Global Food Collaborative

Do these sound familiar?  Bruin Blend, Cherry Karma, Deadman's Reach, Ebony Pearls, Resurrection Blend, Skookum Blend, Three Peckered Billy Goat, Wicked Wolf?   If not, maybe you're the House Blend kind of person and are only yet familiar with Raven's Brew House Blend?

Did you know that Raven's Brew Coffee, now being served throughout the United States, started in Ketchikan, Alaska?  They still roast and serve wholesale clients from their Ketchikan base and attribute their growth into the national marketplace to their first of three strategic locations.

Started in the 80's by 6 friends who lived and worked in southeast Alaska, Raven's Brew Coffee is a specialty gourmet coffee roaster.    They started out with a love of fine coffee's and art and a dream to marry the two into a business.    On the roasting side of the business, one of the owners started out by responding to an ad in the local paper for someone who had 20 pounds of fresh delivered coffee beans that needed roasting.    The 6 friends engaged Ray Troll, famed Alaska artist and friends with the owners, to design the original Raven's Brew packaging.   Those designs are eye popping and have been instrumental to help differentiate the Raven's Brew brand ever since.         The stand out packaging and the local freshness of locally roasted coffees took off in the southeast town of 8,000.      Beyond the locals, the cruise ship visitors took Raven's Brew to a whole new level.     Beyond selling more coffee, the company had a growing client base outside of Ketchikan and after nearly 20 years, branched into an additional location for roasting and serving their wholesale clients, based in Tumwater, Washington.  That facility now services food service and retail grocery throughout the lower 48 states.   In fact, the last and only state where their coffee is not yet served on a regular basis is in Hawaii.   As clients pulled their product into the marketplace, Raven's Brew followed up with a 3rd and nearly identical facility in Anchorage to serve locations throughout Alaska, other then Southeast.  

Another thing that makes Raven's Brew Coffee unique to other roasters is that their business model does not include their own retail outlets (shops/coffee stands).   Their sole business is focused on their wholesale business of roasting, distribution and their wholesale clientele.      This gives them an opportunity to focus resources on their wholesale clients and not be distracted to other parts of the business.       For example, Raven's Brew Coffee takes pride in their "Roast To Order" program.    Coffee is nothing if not fresh.  When an order is to be distributed - the selected coffee beans are roasted immediately prior to the distribution or delivery to assure the freshest coffee and most satisfied customers.    

They select the highest quality beans in the world and while they have a broad selection, they have invested considerable time and resources into getting as close to the actual growers of their beans.   It is the only way to understand and assure quality all the way through this process.    Beans come from Mexico, Brazil, Columbia, Indonesia, Guatemala, ..........

Where sold?

Carrs/Safeways throughout Alaska and as a result of the success of Alaska's store responses entering 94 select Safeway stores throughout the country.     New Sagaya, Alaska Commercial Company, the University of Alaska, Humpy's, Whole Foods Markets in select stores, Earth Fare, Aikens.

Nathan Root
Alaska Division Manager and Sales Manager

Raven's Brew Coffee, Inc.
www.ravensbrew.com
800.91.RAVEN