As I'm sure most of you west-coast coffee drinkers have heard, Seattle-based Tully's coffee has sold its wholesale and distribution business to Vermont-based Green Mountain coffee Roasters. This does not affect the chain's retail businesses, which will be under the same ownership and management. However, as a Seattle resident and a lover of Tully's coffee, I have a few bones to pick with this development...
I went to college in New Hampshire; all of our cafeterias but one brewed Green Mountain, and no matter where I was on campus I would treck to that one cafeteria because Green Mountain is like drinking hot water flavored with used paper coffee filters. Brewed Green Mountain has far more in common with instant coffee (I was going to say with bad instant coffee, but that would be redundant) than with the deep, rich flavor of Tully's drip (sorry to be a coffee snob, but I am a Seattle-ite!). New Englanders don't mind bad coffee; they all drink Dunkin Donuts, after all. But a friendly warning to Green Mountain--if you take over Tully's wholesale and try to sell your weakling blend under the Tully's name, there will be hell to pay. Which leads me to my second point...
Green Mountain is taking over the Tully's roasting plant, in the former location of the Ranier Brewery. For anyone who feels warm and fuzzy inside (ok ok, that may just be all of the caffeine) at the giant "T" sign as you drive south on Interstate 5 through Seattle, this is a travesty. As a brewery and then a roasting plant this place is a Seattle landmark and has always been controlled by Seattle companies; even though I lived in New England for the majority of the last half decade, the thought of this iconic building under east coast ownership makes my blood boil!
Green Mountain has apparently been seeking to gain a foothold in the west, and to this end has pursued and purchased Tully's wholesale division. This is like a Los Angeles chain attempting to sell cheese steaks in Philly. If you want a good Vermont product, try Ben & Jerry's or maple syrup. Don't unpack your bags in the northwest, Green Mountain. You won't be here long.
The Latte Report has officially declared blog-war on Green Mountain coffee roasters, and will be following all subsequent developments closely.