all year long, I follow the picking season and offer the freshest coffees [available].”
One of his longest-standing partnerships is with Hacienda Sonora, a third-generation coffee farm in Costa Rica that was originally a sugarcane plantation. His connection with the farm dates back to 2011. Nathan also collaborates with other farms and importers that prioritize traceability, sustainability, and transparency.
Nathan has ventured into the world of craft beer with collaborations with brewers to produce coffee beers, such as stouts and porters.
As his mother steps away from the daily operations of BJ’s Coffee Co., where To the Roots Coffee is served exclusively, Nathan will take over the day-to-day, continuing his coffee journey.
His love for coffee remains at the heart of everything he does—alongside his wife and daughter. “I care about people,” he says. “Coffee is love. Coffee is about the interaction with people, and having a cup of something delicious brings people together.
