Killer Roasting Co.
Co-Founder + Creative Director
2015-2021
Killer Roasting Co. was born out of a shared love for craft coffee and creativity. What started as a nano-roasting side hustle with my husband quickly evolved into a brand devoted to collaboration, design, and community. Killer was never just about the roast. It was about the people, the process, and the potential for small batch coffee to intersect with thoughtful design and creative expression. The coffee was the catalyst for everything we built, and the inspiration behind what we dreamed the brand could become.
Perfecting the Craft
Killer Roasting Co. was born from our obsession with flavor and craft. Inspired by the nuanced profiles we’d experienced from other small roasters, we immersed ourselves in the art and science of coffee: sourcing from farms whose values aligned with ours, experimenting with roast profiles, and testing every brewing method to perfect the cup. We spent over a year refining not only the roast but the brand itself, balancing flavor with aesthetic before ever going live.
From day one, Killer was rooted in intention. Each roast was small batch and single origin, crafted to order and fulfilled by hand. Over time, Killer built a reputation for its rich, distinctive flavor profiles and thoughtful design—a blend of substance and style. Our goal was always bigger than coffee: to build a creative community and offer meaningful, design-forward experiences in every cup.
Killer Collab
Collaboration was at the heart of Killer Roasting Co. It was never just about coffee; it was about using coffee as a catalyst for creativity and connection. Killer Collab was born from that spirit: a series of limited-edition partnerships with artists and makers we admired, designed to share their talent with our community and bring unexpected new products to our online shop.
We teamed up with illustrators and designers like Libby Preiss and Brett Stenson to create special-edition packaging and branded goods, and with local maker Settlewell to craft a sleek, air-tight coffee storage canister where form met function. These collaborations infused the brand with fresh energy while giving fellow creatives a platform for visibility and celebration.
5to9: The Zine
Born in the after-hours, 5to9 was our love letter to the side hustle, to Killer, and to our creative community. A direct response to the 9 to 5 grind (and yes, Dolly Parton), 5to9 was rooted in the belief that the real magic (along with the blood, sweat, and tears) happens in the hours outside the day job.
This self-published zine celebrated the people, products, places, and passions that inspired us. We developed, perfected, and art-directed photoshoots for delicious recipes in BLD (breakfast, lunch, dinner). We explored nearby getaway destinations, creating illustrated maps and travel guides in the Wander section. In Goods, we shared honest reviews of our favorite products, and in Collabs, we spotlighted our Killer Collab creatives.
Spanning two volumes, 5to9 paid homage to the late nights we spent building a brand we loved, and the community that helped bring it to life.
Killer Market
To bring the brand offline, we created Killer Market. Inspired by Renegade Craft Fair and Unique LA, we hosted this curated pre-holiday pop-up to spotlight local makers and celebrate creativity in person. I researched and hand-selected each vendor, sourced the venue, and designed the layout across an outdoor courtyard and upstairs space to create an inviting, collaborative experience.
Our coffee cart was onsite, serving drinks and selling bags of our current coffee offerings, while attendees explored handcrafted goods from creatives we admired. It was Killer’s ethos: craft, collaboration, and community, brought to life.
The Pause
We were on the verge of opening a storefront, the next chapter for Killer, when COVID hit. Like so many small businesses, we had to reevaluate our path. Subscriptions slowed, orders paused, and the physical space slipped away.
But the spirit of Killer lives on. We still own the roaster, and our passion for ethically sourced, flavor-rich coffee remains. So does our commitment to design, collaboration, and creative community. Who knows what the future holds for this small but mighty brand?
