RICHMOND, Va. — A 10-year-old Richmond coffee roaster has expanded in the greater D.C. market. Blanchard’s Coffee Roasting Co. began selling its products in four D.C.-area Wegmans in February, co-owner and President David Blanchard said. Blanchard’s Coffee has also rebranded with a new logo, website and coffee bag design.
“We’ve grown and built a great brand in Richmond,” Blanchard said. “Our big focus this year is the D.C. metropolitan area.”
Blanchard’s is a wholesale coffee roaster based out of a 2,500-square-foot office and warehouse at 700 Bainbridge St. in Manchester. It’s sold in about 80 Richmond locations, including Kroger, Martin’s, Ellwood Thompson’s and a slew of other cafes and restaurants, Blanchard said.
Blanchard said his company reached out to Wegmans when the New York State-based grocer announced in 2014 its plans to open two stores in Richmond.
“They said, ‘Before those Richmond stores come in, why don’t we slot you in our Northern Virginia stores?” Blanchard said.
In the first two weeks, Blanchard said, the four Washington-area Wegmans sold 240 12-ounce bags of Blanchard’s coffee at about $10 each. With the expansion into Wegmans, Blanchard’s is now on the shelves of 25 stores in the Washington area, including Fredericksburg. Blanchard’s also sells in nine Charlotesville stores.
To read more about Blanchard’s Coffee, click here.
