In the mid-1800’s, coffee was purchased raw (green) from the local grocer. Often, the beans arrived (off the ships) a little musty and worse for wear. Coffee drinkers would scorch the mix of crude green beans in frying pans over the fire…. which often made for a burnt and bitter brew.
LION Coffee roared into life in 1864, in Toledo, Ohio. Introducing the fine “fancy roasting” of coffee, Lion revolutionized the taste of coffee with careful roasting and blending of the best beans from around the world.
In the early 1870’s, LION sealed their roasted beans into one-pound bags emblazoned with the distinctive Lion trademark, pioneering new standards of freshness and creating one of the oldest trademarks in American History.
SAVE THE WRAPPER!
In 1882, LION Coffee became part of of Woolson Spice Company. Alvin Woolson was a man possessed. Tireless in his efforts to establish Lion Coffee as a major brand, he started including trading cards and holiday greeting cards with every purchase.
In addition to the colorful trading cards, Mr. Woolson created paper dolls and special mail-in offers that made LION Coffee the second largest coffee company in the world! “Save the wrapper” and “Cut out the Lion’s Head” became the watchword of the day in households across America.
There was something for everyone in the way of a Lion brand premium from bicycles and jack knives to lace curtains and toys. All one had to do was save the Lion Heads.
BULK MAIL INVENTED BECAUSE OF LION COFFEE!
The volume of mail sent and received became so great that the United States Post Office decided to weigh Lion’s mail rather than meter it… and bulk mail was invented.
Because of LION Coffee!
News of LION Coffee’s quality “cup that cheers” spread quickly. By the mid-1890’s the company roasted a million pounds a week and had become one of the largest coffee companies in the world.
THE LION IS AMBUSHED!
After decades of success, LION Coffee was ambushed. From inside the company, the LION was under attack by hunters disguised as business insiders. Operations scaled up higher and higher until LION COFFEE was a household name. And then suddenly, ceased.
Abandoned, the assets eventually fell to the control of The Court of Common Pleas in Lucas County, Ohio in the ’50s. The LION was forced into retreat. Alvin Woolson took the fight to the courts, to no avail.
Like Rip Van Winkle, the noble LION lay dormant, sleeping.
This would be the end of the Lion story if not for a fellow named Jim Delano. Entranced by the old LION posters and memorabilia – and a coffee fanatic as well – Delano tracked down the Lion to The Court of Common Pleas, where the noble LION lay sleeping in a musty file folder.
HAWAII IS LION COFFEE COUNTRY!
Delano West Ltd., a Hawaii corporation, obtained full rights of ownership to the name and assets of the expired Woolson Spice Company and relocated to Honolulu, Hawaii.
State of the art roasting equipment sailed across the ocean to assure that every hand-picked bean is roasted to purr-fection on a cushion of heated air.
In 1979, The LION awoke to discover a new home in the Islands of Aloha! Hawaii became LION Coffee Country!
LION FEATURED IN INC. MAGAZINE!
LION’s popularity grew and grew until LION Coffee was named one of the 500 fastest-growing U.S. companies by Inc. Magazine in 1989.
LION Coffee has been growing steadily ever since, thanks to the enthusiastic and loyal support of coffee loving visitors in Hawaii and to our website, launched in 1999.
Today, LION Coffee’s cheery bags are shipped to coffee lovers across America and around the world. The finest beans, careful fancy roasting, assured freshness, and an abundance of cheer… and the proud tradition of Hawaii’s LION Coffee is over 130 years strong. Do enjoy a regal cup!
