The Roasting Plant Blends Technology and Fresh Coffee at Denver International Airport
On May 23, the Roasting Plant celebrated the grand opening of their first location in Colorado, which is located at Denver International Airport (DEN) on level 1 of the Westin Denver International Hotel and Transit Center. Roasting Plant is a New York-based coffee shop that uses patented technology to roast and deliver fresh coffee beans for made-to-order drinks.
Roasting Plant was founded in 2007 by former Starbucks executive Mike Caswell and is designed to fuse technology and innovation to deliver the perfect cup of coffee. Roasting Plant’s state-of-the art machinery brings the entire coffee supply chain into each café, with on-site roasting of green coffee beans and choice of nine beans or a blend of any four, brewed to order by the cup. Precise roasting and brewing parameters have been developed for every bean and drink, and precisely replicated to reflect the unique character of each varietal and blend.
The company’s proprietary system – called Javabot – utilizes green coffee beans that are delivered via an automated system of pneumatic tubes to an in-store roaster that sends freshly roasted beans to specially designed storage tubes that preserve the beans’ flavor and aroma. When a customer orders a beverage, the Javabot™ sends the exact amount of beans needed using bursts of air in overhead tubes directly to a Swiss-made coffee grinder and brewer, where a drink is completed by a barista just seconds later.
“For many airport travelers, having convenient access to a high-quality cup of coffee on the go is one of the most important amenities,” airport CEO Kim Day said. “The Roasting Plant will add to our lineup of coffee options and provide fresh beverages in an innovative setting that is the first of its kind in Denver. We think passengers will very much enjoy both the coffee and the captivating way their drinks are made.”
Roasting Plant, which will operate from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, will also offer a wide range of food, including morning pastries and salads and sandwiches for lunch. The DEN store is the company’s second airport location and is operated by Midfield Concessions.
“We’re proud to be featuring Roasting Plant Coffee in all of our new airport projects,” said Andrea Hachem, CEO of Midfield Concessions. “Their state-of-the-art approach and the incredible freshness of in-store roasted coffee reflects Midfield’s commitment to our award winning ‘WOW’ customer service program.”
