Meet 16-year-old Harvey Uyeyama, whose coffee business began with his father

At 16, Harvey Uyeyama has built a coffee business, a loyal customer base and a craft that few adults ever attempt to master. From his home in Davis, California, the soon-to-be high school senior hand-roasts beans, customizes orders and manages a growing subscription service while preparing for college.

Harvey’s Coffee began with time spent alongside his father, John, who had previously owned a coffee shop in Lafayette and continued roasting at home. In June 2024, John invited Harvey to join a late-night roasting session. They worked together for hours, laying the foundation for what would become Harvey’s business.

Entrepreneurship was already familiar to Harvey. As a child, he tried running a lemonade stand and tutoring math to earn money. Coffee became different because his father had given him a skill he could make his own. Harvey began selling freshly roasted beans door-to-door, but early customers were difficult to win. After repeated rejection, he improved his sales pitch and presentation. He replaced a black backpack with a wagon and added branded labels to give the operation a more professional appearance.

John died on Harvey’s birthday, and the loss temporarily stopped the roasting. A few weeks later, coffee brought Harvey back to the work. His father’s funeral service needed coffee, and Harvey accepted the task even though he had never completed a full roasting process alone. The job brought mistakes and ruined batches, but mourners received the coffee well. For Harvey, roasting became more than a business. It became a way to carry forward a skill his father had passed down.

Harvey now runs the company with his girlfriend, Abby Merchant, an 18-year-old UC San Diego student. Merchant studies biology and handles branding and marketing, including the logo, packaging and customer experience. Harvey manages roasting and the technical side, and he built an app for sales and recurring subscriptions. The business is approaching 100 monthly subscribers across the country. Each month, he selects beans from a different region and considers their acidity, body, flavor and history, although he especially enjoys East African coffees.