First Colony Coffee & Tea - Celebrating 100 Years: 2002 Fall Coffee and Tea Handbook

In 1902, Nabisco introduced its circus-themed Barnum's Animal Crackers to the delight of children everywhere; Necco introduced Conversation Hearts, a Valentine favorite that helped galvanize many relationships; and James G. Gill started a company that brought his passion for coffee to his Norfolk, Virginia community.

One hundred years later, all three companies are still going strong.

Rooted in Quality

Touring Europe in search of foods to import to the U.S., Gill developed an interest in fine coffee that quickly grew into a passion. His passion motivated his actions — he set up his own roasting operation on Water Street in Norfolk, Va.

From the very beginning, an unwavering commitment to quality and a philosophy of building relationships afforded James G. Gill business success. Delivering coffee to local vendors by horse and buggy, his salesmen forged relationships with small, neighborhood grocery stores and before long, the James G. Gill Company had established itself as the area roaster.

New railway connections in Norfolk eventually enabled the company to expand distribution to the western part of Virginia, into the Carolinas, Maryland, Kentucky, and even as far west as West Virginia. The company aspired to continue expansion in the years following World War II, but as major grocery chains developed, most elected to carry national brands, increasing competition for regional companies.

But Gill's company had an advantage. Though the company's signature roasted product was coffee and chicory, as Gill's great-grandson Thomas Brockenbrough, a fourth-generation family member currently serving as president and CEO, explained, "We were able to compete with the big guys on that business, but at the same time, we realized that coffee and chicory weren't our future."

Following Hearst's advice to the young newsman, they too looked to the West Coast and discerned a growing interest in gourmet foods. Accompanying that trend was a specific demand for fine specialty coffees.

"We saw that interest developing on the West Coast and decided to bring our company in line with the trend," explained Brockenbrough.

Tom and his brother J. Gill Brockenbrough (who passed away two years ago) decided to purchase the successful James G. Gill Company in 1970, and seized an opportunity to lead the company to a new level. In an effort to market a specialty coffee product, the brothers formed First Colony Coffee & Tea Company to focus on specialty coffee products, while still maintaining the James G. Gill Company for institutional accounts and supermarkets.

Brockenbrough believes the key to success is to follow the trends, "and we did that by becoming the first to develop an East Coast gourmet coffee company."

That year, First Colony Coffee & Tea Company began offering three coffees — Colombian Supremo, Mocha Java from Yemen, and Kilimanjaro from Tanzania.

In the 1980s, First Colony occupied the forefront, educating retailers and consumers about specialty coffee. However, as supermarkets became more and more involved in selling specialty coffee, and competition heated up, First Colony once again looked beyond their current retail business to adapt to the specialty coffee business' changing nature. As a result, the company began forging a relationship with Macy's Cellar, helping the department store create a coffee program designed to capture the gourmet consumer market. The success of this program, which included not only First Colony-branded coffees but private-label coffees under the store brand as well, led to long-standing relationships with Macy's and other department stores.

In the 1990s, more changes came to First Colony. J. Gill left the company and was replaced by a nonfamily member. Tom, who remained as secretary/treasurer, recalls how the company took a different direction and lost some of its identity.

"We weren't leading the trends, but following," he noted. "The image was a mixed one, and we felt that we lost our brand focus and sent mixed messages to our customers."

Through it all, Tom's desire to stay in the family business remained, so he sought out a group of investors who could help reinstate the family tradition that was integral to First Colony.

"I wanted to stay in the business, so I put together a group of investors that included a cooperative of farmers from Colombia to buy out my brother's interest," he stated.

About two years ago, Brockenbrough became president and CEO with a goal to rebuild the company and restore its original stature. Today, First Colony is returning to its roots.

"We are re-pursuing the attributes that are at the foundation of our company — quality, integrity, and high service levels," he explained.

And Tom isn't doing it all by himself. The entire First Colony team, from the sales staff, to those working in the plant, to farmers in Colombia are all working towards building the First Colony brand.

Relationship Coffee

The phrase "relationship coffee" may be an industry buzzword today, but it has always been at the heart of the company that James G. Gill started 100 years ago. Four generations later, the company continues to nurture relationships — with its customers, vendors, employees, and shareholders.

One significant relationship is with a cooperative of coffee farmers in Colombia, who in 1992 became a part of the First Colony family. In the early 1990s, a cooperative of farmers from Antioquia were seeking to invest in an established roaster and exporting company. Their goal was to better understand the marketing chain, and learn how this contribution could improve the sustainability of their product — coffee.

They found a dedicated and knowledgeable partner in First Colony who provides expertise and training to farmers by delivering to them the latest information on production, as well as on how to create a high-quality product.

Advancing that relationship one step further, the Colombians send interns to First Colony to learn the specialty coffee business.

"We host Colombian interns on a revolving basis so they can gain firsthand experience and take it back to the farms for implementation. Included are methods to help support their social programs and improve their quality of life," explained Brockenbrough.

Ariel Montoya, a current intern, explained, "I realize that I have two choices in the future. The first is to eliminate the shade and become more productive. The second is to go for the organic seal and sell my coffees for a better price."

He added, "Our challenge in Antioquia is that we have many climates and differences in cup taste and quality, and we must each make decisions that will help us sustain the land."

"The co-op is a part of First Colony's infrastructure," explained Brockenbrough. "It isn't just a question of us buying the coffee. It is set up so that profits go directly to the farmers without any hands taking a bite along the way. They're sharing directly in the company's profits."

Buying coffee at prices exceeding the C market and ensuring that the farmers receive it is nothing new to First Colony. They have bought shade coffee directly for years — they've just been quiet about promoting it.

"We're not a fad-of-the-moment kind of company. The programs we focus on are traditional and give a sense of who we are," said Brockenbrough. "Our small piece will help farmers have an interest in staying in the coffee business."

The First Colony Family

"Our family has been here in Virginia, the first colony, for generations," explained Brockenbrough. "We are Virginians, and Virginia has a long tradition of hospitality. That tradition is part of our company. We have a strong commitment to serve our customers and that goes hand in hand with Virginia. We're a fine Virginia company producing a fine, old product."

The family at First Colony extends well beyond the family name — its culture emphasizes family.

"Everyone here works together. It is very much a family feeling here at First Colony," said Brockenbrough, a statement that was reiterated by numerous employees.

Many employees rival Brockenbrough's more than 30 years with the company. Generations of family members — grandmothers, mothers, and daughters — work on the production floor, and that same longevity is true in the office. Bob Meskin has been with First Colony for a quarter of a century, first as national sales manager, now as national accounts director. Leslie Chinappi, mid-Atlantic regional sales director, started with First Colony 20 years ago.

"What has kept us here is the First Colony quality," Meskin said, "our strict adherence to that, and the family feeling with everyone working together. We don't have customers, we have friends. We welcome everyone to the First Colony family; even our customers are part of the family," Meskin says, as he reminisces about many of the small retailers who have been customers for so many years. "I'm proud to have sold this product for so long; it is just a part of me."

Aside from working hard to maintain long-term relationships, First Colony offers its customers a variety of products, from single-origin coffees to blends, flavored coffees, or special proprietary flavors, all roasted to order and shipped within three days.

Additionally, Charlie Cortellini, COO, offers his expertise in the coffee industry, helping boost plant operations to include certified organic coffee, plus a growing range of sustainable coffees from around the world.

"The strength of First Colony is that we do a lot of things for different people," added Bruce Grembowitz, plant manager. "We can service a variety of clients large and small by offering unique items. We are committed to providing just what the customer wants."

"You have to have a passion for coffee," said Jeff Cryans, vice president, sales and marketing. "Otherwise, you won't have success. And that is what we at First Colony have — a passion for coffee that is felt by everyone First Colony comes in contact with. Our goal is to be the coffee of choice, and we will continue to refine the product line to be the best of the best."

Always at the leading edge of a trend, the company offers products that meet the needs of customers, whether it is the creation of gift packaging for department stores, private label, or even high-quality flavored coffees.

Meskin reminisced about an advertisement that ran in The Gourmet Retailer more than 20 years ago, which showed coffee cups filled with raspberries and strawberries to promote their flavored coffee offerings. The copy read — "Coffees so rare that they grow nowhere on earth."

"Our goal is to bring First Colony back to the forefront as a primary brand," assured Brockenbrough, citing a new logo, new packaging, and an overall "rebuilding of the First Colony brand on a local and national level."

A New Century

A new century for First Colony means maintaining the traditions of the company, but modernizing and updating it to meet the needs of the current and future specialty market. No doubt, First Colony will be at the forefront of the trends.

"We're not a big company," explained Brockenbrough, "but we pay a lot of attention to detail. We want to grow while maintaining the traditions of the past. The goal isn't to be the biggest, but rather to offer customers the best quality and the highest level of service. Our niche is offering high-end, super-premium gourmet coffee, with a family feeling."