From the courtroom to coffee for a cause: the woman behind Hugo Coffee Roasters

Claudia McMullin, founder of Hugo Coffee Roasters, with "the love of her life," Tim Douglas. Photo: Take a Hike Photography // Lexie Larson

Lawyer turned entrepreneur Claudia McMullin gives Park City-born Hugo Coffee Roasters its mission-driven flavor

If you told Claudia McMullin, Wall Street lawyer, she would one day be the owner of a coffee house and roasting company in Park City, she might have scoffed. But life is full of surprises, and in 1999, she sold her apartment on the Upper West Side, quit her job, and moved to the mountains of Utah, with rescue dog in tow, of course. Little did she know, that move would eventually be the catalyst for launching Hugo Coffee Roasters, on a mission “to be the go-to coffee for animal lovers nationwide.” It was here she also met Tim Douglas, an aerospace engineer. “Tim was my first date on Match.com,” said Claudia. “We went skiing, and I thought he was fantastic.”

During their courtship, the pair marveled at their shared attendance at the University of Colorado, Boulder, studying in adjacent buildings where Tim majored in engineering and Claudia graduated with a degree in business. Both Tim and Claudia’s parents are from Philadelphia, and their families each summered in Stone Harbor on the New Jersey coast. But despite their constant proximity, the two never crossed paths.

Tim moved from Colorado to Utah because of his job at Hercules, Inc., a main supplier of filament-wound graphite rocket boosters. In the ’60s, Hercules was one of three local companies that operated research and development facilities focused on providing better equipment for the missile space industry. It didn’t hurt that his new outpost also stationed him near his favorite pastimes. “I love to ski, bike, and hike,” said Tim. “So, Park City was a perfect fit for me.”

With all they had in common, including their shared love for rescue animals, it was no surprise the two were engaged and married quickly. “I got married for the first time at 43 to a rocket scientist,” laughed Claudia. “This guy thought he married a successful lawyer, and I decided to start a manufacturing business to save animals.” 

Formerly Silver Bean coffee shop, Hugo Coffee Roasters began as a bit of a rescue itself. “I was super bummed,” said Claudia, of the moment she learned Silver Bean would be closing its doors. “I was on the Chamber Executive Committee and went there for meetings all the time.” Faced with the dreadful prospect of decaffeinated conference calls, she decided to open a coffee shop in the same location. Hugo Coffee (named after another of Claudia’s beloved rescue dogs) began wagging in 2014, and a year later, Claudia began serving her own roasted beans. “I hired John Lynn, a talented roaster,” she said. “He picked the beans, the farms, the importer, roasted the coffee, and created our fantastic signature Hugo Coffee blends.” The duo created high-quality, fair trade, organic, non-GMO, and local favorites with names like Bonafido Dark Roast and Roll Over Breakfast Blend. “It’s a luxury brand without the price tag,” said Claudia. 

Hugo Coffee is a female-founded and certified coffee roaster that donates part of the proceeds to help rescue animals. “I love animals and I love coffee,” said Claudia. I think people want to feel that what they buy reflects their values. Less than 25 percent of coffee roasters nationwide are female-founded, and Hugo Coffee is the only female-founded and WBENC-certified coffee roaster nationwide with an animal welfare mission.”

Hugo donates $2.50 for every item sold on the website to small volunteer-based organizations and animal rescues across the nation. Donations help rescue dogs get adopted, fund spay/neuter operations, provide vaccines, dog beds, shelter meals, and more.  “I know that the lion’s share of the work of animal welfare is done by thousands of small, volunteer-based organizations across the country,” said Claudia. “So, we partner with and donate to small, cash-strapped organizations. Every dime goes to the animals.”

And it’s not just her coffee that is garnering success. Claudia won grant money from the 2020 Stacy’s Rise Project by PepsiCo, the 2021 Women in Business, the 2021 Tory Burch Fellowship, and the 2022 Ladies Who Launch program. She earned both the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) Certification (only a handful of coffee roasters with this certification exist in the country) and the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) Certification.

By 2022, Hugo Coffee was in more than 200 grocery stores across the nation and setting its sights on a new category of underserved animals. It was then that Claudia bought Fluffy Cow Coffee with a mission to support farm animal sanctuaries, an often overlooked area of animal rescue that relies on private donations. “We’re raising awareness that all animals (not just cats and dogs) are our fellow sentient beings that feel love and joy and deserve to live their lives free of pain, loneliness, neglect, and abuse,” said Claudia. Donations from Fluffy Cow Coffee help build fences, pay for vet care, buy feed and hay, build shade structures, and even purchase large animal evacuation tools for wildfires.

Both coffee brands are supported by Hugo Coffee Roasters, and Fluffy Cow Coffee roasts are available online. To date, Hugo Coffee Roasters has donated close to $100,000 and partnered with over 100 animal welfare organizations nationwide.

On October 31, 2023, Hugo Coffee was awarded a contract to open a coffee shop in the Salt Lake City International Airport’s Concourse A. “This will be my first standalone brick-and-mortar shop,” said Claudia. “It’s an incredible opportunity to increase brand awareness as we strive to fulfill our vision of becoming the go-to coffee for animal lovers nationwide.” 

In addition to her furry friends, Tim has been Claudia’s number one fan. “He supports me in every way, shape, and form,” she said. “He’s been by my side through COVID and the weekly nervous breakdowns that come with being an entrepreneur — including not making money. I’m incredibly grateful for him.”  

By combining philanthropy with commerce, Hugo Coffee hopes to win over the more than 63 million Americans who drink coffee and have a pet, eager to scale its effect on animal welfare.