Growing Up in the Slipstream of Innovation: A Daughter’s Perspective

It’s not every day you get to watch your parent build something from nothing — something that changes an entire industry. But that’s exactly what I’ve experienced growing up as the daughter of Julian Platt, the inventor and founder of Air-Motion Roasters.

Some kids grew up listening to bedtime stories. I grew up listening to the sound of prototypes and concepts being tested, my father’s visions and goals being discussed around the dinner table, the buzz of ideas, and the excitement in my dad’s voice when he solved a problem that no one else in the industry had even attempted.

I’ve had a front-row seat to the passion, persistence, and sheer curiosity that built this technology from an idea into a game-changing reality. Yes, I’ve watched him bring his dream to life.

But for Dad it wasn’t just about a roaster, it was— always— in the best way— about how to make coffee roasting cleaner, faster, more consistent, and ultimately better for both roasters and coffee lovers alike.

Watching him obsess over airflow, precision, sustainability, and flavour taught me more than just how a roaster works. It taught me the value of caring deeply about the people you build for: the roasters who pour their heart into every batch. 

From him, I’ve learned that innovation takes courage. It takes persistence. And it takes a genuine love for one’s craft — in our case, the craft of coffee. But what makes Air-Motion Roasters special isn’t just the technology — though it truly is remarkable. It’s the intention behind it.

☕ Roasters deserve tools that honour their craft.

🌍 The planet deserves solutions that reduce impact.

💡 And innovation deserves people willing to push boundaries.

With this in mind, for me being able to tap into this mindset first-hand has given me a unique appreciation for what makes Air-Motion Roasting even more special:

🔥 1. Precision Through Airflow

Unlike traditional drum roasters that rely heavily on conductive heat, Air-Motion Roasters also uses dynamic hot-air movement to roast beans evenly and efficiently. This reduces scorching, “baked” flavours, and inconsistencies—unlocking cleaner, brighter flavour profiles.

⚡ 2. Faster Roast Cycles Without Sacrificing Quality

Air-Motion technology delivers rapid, responsive heat transfer. That means a shorter roast time but with tighter control over development, and the ability to reproduce profiles with incredible consistency.

🌍 3. More Sustainable by Design

The system is engineered for energy efficiency and reduced emissions. That’s something Dad always cared about—creating technology that elevates quality and reduces environmental impact.

🛠️ 4. Reliability for Roasters Who Need It Most

Fewer moving parts. Easier maintenance. Stable performance even under heavy use. It’s built for real-world roasting, not just showroom floors.

☕ 5. A Platform for Roasters to Innovate

Because of the responsiveness of the system, roasters have more creative freedom to experiment, refine, and push boundaries in ways that traditional technology often restricts.

Watching my Dad pour over a decade of passion into Air-Motion Roasters has taught me that innovation doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when someone decides to challenge “the way it’s always been done” and keeps going long after others would stop.

I’m incredibly proud to carry this legacy forward—and even prouder to see how Air-Motion Roasters are empowering so many in the coffee community to roast with more precision, consistency, and imagination. I’m also endlessly proud of my Dad - not only for inventing Air-Motion Roasters, but for showing me what passion looks like in practice.

Here’s to the roasters, the innovators, the dreamers, to passion, and to a future roasted with intention. ☕💛

— Julia-Rose Platt