Martin Coffee Co. isn’t the same business today that it was when it started in 1957.
The coffee industry changes quickly and often, said Martin Coffee Co. President Ben Johnson. And if the company hadn’t continued to adjust to the market, it probably wouldn’t exist.
“A lot of people in our industry in the same kind of business model have all gone out of business or they’ve changed ownership hands,” Johnson said. “But it’s because they didn’t make changes in the business model. We were able to kind of adapt with the industry because the business today isn’t at all the business that it was 10 years ago.”
The company’s adaptability led to 20% growth over the past three years and to Johnson being recognized as the JAX Chamber’s Overall Small Business Leader of the Year.
In a November interview for “First Coast Success” on the WJCT First Coast Connect radio program, Johnson said the company had sales of just over $1 million.
Martin Coffee was started by Johnson’s grandfather in 1957. It began by selling and roasting coffee for businesses throughout the region. Johnson started with the company 22 years ago as a delivery driver and has held every position in the company. His mother, father and sister work at the company, too.
In addition to roasting and selling coffee, Martin Coffee sells “everything you’d find at a coffee shop,” Johnson said. That includes frappé and smoothie mixes, flavored syrups, teas and equipment – anything from a Keurig to a professional espresso machine.
Martin Coffee sources the beans, creates custom roasts for customers, packs private label coffee and provides and services equipment.
Johnson said the coffee is roasted, then distributed within one to two days.
“We’re really from bean to cup,” Johnson said.
In the past 15 years, the industry changed drastically, he said. Shortly after Johnson began working at the company, they sold two kinds of coffee – regular and decaf. Now, they have to provide cold brew, flavored shots and teas as coffee trends change.
The company sells about 500 products.
“Nobody drank cold brew two, three years ago and now you have to offer it,” he said. “Every coffee shop has to offer it and it’s probably one of the most popular beverages.”
Another reason Johnson said the company has been successful, especially compared to larger competitors, is the personal, one-on-one feel Martin Coffee can provide. Service is quick and customers who call the company speak to a real person, he said.
They also do cupping sessions with customers for them to decide what blends they want to sell.
Because the company works closely with coffee bean brokers and has a high capacity roaster, Johnson is able to keep pricing competitive.
He also keeps a close eye on the markets, making sure coffee bean prices aren’t increasing too much since he orders beans 40,000 pounds at a time.
Johnson said Martin Coffee has about 400 customers, ranging from five-employee offices to hotels like the DoubleTree by Hilton Jacksonville Riverfront. It provides coffee to Kanine Social, Angie's Subs and Blue Bamboo, among other area restaurants and bars. In a November interview for “First Coast Success” on the WJCT First Coast Connect radio program, Johnson said the company had sales of just over $1 million.
Although the industry has changed, Johnson said he’s never felt like he’s had to be a salesperson for the product. To help grow the company, Johnson has been getting more involved with the community, which he says has helped sales increase in the past several years. The company doesn’t advertise.
“You meet a few people and they need coffee and it ends up turning into a sale. I’m not a salesperson, but I’m more of a people person,” Johnson said. “It ends up becoming all very organic, which is much more rewarding than trying to sell someone something they don’t want.”
He’s also started branding more of the products, adding logos to coffee machines and cups so when people see them being used in stores and businesses, they associate them with Martin Coffee.
“It’s funny how much that has helped,” he said, “getting our name out there and getting recognition, just people getting familiar with us.”