Bewley's Ltd. - Spot A Fresh Opportunity
It was back in 1835 that Samuel Bewley and his son Charles began shipping tea directly from China to Dublin, thereby breaking the monopoly of the East India Tea Company. Quick to spot a market gap, Bewley’s was officially founded in 1840 and it soon moved into the coffee trade and a legend was born.
By 1927 the legend had its own temple, in Dublin’s exotically appointed Grafton Street Café. Mentioned in James Joyce’s Dubliners, frequented by literary and artistic figures from Sean O’Casey to Sinead O’Connor, Bewley’s Café is world famous to this day.
Patrick Bewley, latest in a long line of Bewleys involved in the business, is proud to carry on the tradition. “It’s a very strong brand,” he says. “When people mention Bewley’s they automatically think of coffee.”
Real entrepreneurs
The company retains the entrepreneurial spirit that first landed those chests from the Orient. Having become an essential part of Irish life, Campbell Bewley Group Ltd expanded across the Atlantic, with Rebecca’s Cafes in Boston, and Java City, its roasting, wholesale and café operation based in California. The US now accounts for some 50% of the company’s €78m sales.
So with a history of business expansion, brand leadership and continued product innovation, what comes next? The answer is the UK. The roast and ground coffee market is growing strongly, and the category’s value has grown by 91% over the past seven years. Yet the market is still massively underdeveloped and offers significant growth potential.
Step forward the market leading coffee experts and entrepreneurs. As Mark Saunders, general manager of Bewley’s Consumer Division, points out: “Consumers love the great aroma and delicious taste of fresh coffee. It’s one of life’s simple pleasures.
“They want to enjoy more fresh coffee at home but there are a numbers of barriers stopping them from doing so. We’re perfectly positioned to understand, respond to and make the most of this opportunity.”
The great quality product is in place and already in Waitrose. The unique attractions include re-sealable Ziploc packaging. And the innovations, such as their fresh coffee starter pack, are coming thick and fast. The key now, Mark admits, is making the right senior level sales appointment.
“It’s a big challenge, and we need someone who will absolutely thrive on that,” he says. “Someone who knows the market - and the right people – and can develop the business, from the front. If they can do that, the rewards and recognition will be every bit as outstanding.”
Bewley's Ltd
Northern Cross, Malahide Road, Dublin 17, Ireland
+353 1 816 0600
