Product Review: Hugo Coffee Roasters, the Coffee that Gives Back

This post contains affiliate links and is sponsored by Hugo Coffee Roasters. I carefully hand-select the brands I choose to partner with and I think Hugo Coffee Roasters rules. All opinions are my own.

I wasn’t really much of a coffee drinker until fairly recently. I don’t like black coffee. It’s ok with a splash of milk. French press is my preferred style if I’m going that route.

However, what I really love are lattes. Oat milk lattes with silky smooth foam.

The problem with this love, however, is that I wasn’t about to pay $5 for a daily caffeine fix.

So I bought myself an espresso machine for my birthday.

Next, I went in search of sustainable coffee from a do-good brand.

When I discovered Hugo Coffee Roasters, who brands themselves as “coffee with a ‘paws'” I knew I had found the right choice.

Woman-owned? Check

Organically-produced? Check

Sustainably-sourced? Check

Gives back? Check

Not only did the brand fit my strict purchasing guidelines, but the owner is passionate about dog rescue and uses the business to give back to rescue organizations.

I love knowing that every cup of coffee I drink does something to benefit shelter dogs and cats.

Now that I’ve triggered your need for some java, let’s learn more about this wonderful brand, shall we?

Who is Hugo Coffee Roasters?

Hugo Coffee Roasters founder and CEO, Claudia McMullin calls herself a reformed lawyer. After working as a litigator on Wall Street for decades, she decided to leave it all behind and head out west to Utah.

In Utah, she continued to practice law, while also serving on the Summit County Council for eight years. During her service for the Council, she learned that the coffee shop located in the Park City Visitors Center decided not to renew their lease.

A frequent purveyor of said kiosk, Claudia decided to buy it herself in an effort to keep coffee alive in her favorite spot.

Having rescued dogs since her 20s, Claudia wanted her new coffee company to serve a purpose. Inspired her rescue dog, Hugo, she launched Hugo Coffee Roasters, with a mission of saving dogs through the sale of her fair-trade and organic coffee.

Hugo Coffee Gives Back

Each quarter, Hugo Coffee Roasters gives back 10 percent of its profits to various animal rescues, including Best Friends Animal Society, Nuzzles and Co. (where Claudia previously served as director), and Paws for Life.

In addition donations, Claudia also underwrites the “Adoptable Moment” segment on her local NPR station once a week, which benefits Paws for Life.

Since beginning the give back program, Hugo Coffee Roasters has been responsible for the adoption of nearly 200 dogs and cats.

A Sustainable Coffee Business

Working with the coffee roaster from the original kiosk shop, Hugo coffees are all roasted in small batches, each named with clever dog-related titles, such as “Bonafido” and “Roll Over.”

You know how much I love a sustainable business, and Hugo Coffee Roasters fits the bill handily.

The beans used to produce Hugo Coffee products are all organic and fair-trade, sourced from coffee cooperatives around the world, including Colombia, Costa Rica, and Uganda.

Farmers are paid a living wage and provided with healthcare as well as offered educational opportunities for their families.

The coffee roasting machine works off natural gas and infrared heat, using significantly less energy than traditional roasters. Additionally, a second machine called an oxidizer cleans the air by filtering smoke and particles produced during the roasting process.

Hugo Coffee Products

Hugo Coffee Roasters sells a variety of different blends and roasting, including a decaf blend, cold brew, and their new single serve brew bags.

I begin my day with an oat milk latte each morning (yay for buying myself a birthday espresso machine!) and love the Bonafido and the Black Paw French Roast. I typically prefer darker roasts, with notes of dark chocolate, caramelized or brown sugar, nuttiness, and spices.

I am also obsessed with the compostable and biodegradable single-serve brew bags. They are perfect for car camping and backpacking. This genius product is essentially coffee in a tea bag.

All you need to do is steep the bag in hot water for 3-5 minutes and voila! Hot coffee in your belly.

And let me tell you, this coffee is delicious. I am a coffee snob (hey, I grew up in Seattle!) (and I won’t touch Starbucks, not only because I’m not a fan of their coffee, but mostly because I will never forgive the owner for this)

Plus, I pretty much only use instant coffee for making chocolate desserts.

This instant coffee is very different, my friends. Nescafe this is not. Far from it. This coffee is not at all reminiscent of flavorless, watery instant coffee.

Rather it tastes like a proper cup of morning coffee.

Add a little bit of oat milk barista and you’ll be a happy camper, literally, because this stuff is an camp coffee game changer.

Where to Buy Hugo Coffee?

I’ve got you covered, my friends!

You can buy in a couple different places, directly from Hugo Coffee or in the Foxey Doggo Shop! Or, if you live in and around Salt Lake City, then you can find Hugo Coffee in shops around town.

I recommend going the subscribe and save route. Not only do you save a bit of money on your coffee order, but it also guarantees that you never run out of coffee!

Here are some of my other favorite products:

• 9 Dog Camping Gear Items We Can’t Live without
• Travel with a Dog Gear Guide
• Best Dog Coats and Sweaters for Active Pups
• The Best Hands-free Leashes for Running