YORK, Maine, US – Award-winning specialty food producer Stonewall Kitchen has announced its acquisition of Vermont Coffee Company based in Middlebury, Vermont. Vermont Coffee Company is the best-selling brand of bagged organic coffee in grocery stores across the Northeast. The company sources and blends high quality, certified organic arabica coffee from all of the leading coffee regions around the world, slow-roasting them in small batches to make coffees with big bold flavor.
Vermont Coffee Company is a brand with a purpose, and its distinctive “brown paper bag” packaging connotes values of freshness, and sustainability. Blends are available in both whole bean and most recently in pre-ground form.
Founder Paul Ralston began roasting coffee in 1979 after purchasing an antique Royal No. 4 slotted-drum roaster which he set up in the window of his bakery in Bristol, Vermont. Twenty years later, the Vermont Coffee Company was born, and today offers over 25 blends from its 40,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility in Middlebury. In 2018, the company became the first roaster in the nation to roast coffee using 100% renewable biogas, demonstrating its commitment to the environment and planet.
“We’re extremely excited to welcome Vermont Coffee Company to our growing family of specialty brands,” said John Stiker, Chief Executive Officer of Stonewall Kitchen. “Both of our companies are committed to craft manufacturing high quality products and creating meaningful experiences for people. The Vermont Coffee Company products are sustainably sourced, 100% organic, and — most importantly – make a delicious cup of coffee! We believe these deeply rooted values and commitment to quality make Vermont Coffee Company the perfect addition to our family.”
Added founder Paul Ralston, “I began my love affair with coffee by learning to roast through trial and error, and sharing those batches with friends. Forty years later, our mission remains “roasting coffee for friends” – which means being friends to our farmers, our customers, our community, and our planet. As a purpose-driven company, finding the right home for our brand and the friends I’ve made was of the utmost importance to me. I am extremely happy that Stonewall Kitchen will be the new home of Vermont Coffee Company and will continue roasting with our entire team here in Middlebury. I’m also thrilled to announce that as part of their commitment to the community, Stonewall Kitchen is planning to open a new Vermont Coffee Company café in downtown Middlebury, with a target opening date of this fall.”
Concluded Stiker, “We’re elated to have Vermont Coffee join the other great brands in our family made here in New England, from our flagship Stonewall Kitchen products made here in York, Maine, to the Village Candle brand made up the road in Wells, to the Vermont Village brand of apple cider vinegar products made in Vermont. Combined with our other acquisitions from around the country, including the most recent acquisition of Urban Accents just last month, Vermont Coffee Company expands even further what we are able to offer our customers and guests. With our expertise in brand building, product development, and omni-channel distribution, we’re looking forward to having the team at Vermont Coffee Company join us in offering a wide range of unique, high quality and premium coffee products.”
Vermont Coffee Company marks Stonewall Kitchen’s second acquisition of 2021 and sixth acquisition overall. It acquired the Urban Accents® brand of spice mixes, seasonings, sauces, and gifts in early March.
