Gloria Jean’s Coffees—U.S.A, an innovator in the specialty coffee segment providing fresh, premium blends and award-winning roasts, is celebrating 40 years of flavored coffees. What started from humble beginnings has grown into a household name, and the brand wants guests to enjoy flavors and pricing that are reminiscent of 1979. To kick off the festivities, Gloria Jean’s Coffees will be launching a flavorful Summer menu lineup of tasty treats and, to honor the brand’s founding year, guests will have the chance to enjoy 79-cent small (12 oz.) drip coffees on select days throughout the summer at participating stores.
Gloria Jean’s Coffees began in Long Grove, Illinois in 1979 by the company’s namesake, Gloria Jean Kvetko. What began as a small gift shop soon became a nationwide franchise concept, with 58 locations in operation and several scheduled to open by year’s end. In 2014, Retail Food Group – USA (RFG), a multi-brand retail food franchisor and leading wholesale coffee roaster, acquired Gloria Jean’s Coffees with plans to grow the brand through franchising.
“In 1979, our nation of coffee drinkers were forever changed with the opening of the first Gloria Jean’s Coffees and the introduction of the first ever gourmet specialty flavored coffees, beginning with vanilla almond,” says Sam Ferreira, president of Gloria Jean’s Coffees – U.S.A. “Coffee drinkers could not get enough of these original, never-before-seen flavored coffees, and we became the talk of the town, state, nation and industry. Guest fascination with our amazing flavored whole beans remains true to who we are today and continues to drive innovation in our private roasting facility.”
Gloria Jean’s sources 100 percent of its coffees directly from exotic locations across the globe, with every bean roasted in its Southern California headquarters which includes a test kitchen for ongoing R&D and a complete roasting and processing facility managed by the company’s two fulltime roasters. With a commitment to the guest experience, Gloria Jean’s was ranked a top three national coffee chain in customer service, along with Starbucks and Peet’s Coffee, in a recent consumer survey conducted by Newsweek. Most recently, the brand was ranked a “Top 3” Coffee franchise in Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2019 Annual Franchise 500 List.
Ferreira continues, “we are proud to celebrate 40 years of providing coffee-lovers with an unparalleled variety of unique beverages, gourmet flavored coffee and specialty whole beans, which can be brewed in the comfort of their own home. We’re looking forward to having some fun with our guests this summer.”