Sibblies THE EVER-GROWING phenomenon of coffee bar culture lead by Starbucks and other operators, which has gained popularity in both the United States and Europe, is set to make its mark in Jamaica, the home of the world's premier gourmet coffee, Blue Mountain coffee.
Coffee Industries Limited, owners and operators of the Coffee Mill of Jamaica have opened a speciality coffee house located on New Kingston's Barbados Avenue, in the heart of the corporate area.
The Coffee Mill of Jamaica has been operating speciality coffee houses in Jamaica for more than 20 years, opening the first shop in 1976 at the Donald Sangster International Airport, in Montego Bay.
Currently operating a recently upgraded full service Espresso bar in the intransit lounge of the Norman Manley International Airport, Kingston, as well as a coffee house on Montego Bay's Gloucester Avenue, the New Kingston operation brings the number of coffee shops run by the Coffee Mill of Jamaica to three.
The combined cost of all three shops is placed at approximately $20 million, with infrastructure and equipment accounting for the majority of that figure. The airport shop generates revenues of $12 million per annum, Montego Bay, $4 million and the New Kingston shop is expected to do $12 million.
Coffee Industries Limited's chief executive officer and founder Patrick Sibblies speaking to Wednesday Business said:" The coffee shops provide yet another arm to Coffee Industries Limited. We also export, employing the value added concept which sees us roasting and packaging coffee to meet both local and international standards. Arabica beans are our speciality and we are certified by the Coffee Industry Board (CIB). Our factory in Yallahs, St. Thomas does both roasting and packaging and we concentrate on niche markets."
In 1998, the factory in Yallahs undertook a major retooling exercise and increased its production capability and now exports to North America, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Europe and a number of Caribbean islands.
The company now produces a line of flavoured Jamaica Mountain choice coffees and through a licence from Swiss Water (Vancouver, Canada) it now produces the first Jamaican decaffeinated coffee. An alliance in progress with leading American coffee company, Mr. Coffee Concepts will allow Coffee Industries Limited to establish a distribution point in Jamaica, to provide goods and services for the "in room" service within the regional hotels and guest houses.
Mr. Sibblies pointed out that his company concentrates on niche markets and took a conscious decision not to over extend themselves.
He added: "In Jamaica we have a limited availability of high volume raw materials and yet we try to access a huge market which we are not equipped to undertake. It must be understood that within this big market there are segments that one can focus upon and this applies to the entire Jamaican economy. The gourmet coffee market is not one of hundreds of tons but one of hundreds of pounds of product with the American market expanding."
Before the Starbucks coffee shop explosion took hold, Mr. Sibblies established a successful coffee shop in Oakland, California called the Blue Mountain Cafe in 1984.
