Seattle's Best Coffee began as a combination ice cream and coffee shop called the Wet Whisker in Coupeville on Whidbey Island, northwest of Seattle, in 1969. From Seattle’s waterfront to the shores of Philippines, we at Coffee Master’s Inc. continue Jim and Dave’s mission – to deliver the bolder flavors that discerning consumers seek, as well as the smoother taste they prefer – because great coffee, a cozy atmosphere, and an intimate story bring out nothing but the best. We have plans in the works. In the more than 45 years since, it's been a labor of love. Much to the founders delight, their little coffee company took first place. BW: So, how did you start? BW: How are you looking to expand it? Her father and uncle had fallen in love with the farm, Santa Elena, in 1978 and bought it as a place for their families to spend working vacations. On a personal level, Stewart gained friendships that were held together by great coffee and gifts of Northwest salmon — and eventually, in the case of one particular Costa Rican farmer, by marriage. A newcomer in a country that was not her own, and a woman in a male-dominated industry, Trujillo dug in. Gone are Seattle’s Best Blend and Henry’s Blend, replaced with a new “Levels” system for differentiating between different blends. Conversely, he set up a small roasting room and coffee-tasting area at Santa Elena to help his wife’s employees understand his side of the business — and to help her judge the quality of each batch of coffee she produces. MBA Skool is a Knowledge Resource for Management Students & Professionals. Excellent financial situation since takeover4. MG: Just to back up, our business model is multi-faceted. Direct coffee buyers also have to monitor quality, because even though they feel close to the growers, it can slip over time. Jim started out sourcing green coffee beans from local growers, and it turned out that the brothers had a knack for brewing coffee as their business quickly outgrew their little peanut roaster. But in Boston shortly afterward, where she flew to meet more U.S. roasters at a coffee convention, she had lunch with him and they began to keep in touch regularly, talking by phone about coffee growing and roasting. Below are the Strengths in the SWOT Analysis of Seattle’s Best Coffee: 1. Now she spends about half the year running the farm in Costa Rica. The Coffee Bean3. “In a lot of countries, he told them to invest in their villages to make their lives better,” Gary says. Commodity pressures3. So many times when you’re craving a great cup of coffee and can’t get it because you’re in the back of the line or there might not be a Starbucks store nearby, your ability to access that great coffee just isn’t there. By the end of the second summer, the shop had roasted and sold nearly 500 lbs (226 kg) of coffee. One of them is Michelle Gass, the former evp-marketing, who oversaw the launch of Via. This is one of those icons in the Seattle area, and it’s steeped in decades of history. Henry's Blend® became the first of the excellent Seattle's Best Coffee roasts and flavors that followed. Brandweek: You ran marketing at Starbucks and helped grow Frappuccino into a billion-dollar business before being tapped to oversee Seattle’s Best Coffee in September. Founded in 1988[10] by a Boeing engineer, the coffee is produced to exacting specifications to match the owner's taste and the taste of patrons who prefer this different blend. BW: Why the whole focus on premium if consumers are cutting back on discretionary spending now? In Seattle’s Best Coffee SWOT Analysis, the strengths and weaknesses are the internal factors whereas opportunities and threats are the external factors. Top Pot Doughnuts was founded in 2002 on Capitol Hill as a pastry bakery which also roasts and sells coffee. BW: How did you decide on the creative execution and final logo rebranding? One of his first stops was Costa Rica, where he got off a bus in a rural area expecting to see a sign for the exporting company he sought. MG: We are looking to create a global identity and this is not just a domestic play. That is our objective. BW: What’s your goal with the new rebranding and logo effort? Stewart has also brought in some business, through consulting work with Seattle-area roasters including his brother Dave, who owns Vista Clara Coffee in Snohomish and the Vashon Island Coffee Roasterie, which is in the building where Stewart used to roast coffee for Seattle’s Best.