The Costa Rica Coffee Co. was founded at the beginning of the century by a Cardiff sea captain and his brother. The seafaring brother spent time between shipments in Costa Rica where he developed an interest in coffee and started exporting the beans to Cardiff, where his brother ran the company.

Situated in St. Mary Street, this flourished and expanded and became one of the best known and loved of the old Cardiff businesses. In 1979 the founding family retired and sold the business to a multi-national company.

In 1988 the business was acquired by David and Gillie Williams. They reinstated the company as a family run business, with a personal involvement which has been its hallmark over the years. In 1990 they moved the business from the inner city of Cardiff to the still central, but more salubrious, Victorian area of Pontcanna where the huge roaster was reinstated as the centre of attraction, and wafts its wonderful aroma down Pontcanna Street to Cathedral Road.

Upon acquiring the company David and Gillie had employed an enthusiastic young worker who instantly took a shine to the coffee industry and quickly absorbed the knowledge and experience that was passed on to him. He would later become David and Gillie’s successor.

The enthusiastic young worker was Martin Borg, and in July 2002 he and his wife Jeanette acquired the company. They continue to maintain the family run tradition and employ their close relatives. Martin and Jeanette have recently brought the company closer to the inner city by opening a new outlet in Cardiff Central Market where the same level of service and integrity is maintained.

Cardiff has recently been awarded the title Fairtrade City for its commitment to the selling of goods which workers have been paid a fair wage to produce. The Costa Rica Coffee Company has played a part in that commitment by the addition of many fairtrade coffees to their already wide range.

Martin and Jeanette have future plans for the company and would like their customers to keep a careful eye on the company in the near future.

The company has become even more accessible through the introduction of this website where online orders can be made and delivered straight to your home or business.