At Acaia, we value our global network of partners. Our partners are accomplished coffee professionals in both their local and international communities. In this series of interviews, we highlight our resellers and customers and who they are.
Over five years ago, Marty Lopes began Terrain Coffee Project as a wholesale coffee roastery. An experienced coffee professional, Lopes views the functions of roasting, making, and serving coffee as an "act of love." Terrain soon extended into a brick-and-mortar shopfront in the northern city of Vancouver, WA. Together with his wife and partner Katelynn, Marty has run Terrain Café since September 2021.
This interview is edited for clarity.
What inspired you to start Terrain Coffee Project?
Terrain represents the opportunity to provide context to the incredible experience that coffee beholds. Cultivating coffee and shepherding the resulting raw product is an act of love. Making coffee and serving humans is an act of love. How then could we say “coffee roaster” or “coffee shop?” We commit to the ongoing evolution of the experience and the assurance of tangible quality. This requires an open-ended mentality and elasticity.
You refer to Terrain as a “relationship-forward company.” Could you explain what that means?
Every coffee, every roast, and every interaction matters. It is of the highest order to represent the producer, maker, or organization that has produced the coffees that we serve with the most respect.
What is the philosophy behind your approach to roasting?
Maximize sweetness and maintain all complexities of origin, variety, and processing method.
Terrain Café is located in one of the oldest historic buildings in Vancouver, WA. Can you tell us about your experience with starting a coffee project there?
It is an incredible experience to serve here. There is an energy and openness to the space that really reverberates with people. It is a regular occurrence to hear how relaxed and comfortable people feel in the space, naturally. I think this is profound to be able to exist in such a historic space and be able to offer our coffees while the world is rapidly “changing.” We need to have these vestiges to remind us that there are time-tested ways of doing things.
What is your favorite coffee that you have recently served and how was it prepared?
Oh golly, what coffee am I not stoked about!? To be resolute in this exercise, I would say that the El Mandarino from Rosy Dariela Mancia of Honduras has been an absolute favorite. This coffee exudes the love, care, and attention to detail necessary to create truly dynamic coffee. Any method you like, this coffee will deliver. It contributes everything from exotic floral notes to saturated fruit tones. The strength and complexity of the natural process and Parainema variety shines through in any brewing device.
How do you use Acaia on bar?
Our Acaia scales are essential for accurate, consistent dial-ins. They are instrumental in quick and efficient cupping sessions. They allow the user to access the best brewing profile given the set parameters. We use the scales for everything coffee-related on the bar. This includes drink recipes that need precise measurement.
Are there any projects you and the team are excited to be working on now or in the future?
We are always in pursuit of expanding our offerings. And thereby increasing the level of experience that can be offered in a genuine way. My wife and partner look for ways to add a “taste of place” to our food program as well. All drinks and food are produced and made with love. In addition to the good vibes of our space, come see us to experience food and drink cultivated with love.
Find Terrain Coffee Project on Instagram here and their exclusive Brewguide here.
Find Terrain Coffee Project on Instagram here and their exclusive Brewguide here.