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| Type | Wholly owned subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Founded | In 1853 in Gävle, Sweden |
| Founder(s) | Victor Theodore Engwall |
| Headquarters | Tarrytown, NY |
| Key people | Dana Vogel, Brand Manager |
| Industry | Home delivery coffee and tea |
| Products | Coffee, Coffee makers, and Boxed tea |
| Services | Coffee |
| Website | www.gevalia.com |
Gevalia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kraft Foods, is the largest coffee roastery in Scandinavia. In North America, the company sells premium coffee and teas directly to consumers via home delivery. Customers order from a customer service center and a website that was relaunched in August 2009. Gevalia produces more than 40 different varieties of super-premium coffee and tea.
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Gevalia History
It is located in Gävle (Gevalia in Latin). Gevalia was introduced in 1920 in Sweden by the trading company Victor Theodore Engwall & Co. After 120 years as a family company it was sold in 1971 to Kraft Foods predecessor company, General Foods. Most Gevalia Coffee is sold in Sweden, Denmark and in the Baltic area, but some is exported to America.
Gevalia began North American sales, via mail-order delivery service, in 1983. Gevalia is perhaps most well known for its introductory offer of a free coffeemaker and other coffee-related incentives. These offers were seen in magazine advertisements, direct mailings, and television commercials, but were later overtaken by online advertising. Some of these Gevalia.com advertisements were the basis of the 2005 Hypertouch based lawsuit. A mainstream supermarket brand in Northern Europe, Gevalia is marketed in the United States as a premium brand. Gevalia holds the Royal Warrant for coffee roasters from H.M. the King of Sweden. Gevalia also maintains an Office Coffee Service, offering premium mail-order coffee by the case, as well as premium coffee singles.
Gevalia is also sold for the Tassimo Beverage System in the United States.
Coffees and teas
As of February 2007, Gevalia offers over 40 coffees and teas, according to Gevalia.com. The majority of these coffees are Arabica blends, using beans from Kenya, Guatemala, Colombia, and Costa Rica. Gevalia Kaffe is composed of up to 6 different varieties of these Arabica beans as well as high-quality Brazilian beans, which creates a balanced acidity and a complex flavor.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Gevalia has partnered with coffee producers in Colombia, working with international development agencies and the national coffee federation on a multiyear program to upgrade coffee handling and processing, strengthen water quality and enhance living conditions for small coffee farmers.
Gevalia also been working with Peruvian coffee farmers, government institutions and development organizations to establish internationally recognized quality standards for Peruvian coffee exports. This program is now being extended to educate farmers on how to best achieve these standards and gain the market benefit that flows from higher-quality products. This partnership also resulted in the introduction of their Peruvian Organic Coffee in 2002.
Gevalia supports small farmers and cooperatives that are working to demonstrate sustainable growing practices. For example, Gevalia's Karoma Estate coffee is sourced from a single estate in the Dominican Republic. Karoma not only produces a high-quality coffee which is grown at 4,000 feet, but does so while protecting the environment: The farmers have set aside 25% of their land for ecological reserves and for the protection of sources of both water and wildlife.
Other programs supported by Gevalia include:
- Sponsoring education programs to provide general educational opportunities, as well as education on specific sustainable agricultural and environmental techniques in technical colleges
- Direct feeding programs for rural communities
- Provision of food staples and medical aid to needy families
Spamming controversy and lawsuit
In 2005, Kraft was sued by Hypertouch, an ISP, for spamming its Gevalia coffee brand. Kraft was accused of sending multiple waves of junk advertisement to the ISP's customers, the action brought under the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 act. The parties resolved their dispute by mutual agreement and the litigation has been dismissed [1].
2009 Relaunch
In 2009, Gevalia relaunched their US brand with a new website, marketing campaign, and improved customer service
External links
References
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