Us
We believe exceptional coffee, like personal growth, comes from looking deeper.LiRu began when our founder, Mehrdad, roasted Ethiopian coffee at home and discovered flavors he’d never tasted before. Named after his sons, Liam and Rumi, LiRu reflects the balance of curiosity and wisdom that guides everything we do.
Our philosophy
LiRU began as a micro roastery built on curiosity—small batches, close attention, and a deep respect for where coffee comes. At our core, we’re here to make coffee better—not for ego, trends, or appearances, but to move away from an industry that too often treats coffee like a faceless commodity.Most of our work is about paying attention to what already exists: vibrant ecosystems, skilled farmers, and communities built around land and craft. For us, quality starts at the farm. It means respecting seasons, micro-regions, and the human labor behind every coffee cherry.That’s why we don’t blend coffees, rename them, or roast them dark. Those shortcuts can hide where coffee comes from and who made it. We believe coffee tastes best when people and place are front and center.We can shape great coffee in the roastery—but we can’t create quality that isn’t already there.
Our Roasting
Dirt, Labour, and Humanity
Our goal is to push coffee quality forward—not for ego, trends, or aesthetics—but as a way to move away from the anonymity and commodification that has long defined the coffee industry.At its heart, our work is about making visible what already exists: rich biodiversity, skilled agriculture, and people caring deeply for land, craft, and community. For us, quality starts at the farm. It’s rooted in seasonality, micro-regions, and the human labor behind every coffee cherry.That’s why we don’t blend coffees, rename them, or roast them dark. Those practices often hide origin, people, and quality behind abstraction. Nothing we do in the roastery can create quality that isn’t already there—we can only respect and reveal it.
Our Roasting
Transparency, Balance, and Complexity
Our roasting approach is simple: highlight origin character while maximizing balance and complexity. When the green coffee is excellent, the cup is naturally sweet, vibrant, aromatic, and layered.We avoid heavy “roast” flavors and excessive caramelization, which can mask defects or flatten nuance. Instead, we roast with enough development to bring clarity and structure, without overshadowing what makes each coffee unique.
Our Sourcing
Human Connection, Terroir, and Biodiversity
Coffee deserves the same care and standards we see in natural wine, slow food, and regenerative agriculture. A truly sustainable coffee industry means fair and livable wages, producer agency, stable pricing, and protection from the volatility of commodity markets.For us, quality and sustainability are inseparable—they’re expressions of care, dignity, integrity, and humanity.Every coffee we offer carries the producer’s name because their work defines the coffee long before it reaches us. We choose not to rely on broad regional labels that erase people and place. Knowing exactly who grew and processed a coffee is the first step toward a more honest supply chain.We source coffees seasonally, tasting extensively to find clear, expressive reflections of place. On each product page, you’ll find details about the producer, their location down to the town, and the processing—so you know exactly where your coffee comes from, and who made it possible.
Our philosophy
LiRU began as a micro roastery built on curiosity—small batches, close attention, and a deep respect for where coffee comes. At our core, we’re here to make coffee better—not for ego, trends, or appearances, but to move away from an industry that too often treats coffee like a faceless commodity.Most of our work is about paying attention to what already exists: vibrant ecosystems, skilled farmers, and communities built around land and craft. For us, quality starts at the farm. It means respecting seasons, micro-regions, and the human labor behind every coffee cherry.That’s why we don’t blend coffees, rename them, or roast them dark. Those shortcuts can hide where coffee comes from and who made it. We believe coffee tastes best when people and place are front and center.We can shape great coffee in the roastery—but we can’t create quality that isn’t already there.