Founder of Hugo Coffee Roasters Wins Women in Business Award
Utah-based Hugo Coffee Roasters sells small-batch, fair-trade, organic coffee and supports dog rescue efforts. Its founder, Claudia McMullin, won the Altabank Women in Business Award, donating the $1,000 prize to Ruff Haven animal shelter.
Hugo Coffee Roasters is known as the “dog lover’s coffee” for its sustainably-sourced roasts with dog-themed names as well as its commitment to save the lives of dogs through donations to animal rescues. Altabank recently awarded the company’s founder and CEO, Claudia McMullin, the Women in Business Award and a $1,000 donation to Claudia’s charity of choice, Ruff Haven.
Claudia McMullin is a former Wall Street lawyer who married her love of craft coffee and dogs by founding a coffee company that supports animal rescue. Hugo Coffee Roasters is named for Claudia’s own rescue dog, and the company’s small-batch, artisan roasts bear dog-themed names such as Bonafido Dark Roast, Howler Espresso, and Roll Over Breakfast Blend.
Altabank, which is a division of Glacier Bank, the largest community bank in Utah, selected Claudia for their Women in Business Award. The award recognizes female entrepreneurs for their innovation, integrity, and financial growth. The prize included a $1,000 donation in Claudia’s name to Ruff Haven, which provides temporary homes to dogs whose families are in crisis.
“I’m honored to receive the Women in Business Award and even more so to be a part of this generous, much-needed $1,000 donation to Ruff Haven’s Crisis Sheltering Program,” said Claudia.
Claudia has a long history of helping animals. She has donated sales from Hugo’s products, which include cold brew coffee bags and single brew coffee bags that yield barista-level coffee in an instant. She currently raises money through online fundraisers on the Hugo Coffee Roasters site. To date, she has donated $50,000 to animal rescue efforts.
Prior to starting Hugo Coffee Roasters, Claudia served as the Executive Director of Nuzzles & Co., an animal rescue located in Summit County, Utah. While directing Nuzzles, Claudia initiated a program called Purple Paw, which offers temporary care for pets belonging to victims of domestic violence.
“Ruff Haven is an extension of the type of service that Purple Paw provides. This service fills a critical need — one that I am very passionate about,” said McMullin.
In addition to the Altabank award, Claudia has gained recognition for her business innovation and animal rescue efforts from the Tory Burch Foundation. She was recently chosen from thousands of female entrepreneurs for the Tory Burch “50 Women Entrepreneurs” Fellows Program. She was also selected for the PepsiCo/Frito-Lay Stacy’s Rise Project 2020 Accelerators Program.
To see Hugo Coffee Roaster’s products or to learn more about their commitment to save animals by supporting rescue efforts, visit www.hugo.coffee.
About Hugo Coffee Roasters
Hugo Coffee Roasters is an animal-friendly coffee shop that offers high-quality coffee. They roast their own coffee and provide coffee beans bulk wholesale. Their vision is to be the go-to coffee for animal lovers nationwide.