Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Schuil Coffee Company has acquired Northern Michigan roaster-retailer Leelanau Coffee Roasting Co., uniting two of the state’s longest-running specialty coffee brands.
The acquisition includes Leelanau’s Glen Arbor cafe and the company’s roasting facility in Maple City.
Schuil Coffee Owner Tim Volkema told Daily Coffee News that Schuil hired all 25 of Leelanau’s existing employees, bringing the combined company — which includes the Sparrows Coffee and Joven Coffee brands — to about 80 employees.
Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
The Schuil Coffee headquarters in Grand Rapids.
“It’s uncommon to find a company that operates in a similar market segment, that is geographically close and is open to making an ownership transition,” Volkema told Daily Coffee News. “Those factors lined up, so we went for it, despite the challenges our industry faces.”
Volkema said discussions with Leelanau owners Steve and John Arens have been ongoing for several years, becoming more serious over the past year. Beyond the geographic and local market overlap, Volkema said Schuil and Leelanau also have some natural overlap in their coffee sourcing through shared importer connections.
At the Schuil Coffee roastery.
“Both have been in specialty coffee for over three decades, with strong heritage,” Volkema said. “Both brands meet coffee drinkers where they are and aim to provide delicious specialty coffee at a strong value.”
Leelanau Coffee Roasting Co. has been operating in Glen Arbor since 1993, serving as a destination for locals and tourists near the Sleeping Bear Dunes.
Nearly 10 years ago, the company expanded its roasting facility with two Sivetz-made fluid-bed roasting machines. Volkema said the company plans to maintain popular Leelanau offerings while exploring a packaging and website refresh within a year.
In an announcement shared by Schuil, the Arens brothers described selling a business “you’ve spent 30 years building” as a “big deal,” but said Schuil felt like a “perfect fit.”
“Tim and his team share our values of product excellence and customer service,” said Steve and John Arens. “We are confident that Leelanau Coffee is in great hands and will continue to be a staple of Northern Michigan for years to come.”
A Sparrows Coffee location.
Schuil Coffee, which was founded in 1981 and purchased by Volkema in 2017, continues to roast in Grand Rapids, with two Diedrich production roasters supporting the Schuil, Sparrows and Joven brands.
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Nick Brown
Nick Brown is the editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine.
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