Gevalia
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| Type | Wholly owned subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Coffee and tea |
| Founded | In 1853 in Gävle, Sweden |
| Founder(s) | Victor Theodore Engwall |
| Headquarters | Tarrytown, NY |
| Key people | Dana Vogel, Brand Manager |
| Products | Coffee, Coffee makers, and Boxed tea |
| Services | Coffee |
| Parent | Kraft Foods |
| Website | www.gevalia.com |
Gevalia is the largest coffee roastery in Scandinavia. In North America, the company sells coffee and teas directly to consumers via home delivery. Customers order from a customer servicenter and a website that was relaunched in August 2009. A wholly owned subsidiary of Kraft Foods, Gevalia produces more than 40 different varieties of coffee and tea.
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[edit] Gevalia History
Located in Gävle, Sweden (Gevalia in Latin), Gevalia was introduced in 1853 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 mail-order coffee by the case, as well as coffee singles.
Gevalia is also sold for the Tassimo Beverage System in the United States.
[edit] 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 Brazilian beans.
[edit] 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.[citation needed]
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.[citation needed] 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.[citation needed]
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[citation needed]
- Direct feeding programs for rural communities[citation needed]
- Provision of food staples and medical aid to needy families[citation needed]
[edit] 2009 relaunch
In 2009, Gevalia relaunched their US brand with a new website and marketing campaign.
[edit] Controversies
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]
On 9th February 2012, the T discs used in Gevalia, Maxwell House and Nabob brand espresso has been recalled from the market following the potential of second degree burn hazard. [2]
[edit] References
- ^ Sullivan, Bob (April 22, 2005). "Kraft sued over alleged Gevalia spam". msnbc.com. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7602542/.
- ^ "Tassimo Espresso T Discs Recalled by Kraft Foods Due to Burn Hazard". U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. February 9th, 2012. http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12107.html.
