On the verge of celebrating 100 years of Blue Mountain coffee exports on March 23 next year, and the 70th anniversary of being the first Jamaican company to export coffee to Japan, also in March next year, the Mavis Bank Coffee Factory has marked the upcoming landmarks with more than $1 billion in sales in 2022, exceeding its targets and signalling a rebound from COVID-induced setbacks when sales fell to below $200 million.

Norman Grant, CEO and managing director, made the announcements last Saturday (December 17) during an address at the company’s sparkling Christmas Staff Party held at the Medallion Hall Hotel in St Andrew.

“We are looking forward to really demonstrate that not only Japan, USA, Canada, Europe and the other markets can celebrate the uniqueness of our coffee, but we do so also in Jamaica. And how are we going to do this? We will do so by expanding our quality, to be consistently world class. We were the first company to be certified under Safe Quality Food (SQF) now version nine and we will continue to score in terms of high grades. So whether you are having Jablum or Mavis Bank or Wallenford (companies in the group) you are really having the best quality coffee which is the ‘coffee experience beyond compare’,” said Grant.

The CEO paid tribute to his team of coffee selectors led by Nola Erdith and Fay McLean, noting that Mavis Bank was awarded the prize for being the top green bean exporter, a feat achieved by recording no more than three per cent defects, as well as being the top roasted bean exporter in 2020–2021.

Grant said Mavis Bank was going to create a sales and logistics hub out of its Marcus Garvey Road outlet to further increase its distribution efficiencies in the coming year. He further added that it was encouraging to see sales improving, doubling at its Jablum Coffee House on Oxford Road and to customers such as the ROK Hotel, Dolphin Cove and Chukka Cove locally.

He said that, building on the Wallenford and Mavis Bank merger, the group would also push to increase shelf space at supermarkets, focusing on Mavis Bank and True Blue blends.

“Come 2023 we must all be singing from the same song sheet in all our departments to maximise quality, professionalism and profits so as to give a good return to our shareholders, coffee farmers and workers,” declared Grant.