E.W. James Pours ‘Cops Coffee’
A Facebook connection between a grocer and supplier has turned into a business partnership, as Union City, Tenn.-based E.W. James and Sons will be the first grocer in the country to offer “Cops Coffee” from Claire, Mich.-based Cops and Doughnuts.
Steve Hilton, director of marketing and public relations for E.W. James, says the company will become an exclusive distributor of the coffee in West Tennessee, and will soon offer it in all store locations in Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi.
“What really caught my attention was the story behind their business adventure,” said Hilton. “These guys got together to save a bakery in their hometown and it grew into an enterprise beyond their dreams, and now we’re offering the coffee to our customers.”
Greg Rynearson, president of Cops & Doughnuts, said he and eight fellow police officers found out that their local favorite bakery was closing, and it was going to just become another empty building in their hometown of Claire. They drew a business model on a pizza box, convinced their fellow officers to join in and they all purchased the bakery.
The bakery, called “Cops and Doughnuts,” has been a phenomenal success, and they launched the coffee line on April 10th, after Paramount Coffee perfected the blend.
Hilton and Rynearson first made acquaintance on Facebook and after a meeting was set up with Rynearson, his wife, and officials of the Ripley Downtown Development and Lauderdale County Chamber, they decided to sell it first in Ripley. Rynearson’s wife Tammy has a family connection in Obion County, where she says she had fond memories of shopping at E.W. James and Sons in Hickman and Union City. They both said that after seeing the development going on in downtown Ripley, it reminded them of their hometown of Claire and that it would be the perfect place to launch the coffee nation wide.
All of the officers involved with “Cops Coffee” like small town America, and that’s where they want their coffee to stay, according to Rynearson. “There’s just something about how small towns feel, how they get together over a cup of coffee and do things,” he said. “E. W. James and Sons was just a natural fit with that feeling, along with the Old Southern Downtown Renovation that’s going on in downtown Ripley.”
Cops Coffee is available currently in Regular Blend and Decaffinated, and will soon have a dark roast blend available. Both E.W. James and Cops & Doughnuts have a page on Facebook.
Steve Hilton, director of marketing and public relations for E.W. James, says the company will become an exclusive distributor of the coffee in West Tennessee, and will soon offer it in all store locations in Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi.
“What really caught my attention was the story behind their business adventure,” said Hilton. “These guys got together to save a bakery in their hometown and it grew into an enterprise beyond their dreams, and now we’re offering the coffee to our customers.”
Greg Rynearson, president of Cops & Doughnuts, said he and eight fellow police officers found out that their local favorite bakery was closing, and it was going to just become another empty building in their hometown of Claire. They drew a business model on a pizza box, convinced their fellow officers to join in and they all purchased the bakery.
The bakery, called “Cops and Doughnuts,” has been a phenomenal success, and they launched the coffee line on April 10th, after Paramount Coffee perfected the blend.
Hilton and Rynearson first made acquaintance on Facebook and after a meeting was set up with Rynearson, his wife, and officials of the Ripley Downtown Development and Lauderdale County Chamber, they decided to sell it first in Ripley. Rynearson’s wife Tammy has a family connection in Obion County, where she says she had fond memories of shopping at E.W. James and Sons in Hickman and Union City. They both said that after seeing the development going on in downtown Ripley, it reminded them of their hometown of Claire and that it would be the perfect place to launch the coffee nation wide.
All of the officers involved with “Cops Coffee” like small town America, and that’s where they want their coffee to stay, according to Rynearson. “There’s just something about how small towns feel, how they get together over a cup of coffee and do things,” he said. “E. W. James and Sons was just a natural fit with that feeling, along with the Old Southern Downtown Renovation that’s going on in downtown Ripley.”
Cops Coffee is available currently in Regular Blend and Decaffinated, and will soon have a dark roast blend available. Both E.W. James and Cops & Doughnuts have a page on Facebook.