Crafted Origins: Corvus Coffee
Startup Stories: How Corvus Coffee is Redefining Specialty Coffee, One Relationship at a Time
photos provided by Corvus Coffee
Introducing Crafted Origins Corvus Coffee
Corvus Coffee isn’t just another specialty coffee roaster—it’s a brand built on deep, long-term relationships with farmers and an uncompromising approach to quality. Founded by Phil Goodlaxson, Corvus has become a leader in what they call “relationship coffee,” a philosophy that goes beyond sourcing trips and certifications to foster real, reciprocal partnerships with coffee producers. We sat down with Phil to dive into Corvus’ beginnings, their commitment to sustainability, and the evolving world of specialty coffee.
The Lightbulb Moment: From Consumer to Roaster
“When I visited Intelligentsia’s first store in Millennium Park, I was struck by how much bigger the concept of great coffee was than I had realized. At the time, I was growing more interested in coffee without fully understanding why. My only exposure had been through Starbucks or independent shops that leaned more toward the first and second wave of coffee. Starbucks seemed like a great business, and the smaller mom-and-pop shops felt like important community spaces—but neither painted the full picture of what coffee, or a coffee shop, could be at its highest level.
Intelligentsia was different. It was clearly a well-run business, but what stood out was how deeply invested they were in sourcing and crafting coffee at every level. I remember seeing a photo of Michael Phillips standing next to a coffee grower, his arm around the farmer, with a story detailing the relationship they had built over years. Beneath the photo sat coffee from that very farm. It was a lightbulb moment—coffee wasn’t just a commodity; it was human. The supply chain wasn’t faceless; it was built on relationships.
The baristas at Intelligentsia carried themselves with an incredible level of professionalism, and the coffee was what I had always imagined when reading tasting notes on a Starbucks bag—but had never actually found in the cup. That experience shifted my focus toward green coffee and roasting. Not long after, I started home roasting, which became the first real piece of the puzzle that led to founding Corvus Coffee.”
What Relationship Coffee Really Means
“For us, relationship coffee means setting up a meaningful, long-term way of working with every farmer we source from. It’s more than random visits for photo ops or calling field trips ‘direct trade.’ It’s also more than a charitable program that builds schools or donates money for things that sound good on a marketing brief.
Relationship coffee is about doing business in person, every year, with every farmer—building ongoing relationships that are truly reciprocal. Farmers should have as much leverage in the partnership as any real business collaborator. Over the last 14 years, I’ve built relationships that have remained unbroken for up to 12 years (it took some time to establish and learn how to work effectively at origin), and most of the producers we work with have been with us for 8-10 years.
Our role in this relationship is much like that of a music producer—we work to maintain the identity of the farmer and their craft while helping build their brand over multiple years. When our customers actively seek out and celebrate specific farms as their coffees return each season, it creates a true partnership. I have as much incentive to maintain that relationship as the farmer does to work with us.
Many roasters talk about sourcing trips, but I rarely see full portfolios of coffees returning year after year. I believe this kind of long-term partnership is one of the fundamental shifts needed in coffee. When roasters and farmers are fully invested partners, it creates real change—not just in quality but in economic sustainability for producers.”
Rethinking Ethics & Sustainability in Coffee
“This philosophy ties directly into how we approach sustainability and ethical sourcing. After years of working directly at origin, I’ve grown skeptical of certification programs in terms of their actual impact on farmers. FairTrade, Rainforest Alliance, and similar programs have helped raise consumer awareness, but I believe their effect on the lives of farmers—and their communities—is neutral at best.
The most sustainable thing a farmer can achieve is the ability to produce better coffee, at a higher percentage of their total crop, while increasing their yield through better agronomic practices. This is what we focus on. Our impact is measured by farmers who, through working with Corvus, are producing increasingly higher-quality coffee and networking with agronomists and other farmers to improve productivity. These farmers become pillars in their communities—uplifting their neighbors by example, not through donations or certification labels. Real sustainability is built on knowledge, skill, and economic empowerment, not external validation.”
Challenges & The Road Ahead
“The biggest challenge at a high level is pushing against the deeply ingrained perception of coffee as ‘cheap.’ Unlike whiskey or wine—where even those who don’t purchase high-end bottles still recognize that a premium tier exists—many consumers don’t believe high-end coffee is a real thing. They assume it’s just clever marketing or fancy packaging, rather than a fundamentally different level of craftsmanship.
This is especially challenging in an industry where labeling and marketing can be confusing or misleading. The key to overcoming this isn’t just education—it’s creating a greater perception of value than people expect through hospitality and visible, perceptible quality.
We coach our teams on this idea: our greatest impact on specialty coffee is helping people shift from viewing coffee as a cheap commodity to recognizing it as an artisan craft. We don’t do this by lecturing or overwhelming them with facts. Instead, we create experiences that shift their perspective in a positive, organic way. Every interaction should feel like a step toward seeing coffee differently, as defined by the customer’s own experience.
Storytelling plays a major role in this. Great stories—about people, their values, and their craft—open minds in a way that facts and figures never will. Our approach is to showcase the beauty and excitement of coffee first, before diving into the rational explanations of why better coffee matters. If people can feel that excitement, they’re much more open to understanding the depth and artistry behind what we do.”
Conclusion to Crafted Origins Corvus Coffee: A New Chapter for Coffee
Corvus Coffee’s approach to sourcing and roasting isn’t just about delivering exceptional coffee—it’s about exploring the new high end in coffee through Geshas, exotic varieties, and innovative fermentation processes. Their focus on curating these coffees into unique tasting sets and reserve product lines sets them apart in the specialty coffee market.
Their latest release, Inca’s Eden, is the inaugural coffee in their new tasting set lineup. “This one might be sold out by the time the article comes out,” Phil notes, “but for reference, it’s three different phenotype expressions of the Gesha coffee variety—expressed as different colors of coffee cherry: red, pink, and yellow. All three were found at the same farm, which gives people the chance to taste how much of a difference something like variety in the mother plant can make in the cup.”
By fostering long-term relationships with farmers and shifting consumer perceptions, Corvus is creating a model that prioritizes both quality and impact. Whether you’re a casual coffee drinker or a dedicated specialty coffee enthusiast, their commitment to craft and community is something worth exploring—one cup at a time.
If you’re as excited about the future of coffee as we are, let’s talk in the comments. What do you think is the next big shift in specialty coffee?
LEARN MORE ABOUT CORVUS COFFEE HERE
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