Before 1981, entrepreneur Bob Stiller discovered a cup of coffee that he enjoyed so much at a ski resort that it prompted him and a partner to buy a two-thirds stake in the small specialty coffee roasting company in Waitsfield, Vermont.
The company produced roasted beans and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters was created.
Originally a cafe and store that sold coffee beans, grounds and coffee to the public and restaurants, the company grew during a time when specialty and gourmet coffee was not as popular as it is today.
As the company grew and Bob Stiller would buy out his partners and become sole proprietor of the company two years later, by 1985, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters would turn a profit. By 1986, he launched a mail-order business and advertised in gourmet magazines.
And that year, Green Mountain would introduce its first organic coffee and by 1991, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters would have several retail outlets, sold over $11 million in sales and years later, the company would export their coffee overseas.
By 1993, three engineering entrepreneurs had a start-up known as Keurig and approached Green Mountain Coffee Roasters about developing a single-cup coffee brewing system and by 1996, the company invested in Keurig by buying 35% interest in the company. In 1997, the company became the first roaster to offer coffee in a K-Cup pod for the Keurig Single-Cup Brewing System.
The company would eventually complete its full acquisition of Keurig and by 2014, the company would make more than $4.3 billion due to the sale of K-Cups and with the success of the company, they would acquire Keurig licensees: Tully’s coffee, Timothy’s World Coffee, Diedrich Coffee and Van Houtte in 2009 and 2010.
But big changes would come to Green Mountain Coffee Roasters as the Coca-Cola Company purchased a 10% stake in the company and shareholders changed the name of the company to Keurig Green Mountain.
That same year, Keurig Green Mountain introduced its Keurig 2.0 brewer and in 2015, the company as acquired by JAB Holding Company for $13.9 billion. And as of March 2016, Keurig Green Mountain is now a privately held company ran by an independent entity by its existing management team and is now based in Waterbury, Vermont.
And currently, Keurig Green Mountain’s K-Cup pods offer more than several hundred of varieties of coffee, tea and other beverages from over 60 brands, including the top ten best-selling coffee brands in the United States.
For the Winter season, one of the popular K-Cup’s sold by Green Mountain Coffee is their Seasonal Selection, “Pumpkin Spice”.
Made from 100% Arabica Coffee (a species of coffee originally indigenous to the forests of the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia) and featuring natural and artificial flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg, the coffee offers a hint of spice.
I have to admit that prior to tasting this coffee, I hesitated because I am not products with a lot of cinnamon. But you can taste the Arabica coffee with slight hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. And not too strong.
I used my usual white mocha creamer to give me a little more of a sweeter taste and even then, was able to taste the cinnamon and nutmeg and for the most part, felt the coffee was delicious and felt right to drink during the dropping temperatures and the holiday season. And for those used to usual season spice latte, will enjoy the Green Mountain Coffee – Pumpkin Spice.
