Choose Organic & Clean Ingredients

Our Story

More Than Coffee. A Better Choice, One Cup at a Time.

It started with a cup of coffee.

Not long after my mother passed away at just 68 years old from lung cancer that had spread to her brain, I found myself sitting with a cup of coffee and feeling angry. She was diagnosed and gone within three months. It happened so quickly.

Cancer has touched nearly every family in some way. In my own extended family, we've experienced breast cancer, bone cancer, bladder cancer, leukemia, skin cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, and more. We miss those we've lost every single day, but it makes you stop and think: What can we do to take better care of ourselves and the people we love?

Eat better. Live healthier. Make better choices.

I started looking more closely at the things I was putting into my body. I even tried juicing, thinking I was doing something good for my health. Then I realized that choosing healthier habits also meant paying attention to the quality of the ingredients I was using. I didn't want to replace one problem with another.

Eventually, life went on, and so did I. But the desire to make better choices never completely went away.

A Different Kind of Coffee

A few years ago, I discovered a small-batch, single-origin Ethiopian coffee that completely changed my perspective. I remember thinking, Is this what coffee is supposed to taste like?

Until then, my experience with specialty coffee had mostly involved big-name brands and heavily roasted beans that seemed to taste the same no matter where they came from.

This coffee was different. It was smooth, flavorful, and wonderfully complex. I was hooked!

There was just one problem: the price. At more than $20 for a 12-ounce bag, it wasn't something I could justify buying for my everyday cup.

So, I started roasting my own coffee at home.

When sourcing my beans, I made a deliberate choice to buy organic. It felt like a small but meaningful step toward the healthier lifestyle I'd been trying to build.

Then something incredible happened.

My fresh-roasted organic coffee tasted even better than the coffee that started this whole journey!

I realized I wasn't simply drinking organic coffee. I was drinking coffee roasted fresh, with attention to the beans, the roast, and the flavor in every cup.

Naturally, I started sharing it with friends and family. The response was encouraging, and one thing led to another. Better equipment, more coffee, and eventually, a website.

And here we are!

Why Side Bean?

Side Bean Coffee Roasters was built around a simple idea: great coffee and better choices shouldn't have to come with an outrageous price tag.

We specialize in small-batch, fresh-roasted organic coffee, with a commitment to quality, freshness, and responsibly sourced beans, including fair-trade offerings.

Unlike coffee sitting on a shelf for who knows how long, our coffee is roasted with freshness in mind. Every bag carries a roasted-on date because we believe you deserve to know when your coffee was made.

By keeping things small and operating without the overhead of a traditional coffee shop, we work to bring you exceptional coffee at a price that makes enjoying it every day a little easier.

And while coffee is where our story began, our mission is about something bigger.

Small Changes. Meaningful Choices.

Let's be realistic. We can't control everything we're exposed to, and we can't eliminate every risk in life. But we can be more thoughtful about the products we choose and the things we put into our bodies every day.

For me, this journey started with my mother's memory and a desire to do things a little differently. It grew into a passion for fresh-roasted organic coffee and a small business that allows me to share that passion with others.

We believe in taking things one step at a time, one product at a time, and one cup at a time.

Thank you for being part of our journey. Whether you're a longtime customer or just discovering us, we're glad you're here.

Welcome to Side Bean Coffee Roasters.

Freshly roasted. Thoughtfully sourced. Made to be enjoyed.

Side Bean Coffee

14028 Paramount Way

Cedar Lake Indiana, 46303