Seattle's Best Coffee

Infobox Brand
logo=
name=Seattle's Best Coffee


type= Coffee
currentowner = Starbucks
origin = USA
discontinued =
related = Focus Brands
markets = Worldwide
previousowners = AFC Enterprises
trademarkregistrations =
website = http://www.seattlesbest.com/

Seattle's Best Coffee®, a subsidiary of Starbucks, is a specialty coffee retailer and wholesaler based in Seattle, Washington, USA.

Seattle's Best Coffee has retail stores and grocery sub-stores in 20 states and provinces and the District of Columbia.

History

Seattle's Best Coffee began in Coupeville, Washington as an ice cream parlor/coffeehouse called the "Wet Whisker" and founded by Jim Stewart in 1968. It was known as "Stewart Brothers Coffee" from 1969 to 1991, when it took on its present name. Seattle's Best Coffee was joined with Torrefazione Italia Coffee to form Seattle Coffee Holdings (SCH). SCH built a roasterie for both brands in 1995 on Vashon Island.

In 1998 AFC Enterprises purchased Seattle Coffee Holdings and changed its name to Seattle Coffee Company (SCC). During AFC Enterprise's ownership SCC's Vashon Island roasterie was upgraded and the company's organic coffee line was established. AFC Enterprises sold SCC to Starbucks in July 2003, retaining franchise rights in eleven countries, Hawaii and U.S. military bases. In November 2004, AFC sold those franchise rights (along with Cinnabon) to a newly-established affiliate of Roark Capital Group, FOCUS Brands, Inc.. [ [http://sec.edgar-online.com/2004/09/09/0000950144-04-009000/Section5.asp AFC Enterprises Announces the Signing of a Definitive Agreement to Sell Cinnabon] from EDGAR-Online.com]

Starbucks closed the Vashon Island facility October 23, 2003 and moved production to their Kent, Washington roasterie.

The Borders bookstore chain signed a contract with Seattle's Best Coffee in 2004 to convert Borders' in-store cafes to Seattle's Best cafes. As of 2006, approximately two-thirds of Borders' domestic superstores have completed the Seattle's Best conversion. Seattle's Best parent company Starbucks Corporation has contracted with Borders' competitor Barnes & Noble to operate cafes in B&N superstores under the Starbucks brand. Starbucks also owns and operates locations within Chapters and Indigo Books and Music Bookstores in Canada.

It has recentlywhen been learned that the five stores in British Columbia have been acquired by Blenz Coffee, a competitor to Starbucks in that province.

Steak 'n Shake replaced their in-house line of coffee with Seattle's Best Coffee in February 2008. This came as the store upgraded its breakfast menu.

In Canada Seattle's Best brewed coffee is sold at Mac's Convenience Stores.

References