Water Avenue Coffee

Water Avenue Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster and retailer based in Portland, Oregon, founded in the winter of 2009 by Bruce Milletto and Matt Milletto. The company began roasting in small batches on the banks of the Willamette River in Portland's Southeast Industrial District, using a vintage 1974 Samiac roaster purchased from Switzerland. The founders brought decades of experience in specialty coffee training and consulting, having founded Bellissimo Coffee Advisors in 1991 and the American Barista & Coffee School (ABCS) in 2003. Water Avenue Coffee operates a roastery and retail business in the same building as ABCS, offering coffee, merchandise, and subscriptions. The brand emphasizes local community support, with over 90% of its roasted coffee hand-delivered to partners within a 50-mile radius of the roastery. Its product line includes blends such as Blue Creek, Bull Run, Boxcar, Canoe, and Velvet Falls, as well as single-origin offerings like Colombia Bochica. Water Avenue Coffee sells through its website, a cafe at the Wells Fargo Center in Portland, and wholesale partnerships. The company remains privately owned and active.

Water Avenue Coffee was founded in the winter of 2009 by Bruce Milletto and Matt Milletto, industry pioneers with decades of experience in specialty coffee training and consulting. The company began roasting in small batches on the banks of the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon's Southeast Industrial District. In 2009, WAC purchased a vintage, French-built 1974 Samiac roaster from a company in Switzerland and built its business around it. The founders also operated the American Barista & Coffee School (ABCS), which they opened in 2003, and housed the roastery and retail business in the same building. Bruce Milletto, a Specialty Coffee Association of America "Coffee Luminary," founded Bellissimo Coffee Advisors in 1991. Matt Milletto grew up around the coffee industry and has worked in coffee for over twenty years. Water Avenue Coffee officially opened in late 2009. The brand emphasizes local community support, with over 90% of its roasted coffee hand-delivered to partners within a 50-mile radius of the roastery. It sells coffee, merchandise, and subscriptions through its website and operates a cafe at the Wells Fargo Center in Portland. The company remains privately owned and active.

• 2009

  Water Avenue Coffee founded; purchased a 1974 Samiac roaster and began roasting in small batches.

• 2009

  Water Avenue Coffee officially opened in late 2009.

• 2003

  Bruce and Matt Milletto opened the American Barista & Coffee School (ABCS).

• 1991

  Bruce Milletto founded Bellissimo Coffee Advisors.

Specialty coffee roaster focused on small-batch roasting, local community support, and Pacific Northwest authenticity.

• Blue Creek

  Blend with tasting notes of hazelnut, milk chocolate, navel orange.

• Bull Run

  Blend with tasting notes of rich chocolate, cherry, caramel.

• Boxcar

  Blend with tasting notes of chocolate, walnut, sweet tobacco, cinnamon.

• Canoe

  Blend with tasting notes of apricot, dark chocolate and toasted walnut.

• Velvet Falls

  Blend available in subscriptions.

• Colombia Bochica

  Single-origin coffee from Huila and Tolima, Colombia; washed process; tasting notes of Rainier cherry, Fuji apple, almond, semisweet chocolate.

1. 1Water Avenue Coffeewateravenuecoffee.com
2. 2About Us – Water Avenue Coffeewateravenuecoffee.com
3. 3Subscription Auto Renew – Water Avenue Coffeewateravenuecoffee.com
4. 4Colombia Bochica – Water Avenue Coffeewateravenuecoffee.com