All images courtesy of RoastLog.
Fifteen years after winning a Best New Product Award at the Specialty Coffee Expo (formerly the SCAA Expo), coffee roasting software provider RoastLog is entering an ambitious new chapter.
The Bay Area-based company just released Version 5 of its core RoastLogger software, representing a comprehensive update to the platform and reflecting continuous feedback from working coffee roasters.
Founded by Brian Zambrano and Linsey Fan, who became friends in middle school in Santa Clara, California, the company is returning to the SCA Expo for the first time in five years to show off the updated platform and connect with existing and potential clients.
The Expo is taking place April 25-27 in Houston. See all of DCN’s 2025 Expo coverage here.
“Our lack of marketing hasn’t been a conscious strategy so much as a reflection of our priorities as technical founders. We’ve always preferred investing our energy in software development and customer support rather than self-promotion,” Zambrano recently told DCN. “RoastLogger v5 definitely marks a turning point in our approach. The specialty coffee industry has evolved significantly, and we recognize that even exceptional software needs visibility.”
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The core functions of RoastLogger are — as the name might suggest — roast logging and roast profile management. The platform also offers business operations support through inventory tracking, cupping notes, sample management and multi-location capabilities.
With the Version 5 launch, RoastLogger offers cross-platform compatibility through both web access and dedicated Mac/Windows applications. The platform also features extensive hardware compatibility, supporting Phidgets, RoastLog devices, and direct connections to commercial roasters like Loring and Sivetz.
One differentiating facet of RoastLog in what is a small world of professional coffee roasting software providers is its pricing model. The company offers three tiers of flat rates, as opposed to volume-based pricing.
“We’ve seen the specialty coffee software landscape change so that roasters have an unfortunate choice: pay escalating fees that increase with your success, or use free options that lack essential business features,” Zambrano said. “We feel that RoastLog fills that middle ground that most roasters are actually looking for.”
Zambrano and Fan told DCN that they have maintained close relationships with a relatively tight roster of roaster clients of various sizes throughout the Americas, Europe and parts of Asia.
Many of those clients helped inform the new software update, which Zambrano started prototyping in early 2024 with a completely updated tech stack. Beta customers started using the Version 5 RoastLogger platform in late 2024.
“We’re incredibly grateful to our beta testers,” Zambrano said. “Their feedback has been invaluable, and it reflects our customer-obsessed approach.”
As the company prepares to reintroduce itself to the specialty coffee world at this year’s Expo, its leaders are already looking ahead to new developments, particularly given the rapid advancements and potential created by AI.
“Our development roadmap continues to be shaped by direct conversations with our customers, but we filter these insights through a design sensibility that prioritizes simplicity and usability,” Fan said. “Brian’s background in technology has taught him that staying relevant means knowing not just what to add, but what to leave out.”
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Nick Brown
Nick Brown is the editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine.
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