About Us

Drawing of team members
Mike Caswell

The Inventor

Mike Caswell

Roasting Plant’s industrial engineer founder, and former Starbucks senior executive, dreamed of an artisan-quality experience that coffee lovers could enjoy every day on their way to work or play…not just something to be enjoyed on a weekend or when time isn’t a factor. His dream was realized through Javabot™, which made fresh roasting in every store a reality, and the ability to produce every custom cup in less than a minute. He started from humble beginnings, experimenting with his grandmother’s Electrolux vacuum cleaner…and invented Javabot™, the world’s first and only complete in-store coffee automation system.

Jamie Robertson

Jamie Robertson

Jamie became CEO after selling his successful global executive recruiting firm and forming a joint venture to open Roasting Plant Coffee locations in London, where he saw an opportunity to delight his home city’s coffee faithful with something fresher and better, after coming to understand how Roasting Plant and Javabot™ were changing the game. After establishing multiple successful cafes in London’s poshest neighborhoods, Robertson was offered and accepted the role of global CEO, charged with growing the Roasting Plant café footprint and brand throughout the US, the UK and the rest of the world.

Our Coffee Expert

Genevieve Kappler

Roasting Plant’s Roast Master grew up in Bordeaux and first found her passion in grapes before turning to coffee beans. Her experience has touched on nearly every aspect of coffee, from agronomy to processing and purchasing, from expert tasting to quality control and beyond. Gen’s coffee journey has taken her to Guatemala, Colombia, Jamaica, Africa and beyond, and her conversion to Roasting Plant devotee happened instantly upon visiting a Roasting Plant café in New York City, marveling at its fresh-roasted mission and approach through Javabot™. Gen develops every roast and drink profile for RP, meticulously calibrating Javabot™ to get the most out of each specific bean and the tightly integrated, Swiss-made brewing system that brings the freshest coffee to every cup.

Thomas Hartocollis

Thomas Hartocollis

Roasting Plant’s Chief Brand Officer was enthralled and completely committed from the first moment he saw RP’s Javabot™ system in action and took his first stunningly flavorful sip of just-roasted coffee. He brings his love for technology and extensive experience in marketing from IBM and Microsoft to Roasting Plant. Tom is focused on the brand’s sales and marketing efforts, joining with small roasters everywhere to herald the fabulous taste and smooth finish of freshly roasted coffee… and in the process, has helped RP become the world’s first choice in just-roasted coffee.