This is an exciting day for all of us at Club Coffee – and our suppliers.
Back in 2007, Nestlé asked me to take on ownership of Club Coffee and become CEO. They asked me and my team to take our company to a new level of success –and we succeeded. We are innovators, we produce high-quality products, we are there for our customers. Our suppliers have been important contributors to that journey.
As people in business yourselves, you know that today’s business world makes it critical to build on success, not take it for granted. You know we all have to ask “what we can do next to do even better?” Our leadership team has asked that question and we see many, many opportunities to grow our business a lot more. We see the path to get our company to the next level – an even greater level of success that will benefit all our stakeholders, including suppliers.
To get to that next level, we knew it was time for significant new investments in the equipment and technology that will enable Club Coffee to do more for our many existing customers, plus earn the business of new ones. We saw that the way forward was going to take a new partner who shares our culture, commitment to customers and focus on people and innovation.
I am proud to announce that we found that partner. ofi, which stands for olam food ingredients, has announced that they intend to take Club Coffee to that next level through an acquisition agreement. The transaction is expected to complete in the coming months, subject to regulatory approval and other conditions.
ofi (www.ofi.com) is a multi-billion dollar global leading food and beverage ingredients company with roots in Singapore and leadership around the globe including in North America. They deliver sustainable, natural, value-added ingredients and solutions to a diverse channel mix of customers across the globe. They are a perfect match for us because they share the same philosophy as Club Coffee. They have the same values – sustainability, health, innovation, and solid operational execution. ofi sums up its purpose as “Be the Change for Good Food and a Healthy Future.”
For ofi, the acquisition of Club Coffee is fully aligned with their growth strategy for expansion into the private label roast and ground coffee market. Their resources and connections will give us the scale and reach to grow bigger and faster. ofi sees opportunities in building on Club Coffee’s Canadian base for its product portfolio including cocoa, dairy, nuts, and spices.
While there are still details to be finalized, we already know the most important elements in this deal of relevance to Club Coffee suppliers.
- Club Coffee will still substantially be Club Coffee, now with the resources and connections to achieve more growth, which means more supplier opportunities.
- I will still be CEO and very few changes are likely to our management team and your contacts.
- We will still operate with the same name, at the same address.
Even with few visible changes for Club Coffee suppliers, you will probably have questions about the agreement and our path forward. We encourage you to talk your Club Coffee contact.
I believe strongly that this agreement represents the start of a new chapter of growth and achievement for Club Coffee and ofi from which our suppliers stand to benefit. I hope you will share our excitement at the opportunities ahead for us all.
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