Kafiex Roasters Coffee Lab

Kafiex Roasters operates out of downtown Vancouver, Washington — the smaller city across the Columbia River from Portland — where it has built a reputation anchored in small-batch roasting, producer-direct sourcing, and a competitive approach to coffee education. The roastery earned Roast Magazine's 2026 Micro Roaster of the Year title, a recognition that traces an arc from humble farmers market origins to a presence on international competition stages.

The company's own account describes beginnings at local farmers markets before expanding into a brick-and-mortar footprint in downtown Vancouver. That growth track — selling bags at weekend markets, then building out retail and roasting infrastructure — is a familiar path in the Pacific Northwest specialty scene, though Kafiex has distinguished itself by investing in education and barista competition alongside physical expansion. The shop's community programming, including a Coffee Club with structured tastings and sensory events, reflects an orientation toward building coffee literacy rather than just moving bags.

Kafiex sources with an evident focus on traceable, high-scoring lots. Current offerings include a Jhoan Vergara Las Flores Pink Bourbon processed via Natural Thermal Shock from Colombia ($37) and a Nestor Lasso El Diviso Aji Bourbon Washed also from Colombia ($35) — producer-named microlots that signal a direct-trade or at minimum traceable-relationship sourcing model. The roaster ships nationwide and maintains a subscription Coffee Club, suggesting a roasting volume and consistency that can support both local café service and a dispersed wholesale and direct-to-consumer base.