The Hoffmann Family of Companies signed a definitive agreement Thursday with the J.M. Smucker Co. to exclusively service and expand Rowland Coffee Roasters’ more than 1,400 direct store delivery clients in Florida for an initial 10-year term.
The agreement includes the physical assets of Rowland Coffee Roasters’ direct store delivery (DSD) business, the management of sales of the leading Latin coffee brands Café Bustelo and Pilon brands for DSD customers in the Florida market and the transition of employees to Hoffmann. The deal will be managed by Stan’s Coffee & Food Service, a Lehigh Acres company purchased in early 2020 by Naples-based Hoffmann, a multi-vertical family-owned company with more than 90 brands, the company reports.
The Ohio-based J.M. Smucker Co., a multi-brand corporation best known for its Smucker’s fruit spreads, purchased the Miami-based Rowland Coffee Roasters in 2011 but the coffee business dates back to 1865. Its Café Bustelo and Pilon coffee brands are available in retail stores nationwide and in DSD channels in Florida. This agreement seeks to expand the DSD whole bean offering to additional locations throughout the state.
“Stan’s Coffee & Food Service offers locally roasted coffee, paper goods and dry food products throughout the state of Florida, including restaurants, large country clubs, resorts, health care and offices. The addition of offering Café Bustelo and Pilon coffee will further expand access for consumers to these outstanding brands,” said Bob Payne, president of Stan’s Coffee & Food Service, which is the Gulfshore Business “Best of Business” 2022 winner for coffee vendors.
The exclusive expansion agreement with the Hoffmann Family of Companies exposes the brands to more direct store customers and clients. Café Bustelo, ranked a top-10 coffee brand and a leading espresso brand in the United States, and Pilon coffee are part of the ever-growing Latin market, which makes up nearly a fifth of the nation’s consumer market.
“This exclusive agreement with Smucker is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to leverage our independent strengths for a mutual opportunity and future together. We are honored and very excited to be doing this with the J.M. Smucker Co.,” said Geoff Hoffmann, co-CEO of Hoffmann Family of Companies.
In addition to its jams and jellies, Smucker’s consumer brands include Jif peanut butter, Folgers coffee, Carnation and Eagle Brand milk and Robin Hood flour, as well as pet food brands 9 Lives, Meow Mix, Gravy Train and Milk-Bone.
Upon the close of the transaction, Stan’s Coffee will begin the immediate expansion of the Rowland Coffee Roasters’ brands through its existing DSD clients and channels, while looking to expand to new customers and clients throughout Florida.
