Westrock Coffee Company, a leading integrated coffee, tea, flavors, extracts and ingredients solutions provider to the retail, foodservice and restaurant, convenience store and travel center, non-commercial, CPG, and hospitality industries, announced it has acquired Bixby Roasting Co., a specialty-grade roaster that is a leader in the emerging influencer-led brand space. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The acquisition, which includes Bixby’s roasting facility in Los Angeles, will continue to expand Westrock Coffee’s omnichannel product marketing and development resources as it capitalizes on shifting consumer consumption trends. Bixby co-founders Miles Fisher and Remington Hotchkis, both of whom will be joining the Westrock Coffee senior management team, launched the company in 2017.
“We are delighted to welcome Miles and Remington to the Westrock Coffee team, their collective insight in sales, product development, and operational execution will be invaluable to our expanding list of premium customers,” Scott Ford, chief executive officer and co-founder of Westrock Coffee, said in the announcement.
“The emergence of influencer-led brands has created a new sales channel in the beverage business, and Bixby is at the forefront of its development,” Elizabeth McLaughlin, executive vice president of sales of Westrock Coffee, said in the announcement. “Miles and Remington bring a depth of knowledge on these emerging channels that we are adding to the Westrock Coffee portfolio, including the co-creation of new influencer brands that are particularly appealing to young consumers. We are excited to welcome them to the Westrock Coffee team and look forward to integrating their talents and ideas into our portfolio.”
Fisher will serve as senior vice president of sales while Hotchkis will be named vice president of sales.
“Remington and I are thrilled to take our careers and company to the next level by joining forces with Westrock Coffee,” Fisher added in the announcement. “Scott and his team continue to grow with their impressive customer base and look to serve their customers not only through traditional private brand offerings but also through the creation of products for specific customer segments and influencer-based brands. With the resources and momentum that Westrock Coffee brings, we are ready to get to work and fuel the product development and e-commerce offerings of the Company.”
Westrock Coffee is the beverage industry’s “brand behind the brands,” supplying the world’s most recognized brands with the world’s most transformative coffee, tea, flavors, extracts and ingredients products. From roast and ground coffees to tea and ready-to-drink beverages, Westrock Coffee offers a comprehensive list of beverage solutions to the industry.
