Community Coffee
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | coffee roasting |
| Founded | Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States (1919) |
| Founder | Norman "Cap" Saurage |
| Products |
|
Community Coffee is a coffee roaster and distributor based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States.[1] As of 2005, it was the largest family-owned coffee brand in the United States, controlling 52% of the market in South Louisiana and 72% in Baton Rouge, and employing 850 people.[2] The company has distribution throughout markets in the Southeastern United States.[3][4][5]
Community Coffee originated in 1919 when company founder Norman "Cap" Saurage began experimenting with coffee blends at his two grocery stores in downtown Baton Rouge. Demand for the coffee increased to the extent that by 1923 Saurage moved his coffee production to a converted barn, and in 1924 left his grocery business to focus on coffee.[6]
The company now imports coffee beans from Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico through ports in New Orleans and Houston.[7] Since 1988, it has run a program in which UPC labels from its products can be redeemed for donations to Louisiana schools.[8] In 2002 Community entered into a deal with the Abahuzamugambi farming cooperative in Rwanda, facilitated by the PEARL agricultural program, to purchase Maraba coffee. This was the first direct contract between an African farming cooperative and American coffee roaster.[9]
In 1995, Community Coffee began opening a chain of retail coffeehouses throughout Louisiana. Community also launched stores in Texas and Alabama, however, ventures in neighboring states failed due to the entrenchment of Starbucks and local brands.[2] In 2013 Community spun off its coffee house business into a separate company named CC's Coffee House in order to facilitate out-of-state expansion. CC's remains under the ownership of the Saurage family.[10]
See also
References
- ^ Community Coffee - About Us
- ^ a b USATODAY.com - Community Coffee perks up to challenge
- ^ Birmingham's cup runneth over as Community Coffee arrives to take on Red Diamond, Royal Cup | AL.com
- ^ Community Coffee entering new markets | Business | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA
- ^ Louisiana's Community Coffee to expand into Birmingham market - Birmingham Business Journal
- ^ Community Coffee’s first mill put on display | People | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA
- ^ Charles Graffeo, Sr.: Wake Up and Smell the Coffee - Inbound Logistics
- ^ Community looking to expand its coffee brand | New Orleans CityBusiness
- ^ Cup of Good Hope
- ^ Community spins off CC's to facilitate out-of-state expansion – On March 1, 2016 Southwest Airlines began serving community coffee to their customers on flights. Archived April 29, 2014, at the Wayback Machine