"Together Talks" feature # 72: Jibby Coffee presented by KLS, freight company
Some Background on Jibby Coffee
For today's edition of "Together Talks" campaign, KLS had the opportunity to interview James Reina, Co-Founder, of Jibby Coffee. They brew CBD coffees and lattes to help you feel productive, clear, and stress-free. Ingrained in our culture is a commitment to sustainability and responsible sourcing—which is why their drinks are made with Fair Trade Certified ingredients and they have partnered with 1% for the Planet. Jibby Coffee is reimagining America’s morning ritual with a coffee that’s both uplifting and grounding—quickly becoming the household name for CBD coffee.
Customization + Wellness Routine
Jibby Coffee sells their product in a can which is unique but very distinctive. Being in a can is a tough fit to get the flavor just right and add the personal touch to coffee preference. The company is prioritizing customization of every drink and hopefully to letting people build a ritual off of their product. In James' mind what is missing is bringing a ritual to existing habits, enter coffee. The 2nd most traded commodity in the world behind oil. Over 70% of American drink Coffee daily. Jibby believes in being the bridge between habits and rituals with a healthy contribution. Jibby Coffee is conquering this by adding wellness ingredients including mushrooms and collagen.
"Better for you" used to be a subtraction James explained as in no fat or no sugar, etc. But Jibby Coffee is better for you due to addition which comes from the ingredients of their products. They are trying to figure out how they can solve problems for consumers by asking, "what can we add to make an existing routine even better?"
James explained they had to learn the scale of coffee, how massive the supplier list can be, but also how often bad sourcing is common. The suspect business practices and trying to find transparency was harder than they anticipated. They quickly learned what it means to pay a premium to understand where you products are sourcing ingredients from. Being deeply entrenched in the CPG space, they had planned to only drop an unsweetened version of their product. However when sampling the feedback was that the sweetened version was preferred. As a result, Jibby Coffee decided to pivot and include both versions. It proved to be a successful business decision as the sweetened version has been outselling the unsweetened version 2:1.
Partner with KLS
KLS offers LTL and FTL for both dry and reefer transportation.
Our nationwide coverage provides companies a reliable, consistent, and dependable logistics partner to handle your trucking needs.
For more information on how we can help call our office today 708-980-0920 or reach us via our email quote request here!
Creating for a purpose
The company was officially founded in 2020, but the true origin of it started years prior. One of the Co-Founders, Avo had spent the majority of his life on ADHD medication. He reached a point in his life where he no longer wanted his life to be predicated on medication usage. He began scouring any information he could find on alternative methods and was intrigued by hemp. Many had claimed to use it and see positive results. Avo tried it, but because it wasn't part of his routine he'd forget to take it consistently. He wanted to find a way to incorporate it into his daily life via a routine. He just happened to be on his 3rd cup of coffee when the magical moment happened. Something he consumes daily and he could add functional ingredients to the product. Avo was solving a problem he had and that could apply to millions of consumers as well.
Part two of the equation was the other Co-Founder, James who fell in love with not only coffee but roasting at a young age. He credits his Mother for inspiring him down this path. Unfortunately for James the coffee he was consuming was giving him jitters. He sought out to find a remedy and brew something that was smoother on his body. As fate would have it, James and Avo met. Instantly hitting it off, becoming friends, and ultimately starting Jibby Coffee.
The company launched soon after CBD became legalized. Although it was legal there still were many roadblocks that proved to be obstacles for Jibby Coffee and their newly formed company. As James explained to us, most major retail chains still won't allow CBD ingredients in products on their shelf. While they want to, they aren't permitted from corporate decision makers at this time. The company also could not advertise with paid marketing as a result of CBD in their products. Another challenge to overcome was limitations with banking and fundraising coming from a new space. The final challenge was educating consumers on a new ingredient and the true opportunity and possible benefits. As James broke it down, "CBD won't cure you. But it can and will help. We are trying to constantly educate consumers amongst the noise."
James shared with us that non-CBD products were always on the product roadmap for Jibby Coffee. However given the roadblocks presented, they pivoted and accelerated product development. They understood there was an opportunity to grow and stabilize the company while legislation and market share worked itself out over time.
The culture of Jibby Coffee is smoothing James is incredibly proud of. Everyone started out completely remote due to the Pandemic. James mentioned how he didn't get to see Avo until the first run of coffee for the company. They would do tastings over zoom to compare and get it just right. But throughout the challenges, they developed and cultivated a culture of trust. Team members have the autonomy to complete tasks to drive the company forward. James commended how their team members respond to the vision of the company and setting out to accomplish their common goal. The outward facing brand is a representation of the team James shared with us.
Building a community
The company is setting out to not only add healthy habits combined with ritual building, but also doing it in the most impactful way. Jibby Coffee only sources fairtrade organic coffees and teas. James shared that the product looks good and represents a feeling of familiarity. "Sometimes coffee can be off putting or snobby for some people. With us we want it to be light, fun, easy, and trustworthy. We understand for most it is a daily consumption. We want to make it fun, welcoming, and inviting. Our mascot embodies that as does our brand and culture.", he explained.
The moment that Jibby Coffee was created, the Founders set out to have the most natural, functional, and healthiest coffee on the shelf. But for them it has been equally important to make it their mission to be a leader in social impact and transparency. The company donates 1% to the Planet and have partnered with Beam to let consumers choose which high-impact organization to donate to for every sale. Consumers at checkout are able to choose the organization that means most to them. Jibby Coffee donates 1% of every dollar earned to charity.
With slower than anticipated sales in 2023 Jibby Coffee did crowdfunding for the previously mentioned acceleration of product development for their line of non-CBD products. It started in August and James explained the feedback and response was astounding. "We felt extremely proud on what we are building. We aren't a huge huge business, but the reaction and the love from existing customers put into perspective the opportunity in front of us. It gave us even more motivation into what we are building.", James shared. The crowdfunding ends on 11/16/23, link at the end of our article!
James mentioned how the stakes raise when bringing in funding for a company. He explained the importance of being good stewards of people who not only trusted the company but the individuals running it with their money and capital. With that there is an immense level of appreciation, "People are trusting in us because they share the vision. It is definitely a nervousness, but also a confidence builder at the same time.", James mentioned.
That confidence is fueled when James allows himself to reminisce on how far the company has come. They started by selling coffee out of Avo's jeep going door to door. They were both working part-time until they took the leap to go full time and quit their jobs (during a Pandemic nonetheless)! James shared that he never doubted the decision, it was always accompanied by nervous excitement. He and the company have been unaware of the unknown but are appreciative of the opportunity to create their products in this new space for consumers.
Personal Journey
The start of James entrepreneurial pursuit was his parents. He explained they were both small business owners which allowed him the setting to watch, learn, and help. He credits these experiences as the foundation to really understand problem solving. Over time he has figured out what he can do and what he is best suited to delegate. He thinks that was really engrained in him in his upbringing. That translated when after college he worked at a marketing firm for almost two years. While there he did something unorthodox, but paramount to his growth, "Upon starting I asked to meet with the CEO monthly, not about my job or my tasks, but to ask questions and learn about the business. I gained some invaluable information and lessons from those meetings.", James shared.
James identified freedom as the most rewarding part of being a Co-Founder of a company, but he clarified the freedom in decision making, execution, problem solving, and learning. He confirmed he works more hours for Jibby Coffee than he has for any other job, but it is worth it with the opportunity for growth and failure. He said there is a trait that all entrepreneurs develop over time, the ability to have comfort in the unknown and failure. "What did we take away from this, what can we learn? It is something I ask of myself and our team and I think it is extremely valuable not just in business, but life.", James explained.
The company is aiming to have the full suite of new products released sooner rather than later. They look forward to completing the brand extension which will include coffee, matcha, latte, and tea lines. Also they want to really drive home the emphasis of ritual by providing use at home options in addition to their on-the-go products. James also mentioned he'd love for the company to one day have a brick and mortar retail space. His first venture into entrepreneurship was at 17 during college when he opened a small cafe for 4 months. He loved having his own shop and own cafe and misses the daily interactions with customers. He hopes to one day bring that back maybe even in his hometown of New York City.
Growing up in NYC, he recently moved back after Covid wrapped up to run the business. He shared with us his favorite moment so far at Jibby Coffee. "I was driving my car which has Jibby Coffee. Someone behind me was honking, which isn't unusual for NYC. Finally a box truck pulls up next to me and rolls down his window to show me he was drinking a Jibby Coffee. It was such a cool and surreal moment seeing our product out in the real world like that.", James shared.
Follow the path
For Jibby Coffee it is important to celebrate wins, but stay focused and humble. With that James mentioned it is easy to become desensitized when you think what was such a huge goal initially. He explained he remembers getting into their first store compared to their 100th location. He also explained how business can be unexpected, "We received an email from Urban Outfitters who wanted to carry our product which was incredibly exciting. A month or two later we got word that they couldn't go forward with the CBD set, it fell through." James explained that this was another opportunity for them to learn, in this instance the benefit of diversifying revenue channels.
James believes there is an exit is in sight for them, as coffee is really sticky and it is hard to win because consumers have such loyalty. Jibby Coffee is unique because it provides consumers a reason to try something new. He believes their barrier to entry is easier, than most and then to their credit consumers tend to stay once they try it. He envisions the company continuing to build and expand while they lead the company to a really good point. Ultimately it is what is in the best interest of the product, their consumers, and the community they have built. He mentioned they won't settle for anything less than the right outcome for those who have trusted in them and their vision.
Jibby Coffee has their Crowdfunding currently open with a close date of 11/16, view the link here!
Coupon Code?
KLS15 - 15% off
Piece of Advice
We ended our conversation with James asking him to share his piece of advice, "Find that honest and transparent communication is extremely valuable. Many fields have tape to cut through in a way to communicate and get things done. Transformation for consumers to understand the message and being able to communicate in the most honest and transparent."
Interested in being featured with "Together Talks"?
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Contact us as we would love to learn your story and share it amongst our audience.
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In Closing
KLS wants to thank Jibby Coffee and James Reina, Co-Founder, for today's "Together Talks" feature. Keep up to date with Jibby Coffee by following their blog on their website, check it out here. Follow along for the Jibby Coffee journey with their social handles below!
Klimson Logistics Solutions - Together Talks with Jibby Coffee feature # 72
*Klimson Logistics Solutions is an Industry Leading Customer Service 3PL. Our focus and commitment to our clients has us striving to be the BEST customer service 3PL for LTL, FTL, Reefer, and Drayage in the country. KLS, freight company, is a 3PL providing nationwide logistics solutions. KLS shipping services include: LTL freight, FTL freight, Reefer LTL freight, Reefer FTL freight, and Drayage. Klimson Logistics Solutions thanks you for viewing our marketing campaign, "Together Talks". If you have any interest in being featured or questions regarding your freight operations please contact us today!
Why KLS?
Our precise and reliable effort.
We handle every shipment with the exact same process. It does not matter if you move one shipment a year or ten per day, you will receive the same level of customer service from us. When we started this company, we had one goal in mind, treat every shipment like it was our own. With our vast knowledge of the industry, we understood what a customer would want from a communication standpoint. We applied that process to be the standard here at KLS. Our reliability and being able to depend on our consistency is why we have such long-standing relationships with our clients.
Our Process?
Every shipment in our industry starts with a quote. We are firm believers that time is money, thus we strive to have quotes back in a 5-10 minute reply time for LTL and FTL, any FCL quotes are at the mercy of the carriers getting back to us. For LTL we have the flexibility to quote both off of NMFC and also Density depending on the carrier. Utilizing our services, you’re allowing us to use our expertise to class your freight accordingly to ensure we are providing the best rate we possibly can.
Once a quote has been submitted and a client chooses to proceed with KLS handling the arrangement of the shipment our full process begins. We create the BOL that will be used for the shipment. If it is a new location for our system, we will obtain all the important/special details (reference numbers, contact details, shipping hours, closed for lunch, dock/doors, etc.). We meticulously build every detail into our software for all future shipments involving that location. After we have both locations built and necessary reference numbers have been applied we will tender the shipment to the carrier. We use this method because it provides us a real time pickup number from the carrier to obtain updates prior to pickup. Our staff will either email the BOL directly to you or to the shipper (at your request) the minute after the tender has been accepted by the carrier. LTL carriers require a 2 hour window prior to close time in order to schedule it for a same-day pickup attempt.
The following morning you’ll receive an email from us. It will either provide the reason the pickup was missed (driver’s trailer filled up, driver missed the close time, truck broke down, shipper said no freight, etc.) or if the pickup was successful you will receive the PRO (tracking) number from us, along with the eta for delivery. Our staff will track it throughout the duration of transit and advise if anything happens that will alter the estimated delivery date. The day the shipment delivers we will email you with confirmation and the POD (Proof of Delivery), should you require it.
Your shipment has been quoted, scheduled, picked up, and delivered. The next step is waiting for the carrier to invoice us and make sure the rate matches up. If it does, we close out the invoice from the carrier in our system and automatically your invoice is created and sent to the requested party at your company. In the event the carrier has an additional charge on their invoice “Variance”, we will never send you an invoice with an additional charge without first identifying you of the charge.
Let us repeat, NEVER WILL WE JUST BILL OUT AN EXTRA CHARGE WITHOUT YOU BEING NOTIFIED.
You are our customer, we represent you. Should the carrier provide an extra charge on an invoice, “Lift gate, additional weight, reclass, detention, etc.) We notify you of the charge via email first. Second, within that email we identify what is required should you choose to dispute the charge. Again our goal is to honor your request, if you want to dispute, we will dispute. During a dispute we will provide you updates every step along the way. Once a dispute is closed out, whether it is approved or rejected, then we will invoice you as the invoice has been resolved.
For reference, our company only had 6.2% of all shipments go to dispute in 2022 and we successfully won 91% of those disputes on behalf of our customers.
This is our process for every single shipment you move with us. We don’t cut corners, we don’t hide from difficult situations. We believe in being available, honest, and transparent. We don’t ever want to tell you that a shipment is lost, damaged, misrouted, but it is our duty to notify you the second we find out something has gone wrong. We hate to present bad news, but it is part of the job. What you can guarantee is that we will work a shipment all the way through and turn over every stone until we get a resolution for our clients.
Services offered?
Our core business is LTL and FTL. Within these options we have options for both dry and refrigerated/frozen. We also offer FCL/Drayage options. Our company as a 3PL has nationwide options and services clients across the US.
Let’s breakdown our services more in-depth
LTL:
Standard and Guaranteed
CFS (Imports & Exports)
Tradeshows
Hazmat
Anything that is on a pallet can be moved LTL. Typically LTL is up to 10 pallets, but the sweet spot for a carrier is 6-8 pallets at most for an individual shipment. LTL quotes are good between 5-30 days depending on the carrier. LTL can be quoted either via NMFC or density to determine the class (we do this for you).
Volume:
Anything over 10-12’ of space in the truck is the technical rule for a volume shipment. When we run a quote for you we will determine if it qualifies for volume and provide you a rate if available. Volume moves allow you to get a reduced rate for larger shipments. The caveat to volume shipments it the quotes are only valid for 3-7 days and they move on capacity between terminals. If a terminal is backed up they will move their LTL freight first before the volume freight, which can lead to longer transit times for volume moves.
FTL/Dedicated/Expedited: 53’ Dry and Reefer 26’ Box trucks with lift gate Sprinter Van The main difference for FTL vs LTL is space and transit time. For standard pallets you can fit either 26 or 30 pallets in a 53’ dry van. The other main difference is transit time, for FTL each day counts in the transit time, whereas LTL does not count the day of pickup, weekends, or holidays in their transit time.
Reefer/Frozen:
LTL and FTL
We specialize working in the CPG space with food manufacturers. We regularly deliver to
the following locations:
Kehe
UNFI
Core Mark
DPI
Wegmans
Cugini
H.T. Hackney
Netrition
HEB
ALDI
Chambers and Owens
EBY Brown
Nassau Candy
Harris Teeter
Wakefern
NU INC
Long Distribution
What makes KLS different?
There are thousands of freight brokers and 3PL in our industry. Barrier to entry is rather easy and agents or owners will often hire sales people without any intention of properly training them. It results in high turnover for many freight companies and a forgettable experience for the client. We choose to operate differently through our consistency. We truly care about doing right by our clients and prospects too. While we would love to help provide our services to every company we speak with, that just isn’t realistic. We won’t always be the right fit for every company that moves freight and that is ok. Our authenticity as a shipping company sets us apart from the competition and that is backed up by our testimonials. We also run a marketing campaign bi-weekly called “Together Talks”. We interview, highlight, and promote two businesses every week. Our goal is to grow our network, make new connections, and learn something new with each collaboration. Check it out on our website and if you’re interested in being featured reach out.
Our company also runs a year long charity promotion. Book your first shipment through KLS and we donate to the charity of your choice in your name. Our way of thanking you for giving us an opportunity to show you the KLS way and what makes us one of a kind. This entire package is what we offer to every prospect and every client. Our goal is to help provide answers that customers may have when it comes to shipping. We want to always be available as a resource and will always offer a lending hand whenever we can.
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