Café Britt

Café Britt is a Costa Rican company and consumer brand focused on gourmet coffee, chocolate, cookies, espresso products, cafés, and coffee-related tourism. North American coffee broker Steve Aronson founded the business in 1985 with the aim of making high-quality Costa Rican roasted coffee available to local consumers. At the time, much of Costa Rica's best coffee was directed toward export markets, while the domestic market had relatively limited access to premium roasted coffee. Café Britt positioned itself as the country's first gourmet coffee roaster and helped promote the idea that Costa Rican consumers should also be able to drink high-quality coffee produced in their own country. The brand name was selected through a naming contest and was intended as a tribute to Scandinavian countries, whose populations have historically been among the world's highest coffee consumers. From its original coffee-roasting activity, Café Britt expanded into adjacent gourmet-food categories. It introduced chocolates in 2000, developed cookies and espresso-related products, and later offered coffee capsules and espresso machines. Its products have been sold through retail outlets, online channels, airport and hotel stores, cafés, and tourism-related distribution operated through the wider business associated with Grupo Arribada. Tourism has been an important part of Café Britt's identity. In 1991, the company established the Britt Coffee Tour, described as Costa Rica's first coffee tour. Initially presented as a theatrical production at the company's coffee plantation, the attraction developed into an interactive explanation of coffee cultivation, processing, roasting, and consumption. The tour serves both general visitors and more technically oriented coffee enthusiasts. It connects the brand with Costa Rica's tourism economy and gives the company a direct educational and experiential channel beyond packaged products. Café Britt also expanded its physical retail presence. It opened its first airport store at Juan Santamaría International Airport in 2001 and added stores at hotels and other destinations popular with visitors in 2003. Further expansion reached Peru, the Caribbean, and Chile in 2005. In 2017, the Café Britt business was separated from Morpho Travel Experience when Grupo Arribada divided its activities into two companies. The restructuring enabled Café Britt to concentrate on gourmet-product production and commercialization, café operations, and the Britt Coffee Tour, while Morpho Travel Experience focused on travel retail and related visitor experiences. The company has also emphasized environmental and agricultural credentials. Café Britt has sold certified organic coffee since 1991, and its production in Costa Rica and Peru includes coffee roasting and chocolate-making operations. Its Costa Rican coffee and chocolate production has been certified carbon neutral since 2013. Café Britt is additionally associated with the essential COSTA RICA country-brand seal, reflecting its connection to Costa Rican origin, tourism, and national identity. The brand's portfolio is sold through retailers, digital commerce, Café Britt Café & Bakery locations, airport and hotel outlets, and travel-retail channels. Café Britt opened its first eponymous café location in 2017. The company is led by Philippe Aronson, who succeeded his father as president in 2009 and is identified as the company's chief executive. Café Britt remains an active Costa Rican gourmet-food and hospitality brand, combining packaged products, experiential tourism, cafés, and destination retail.

Café Britt was founded in Costa Rica in 1985 by Steve Aronson, a North American coffee broker. The company's original purpose was to roast and market Costa Rican coffee for domestic consumers. Costa Rica was already internationally associated with coffee production, but much of its higher-quality coffee was exported. Aronson sought to develop a local gourmet-coffee market so that Costa Rican consumers could purchase and drink premium coffee produced in their own country. Café Britt became the first gourmet coffee roaster in Costa Rica, according to the company's historical account. The name Café Britt was selected through a contest. The word Britt was chosen as a reference to Scandinavian countries, which are among the world's strongest coffee-consuming markets. This naming decision linked the young company to coffee culture beyond Costa Rica while retaining a distinct national production base. In 1991, Café Britt expanded its role beyond coffee manufacturing by creating the Britt Coffee Tour. The attraction began as a play staged at the company's coffee plantation and was designed to explain coffee growing and production in an accessible format. It later evolved into an interactive tour covering the coffee-production cycle, from cultivation through processing and roasting. The company also began selling certified organic coffee in 1991, establishing an environmental and agricultural dimension to the brand at an early stage. The business broadened its product range in 2000 with the introduction of chocolates. It then developed additional gourmet products, including cookies, espresso capsules, and related espresso machines. This diversification allowed the company to serve consumers seeking gift products and confectionery as well as traditional whole-bean or ground coffee. Café Britt's retail and tourism presence grew during the early 2000s. The company opened its first store at Juan Santamaría International Airport in 2001 and added stores at hotels and other locations frequented by tourists in 2003. In 2005, it opened additional stores in Peru, the Caribbean, and Chile. These outlets made the brand visible not only as a domestic coffee producer but also as a Costa Rican-origin product encountered by international travelers. In 2009, Philippe Aronson succeeded his father after a transition period and became president of the company. He later became the chief executive identified with Café Britt's continuing operations. Under his leadership, the company continued to combine coffee and chocolate manufacturing with cafés, tourism, and travel-oriented retail. Café Britt's coffee and chocolate production in Costa Rica achieved carbon-neutral certification in 2013. The company continued to produce organic coffee, including operations in Costa Rica and Peru. Its environmental claims and Costa Rican origin have supported its association with the essential COSTA RICA country brand. In 2017, Grupo Arribada divided its activities between Café Britt and Morpho Travel Experience. The separation allowed Café Britt to focus on gourmet-product production and commercialization, café operations, and the Britt Coffee Tour, while Morpho Travel Experience pursued travel-related retail and visitor services. That same year, Café Britt opened its first location under the Britt Café & Bakery name. Café Britt remains an active company selling coffee, chocolate, cookies, espresso products, and related café offerings through retailers, online commerce, its own cafés, airport and hotel stores, and travel-retail channels. Its coffee-roasting and chocolate-making operations are based in Costa Rica and Peru. The business also continues to use the Britt Coffee Tour and other educational experiences to connect its packaged products with Costa Rica's coffee heritage and tourism industry.

• 2017

  Grupo Arribada separates Café Britt and Morpho Travel Experience

  [1]Café Britten.wikipedia.org

  The group divides its activities into two companies, allowing Café Britt to focus on gourmet products, cafés, and the Britt Coffee Tour.

• 2017

  First Britt Café & Bakery opens

  [1]Café Britten.wikipedia.org

  Café Britt opens the first location of its eponymous café and bakery concept.

• 2013

  Carbon-neutral certification

  [1]Café Britten.wikipedia.org

  Café Britt's coffee and chocolate production in Costa Rica receives carbon-neutral certification.

• 2009

  Philippe Aronson assumes leadership

  [1]Café Britten.wikipedia.org

  Following a transition, Philippe Aronson replaces his father and becomes president of Café Britt.

• 2005

  International retail expansion

  [1]Café Britten.wikipedia.org

  Café Britt opens new stores in Peru, the Caribbean, and Chile.

• 2003

  Hotel and tourism retail expands

  [1]Café Britten.wikipedia.org

  The company adds stores at hotels and other locations popular with tourists in Costa Rica.

• 2001

  First airport store opens

  [1]Café Britten.wikipedia.org

  Café Britt opens its first store at Juan Santamaría International Airport in Costa Rica.

• 2000

  Chocolate production begins

  [1]Café Britten.wikipedia.org

  The company expands beyond coffee by introducing chocolate products.

• 1991

  Britt Coffee Tour begins

  [1]Café Britten.wikipedia.org

  The company launches the Britt Coffee Tour, initially presented as a theatrical production at its coffee plantation and later developed into an interactive coffee-production experience.

• 1991

  Certified organic coffee is introduced

  [1]Café Britten.wikipedia.org

  Café Britt begins selling certified organic coffee.

• 1985

  Café Britt is founded

  [1]Café Britten.wikipedia.org

  Steve Aronson establishes Café Britt in Costa Rica to roast and market gourmet Costa Rican coffee for the domestic market.

A Costa Rican gourmet-food and coffee brand combining premium roasted coffee, specialty confectionery, destination retail, cafés, and coffee tourism. Its positioning emphasizes Costa Rican origin, local access to high-quality coffee, visitor experiences, and environmental credentials.

• Roasted coffee · 1985

  Café Britt

  The core Café Britt line consists of gourmet roasted coffee associated with Costa Rican origin. The company developed the line to make premium locally produced coffee available to domestic consumers as well as visitors and international customers. Products are distributed through retail, online, airport, hotel, café, and travel-oriented channels.

• Chocolate and confectionery · 2000

  Britt Chocolates

  Britt Chocolates is the company's confectionery line, introduced as Café Britt expanded beyond roasted coffee in 2000. Chocolate products extend the brand into gifting and gourmet-snack occasions and are sold through the company's retail and tourism-oriented distribution network.

• Baked snacks

  Britt Cookies

  Britt Cookies form part of Café Britt's broader gourmet-food portfolio. They complement coffee and chocolate offerings and are suited to packaged-gift, travel-retail, and café-related occasions.

• Espresso coffee products

  Britt Espresso

  Britt Espresso includes coffee capsules for espresso machines and related espresso equipment. The line extends Café Britt into at-home preparation and provides a format distinct from conventional roasted-bean and ground-coffee products.

• Café and bakery · 2017

  Britt Café & Bakery

  Britt Café & Bakery is the company's branded café format, combining Café Britt beverages and food-service offerings in a dedicated retail environment. The first location opened in 2017.

• Coffee tourism and education · 1991

  Britt Coffee Tour

  The Britt Coffee Tour is an experiential and educational attraction explaining the coffee-production cycle. It began in 1991 as a plantation-based theatrical presentation and developed into an interactive tour for general visitors, coffee professionals, and serious enthusiasts.

• 2017

  Separation from Morpho Travel ExperienceM&A

  Background

  Grupo Arribada reorganized its activities across gourmet products and travel-related experiences.

  Action taken

  The group divided Café Britt and Morpho Travel Experience into separate companies, with Café Britt concentrating on gourmet products, cafés, and the Britt Coffee Tour.

  Aftermath

  The restructuring clarified Café Britt's focus as a gourmet-food, café, and coffee-tourism business while leaving travel-experience activities with Morpho Travel Experience.

  Source

• 2000

  Diversification into chocolateProduct launch

  Background

  Café Britt had established its identity as a gourmet coffee roaster and sought to broaden its premium-food offering.

  Action taken

  The company introduced chocolate products under the Britt brand.

  Aftermath

  Chocolate became a major adjacent product category alongside coffee and later supported the company's gourmet-gifting and travel-retail business.

  Source

1. 1Café Britten.wikipedia.org