About Us

Wild Hawk Coffee is an Artisan Coffee Roasting company located in Elk Grove, California.

An artisan roaster is one that takes special care in choosing coffee beans and roasting technique, while maintaining strict quality control and reproducibility. Specialty Coffee is a grade of Arabica coffee beans that has been meticulously grown on small farms throughout the world and each coffee cherry picked by hand at its optimum ripeness. After processing, the beans are hand sorted again to remove any flawed beans (which eventually end up in the lesser grade coffees). Wild Hawk Coffee takes pride in our knowledge of the attributes each Specialty Coffee growing area and how to maximize these attributes through exacting roasting profiles and blending.

Derrick Mullin brings to the roasting room his background in science established though earning two masters degrees in science, and his sensitivity through his many years of practicing medicine. When he made the decision to become a roaster he sought out world renowned instructors to help hone his skills both at the controls of his roaster and at the tasting or cupping table.

Jennifer Mullin combines her education in nutrition and facility management experience to keep the business of roasting coffee organized. Her attention to detail shines at the cupping table as new coffees are sampled and blends are tested.

Derrick and Jennifer became awakened to the world of coffee by the gentle tutelage of a premiere roaster/blender and his wife in their personally run coffee shop in Sacramento. In an attempt to continue his quality coffee legacy and preserve his many years of tireless quest for the perfect cup, this gentleman took Derrick under his wing to share his hard earned secrets of the roasting process. Derrick began supplying his friends and neighbors with coffee, but soon branched out to supply specialty coffee shops with their own unique signature blends of espresso and drip or French press coffees. In order to share the wonderful flavors of freshly roasted coffee with the larger community, we created this website to open our roasting room to the internet world.

What We Believe
"Sustainability Through Quality" is more than just a tag line to us. We believe that quality is the key to not only a better cup of coffee but a better world. Roasters are in a unique position in the world of coffee and in the world in general. We have the power as a group to make things better for a great number of people. Wild Hawk Coffee is part of what is known as the "fourth wave" of roasters. What that means is that not only are we willing to pay a higher price for higher quality beans from specific farms but we are willing to help other farmers grow and produce higher quality coffee beans as well. Because these farmers get paid more for their higher quality beans they can afford to expand their harvest, educate their children and live a little better life. In many areas, coffee plants have been removed and the area replanted with a high paying crop of an intoxicating plant. With higher prices paid for coffee this practice may be reduced or even eliminated.

The improved farming and production methods presented to the farmers takes into consideration the preservation of the environment and clean water, a scarce commodity in many areas. The fourth wave of roasters not only shows how to conserve but also to improve the water quality. This benefits the local community immediately and for future generations as well.

Higher quality allowing higher prices allows for increased employment, another benefit to the country as a whole. Higher income earned by the men in the community have, in some areas, allowed the women of the community to market their own skills in the manufacturing of clothing and house wares. These goods are exported and the unique manufacturing process stimulates tourism. This all brings in further income enhancing the family, the community and the country.

As a country attains a reputation for their high quality coffee and grows in prosperity the neighboring countries take notice. This stimulates investigation of the source of the prosperity and soon similar methods are adapted in their own coffee production. Similar results of increased quality of life throughout the country occur.

The association of farmer and roaster encourages an increased awareness of the farmer to the potential of his product. Greater care is taken in the shipping and handling as the coffee is transported to production facilities and then goes to the countries of consumption. This increased awareness decreases the chance of corruption and graft that has become so prominent in the coffee producing countries (one incident of a million pounds of beans disappearing). Because the farmer has been paid more for his higher quality beans, he is able to irrigate or use better mulch or other natural methods to increase his crop production. This gives the exporter and shipper a higher quantity to deliver thereby enhancing their income stream. Although more profit is made at each step of the process, the reduction in corruption and graft actually reduces the cost of the beans to the consumer. The increased quality has now enhanced the farmer, the community, the country, the neighboring countries, the exporter, the shipper and the consumer.

Once that high quality specialty grade coffee bean has reached the roaster, the same care and attention must be provided in the roast in order to maintain the high quality profile of the bean. Once the roasted bean reaches the person who brews the coffee, pure clean water used in immaculately clean equipment, utilizing precisely the right proportions to make the best quality cup of coffee.

The sustainability (long term maintenance and well being) of the humans involved in the coffee industry is dependent upon the quality of the coffee bean, the quality of the roaster, the quality of the barista and the enduring quality of the environment. The sustainability of our environment and how the biological systems intermingle and interact within our natural ecosystems is and are the responsibility of our collective human effort.