zavida coffee company - The Canadian Business Journal

ZAVIDA COFFEE COMPANY
www.zavida.com
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FOOD & DRINK • Zavida Coffee Company
Zavida Coffe
In pursuit of the world
JUNE 2011 • The Canadian Business Journal
CB
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FOOD & DRINK
ee Company
d’s freshest coffee
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FOOD & DRINK • Zavida Coffee Company
JUNE 2011 • The Canadian Business Journal
Founded in 1982 by Charles Litterst, Zavida Coffee Company
is celebrating its 30th successful year in business.
Based in Concord, Ont., Zavida has grown into a distinct leader in the
gourmet coffee industry, with two upcoming and exciting launches—
Zavida’s brand new website as well as the world’s first unsweetened
gourmet syrup made for brewed coffee, MiniSyrup.
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FOOD & DRINK • Zavida Coffee Company
The two new releases add to an already strong
product line. Speaking with President and CEO
Charles Litterst and son Danny, the two highlighted the unique identity of Zavida Coffee Company.
Its place in the coffee industry
With a variety of coffee flavours, Zavida offers
its products through worldwide export and
distribution channels, food service suppliers,
office coffee service providers, gift companies,
direct through e-commerce, and acts as a private
label manufacturer.
As a unique player in the diverse coffee industry, Zavida maintains an enviable position in
this always developing sector. In Canada, Zavida
is among the most popular wholesale coffee
brands, with its largest distribution channel being
Costco Wholesale.
So what’s next for Zavida? According to
Charles, Zavida must continue to penetrate
integrity. We’re not just slapping on a logo. We
have to work very hard for it.”
additional distribution channels and expand its
product lines as a whole worldwide. The goal is
Introducing MiniSyrup
“to continue to ethically grow with a key focus
The world’s first unsweetened syrup specifically
on sustainability.”
made to flavour brewed coffee, cup-by-cup, Mini-
“We’ve been a private label manufacturer for
Syrup is sugar free, sweetener free, zero calorie
so long that many people have tried our coffee
syrup which creates an assortment of flavoured
without knowing it,” Danny said. “We are now
coffees with just one brew and no added equip-
fully pursuing the Zavida Coffee brand.”
ment. Zavida believes its MiniSyrup is “the greatest
Charles added, “It is important for us to have
innovation in flavoured coffee in the last 20 years.”
JUNE 2011 • The Canadian Business Journal
There is a notable distinction between Mini-
“Flavouring coffee cup-by-cup is a new trend
Syrup and typical brewed flavoured coffees,
in what is otherwise a bland market right now.
being that regular brewed coffees, like standard
People are looking for more variety without ad-
house blends, can be flavoured one cup at a time
ditional equipment or space and MiniSyrup
with MiniSyrup. Such a convenient option has
provides our customers with new and exciting
allowed Zavida to break into the quick serve food
tastes,” added Danny.
market providing quick serve food retailers with
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MiniSyrup was recently launched at a show
more coffee selection while using less counter
hosted by the Canadian Restaurant and Foodser-
space. Currently, MiniSyrup utilizes about 50 per
vices Association, and was met with enthusiastic
cent of Zavida’s resources focusing on its expan-
reviews. MiniSyrup is available in 10 tasteful fla-
sion into this market.
vours, including six-pack and three-pack Starter
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FOOD & DRINK • Zavida Coffee Company
Alliance Certified coffee emphasizes crop production that ensures ecosystem and water resource
conservation, wildlife protection, and fair treatKits. Flavours include Hazelnut Vanilla, French
ment and good working conditions for workers,
Vanilla, Irish Cream, Crème Brûlée, Cinnamon
among many others.
Bun, Ginger Cookie, Amaretto Almond, Hazelnut,
Raspberry Chocolate, and Caramel Royale.
“Our biggest commitment is to increase the
amount of Organic and Rainforest Alliance Certified coffees we purchase, now standing well over
Committed to quality, passion for coffee
1 million pounds per year,” Danny said. “Zavida
Organic certified in both Canada and the United
is now also Carbon Neutral Certified through
States, Zavida is also heavily involved with the
Trees for the Future where we offset any carbon
Rainforest Alliance, an organization primarily fo-
we produce on an annual basis with physical tree
cused on environmental sustainability. Rainforest
planting throughout the world.
JUNE 2011 • The Canadian Business Journal
“We have planted more than 10,000 trees
and that number is increasing, especially now
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from the average coffee company.
“On our new website, we will be offering what
that a tree will be planted on behalf of our cus-
no one else in the coffee industry is offering
tomers for each and every product purchased on
online, and that is a brand new section called
our new website.”
‘Roasted Today where we roast coffee and then
An enthusiastic Zavida Coffee Folding team
offer it for sale on our website on the same day
has also begun and Zavida is now dedicating a
that it is roasted,” Danny summarized. “We feel
large amount of computer resources to assist the
Zavida is the best kept secret in the coffee indus-
Stanford initiative “Folding home” for valuable
try. It’s something special.” CB
medical research.
The most notable distinction of Zavida is its
dedication to product freshness, something it believes is potentially its greatest point of difference
www.zavida.com
AS SEEN IN THE JUNE 2011 ISSUE
OF THE CANADIAN BUSINESS JOURNAL