Robi Lambie founded Cairngorm after a 2013 conversation in the Cairngorm National Park about building a quality focused coffee operation in Edinburgh. The first shop opened on Frederick Street in 2014, and in 2017 Lambie invested in a 12 kilo Probat roaster, initially driving up the A9 to roast batches before transporting them back to the city. Moving the roaster to Edinburgh in 2019 was a turning point for quality control, and the roastery now sits just outside the city near Portobello. Sourcing centers on direct relationships with producers like Sebastian Ramirez in Colombia and Benjamin Paz in Honduras, a two time Cup of Excellence winner whose Ilama project supplies half of Cairngorm's Guilty Pleasure house blend. Lambie has roasted coffee for the Scottish Aeropress Championships, judged competitions, and helped launch Barista Wars. The company runs three Edinburgh cafes and a location at Ralia near Newtonmore.