New Faces, Bigger Spaces: Austin’s Women-Led Coffee Roastery Expands Space, Team, and Vision
April 24, 2025 (Austin, TX) – Rising Tide Roast Collaborative, a thriving coffee roastery and production facility is proud to announce a recent expansion that will enhance its support for the region’s specialty coffee scene. With a doubling of its operational space, the addition of two dynamic co-founders, and the launch of a cold brew production and kegging program, Rising Tide is poised to serve more roasters, cafes, and coffee brands than ever before.
The expansion includes the acquisition of additional space, effectively doubling the facility’s footprint. This increased capacity allows Rising Tide to better accommodate their growing roster of roasting partners and commercial clients who rely on the space for high-quality coffee production, packaging, and distribution.
Further strengthening the business, Rising Tide welcomes two new co-owners, Areej Rabie and Vicky Wu. With extensive experience in business development and operations across their respective tenures, they join the team to drive strategic growth, enhance services, and foster community connections within the industry.
“Joining Rising Tide feels like stepping into something truly special,” said Vicky Wu. “There’s so much talent and heart in this space, and I’m thrilled to help shape the next chapter of specialty coffee here in Austin.”
“I’m so excited to be part of a team that’s redefining what collaboration looks like in coffee,” added Areej Rabie. “We have big dreams for Rising Tide, and this expansion is just the beginning. We’re ready to support more roasters, more ideas, and more great coffee.”
One of the most exciting developments is the introduction of cold brew production and kegging services. With demand for premium cold coffee on the rise, Rising Tide is now equipped to offer cold brew concentrate and kegs, providing a scalable solution for those looking to serve exceptional coffee in a convenient format.
“It’s been amazing co-founding and growing Rising Tide to what it is today alongside Sara,” said Kimberly Helms, co-founder of Rising Tide. “We’re at an exciting inflection point—one that’s perfectly poised to absorb Areej and Vicky’s experience, vision, and energy. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome them to the team and take this next big leap together.”
Sara Gibson, also a co-founder, added, “From the beginning, our goal has been to make specialty coffee more accessible and inclusive. With our expanded space and new cold brew services, we’re opening even more doors for folks to bring their coffee visions to life—and we couldn’t be more excited to support them on that journey.”
As Rising Tide continues to evolve, it remains committed to fostering a vibrant and inclusive coffee culture in Austin and beyond. The company is actively welcoming new roasters and commercial clients who seek a supportive environment and high-quality services for crafting outstanding specialty coffee.
About RTRC:
Rising Tide Roast Collaborative (RTRC) is an all-women-owned coffee roastery and production facility in Austin, TX. Our custom production services, shared roasting space, and hands-on support help coffee brands and private label clients bring their visions to life. RTRC offers just-starting-out brands an accessible entry point into the coffee industry and established brands the ability to scale.
RTRC was founded in 2022 by coffee industry veterans (and founders of Sightseer Coffee Roasters) Sara Gibson and Kimberly Helms.