Supporter Spotlight: Righteous Vices Coffee Roasters

By MWOBS Staff

Righteous Vices Coffee Roasters, a local coffee roaster and shop located in Center Conway, New Hampshire, has been a partner of the Observatory since 2024. As the “Official Coffee of Mount Washington Observatory,” their roasts are regularly sent to the summit of Mount Washington and are much appreciated by staff working around the clock. We recently spoke with Righteous Vices’ co-owner Adam Belanger about their backstory, their love of coffee, and their support for local causes.

What inspired you to start roasting coffee, and how did this company come to be?

Orion and I worked together at a coffee roasting company for years where we not only learned the business but found our passion for quality coffee and roasting. When we were presented with an opportunity to buy the business and rebrand, we jumped at the chance. With that, Righteous Vices was born.

How do you engage with the local community, and why is being a local business important to you?

As a small local business, the support of our community is the only reason we are still around. We try and give back whenever and however we can. Typically, that means providing delicious organic coffee to different events and organizations such as MWOBS. It makes us very proud to drop off bags of freshly roasted coffee knowing it’s making its way up to the top of Mount Washington. When someone comes to us and asks us to donate some freshly brewed coffee for an event, we are sure to make it happen.

We also recently got a chance to work with the marketing students at KHS in 2024. They created custom labels and a Halloween themed dark roast. We then set up a booth at the annual Night in the Forest Tattoos’ Halloween event, where the students sold bags of their coffee along with special coffee drinks. It was a really fun way to get students involved and excited about local business.

Can you tell us about your partnership with MWOBS?

When we got asked to partner with MWOBS, it was one of the easiest decisions we ever made! We take pride in the fact that our coffee is keeping the summit staff warm and energized. They drink our House of Fire Dark Roast, a blend of organic Peruvian and Sumatra beans. We also provide single serving coffee packs for Seek the Peak every summer!

Is there a roast or product you’re especially proud of, and what’s the story behind it?

Our roasting philosophy is based on the simple pleasure of a great cup of coffee. We get the best organic beans we can, full of delicious flavor notes such as milk chocolate and citrus. We are sure not to over roast the beans, which allows those flavor notes to shine through in every cup of Righteous Coffee.

We are extremely proud of our current roast lineup. We started with a lot more, and over the years we have narrowed it down. We currently offer organic “House of Fire” Dark Roast (a homage to our band), “Mind Reader” Medium Roast (a fan favorite) and a 50/50 blend of the two called “Fire and Vice.”

One of our specialty roasts, the Shack Blend, is only available at the Sunrise Shack. They have been our biggest supporters since day one. It means the world to us every single time someone tells us they love our coffee. It’s what keeps us going— that and the caffeine of course.

Can you tell us about your team; your founders and their backgrounds?

Orion Kugel, Andrew Phillips, and myself started Righteous Vices Coffee Roasters in March 2022. The business plan was clear; combine our passion for simple things done right and apply it to our love of roasting coffee. All three of us are lifelong residents of White Mountain Washington Valley and graduates of Kennett High School—We are also founding members of local band Way of the Headband.

Righteous Vices Coffee Roasters formed from the ashes of Good Vibes Coffee Roasters. Orion and I worked for Good Vibes for years. Since opening, its coffee has been made available in over twenty local retail stores, six Hannaford locations and five local restaurants. The dream of providing excellent coffee to our community while also giving back has become a reality.

What’s next for your company—any upcoming projects, goals, or experiments you’re excited about?

2026 is going to be our biggest year ever. We have lots of stuff planned for this year, including the return of our beloved canned cold brew. Follow us on Instagram and stay tuned… we have lots in store!

Learn more about Righteous Vices at www.righteousvices.com.