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Cafe Blue plans to open its ninth outlet next month which features a DJ booth alongside indoor-outdoor dining.
The move signals a shift in Jamaica’s cafe culture, from curated art and raw wood tables to a blend of coffee and live culture. The concept builds on experiments at Cafe Blue’s Constant Spring location, where morning DJ sets drew crowds that spilled into the food court. They are still working out the details for the right balance in wooing professionals and creatives in New Kingston, Managing Director Jason Sharp told the Financial Gleaner.
The Grenada Crescent outlet within the New Kingston business district will open a block away from two competitors: Starbucks, the island’s largest coffee chain with 12 locations, and Cannonball Cafe, which operates three. Sharp isn’t concerned.
“What we offer is somewhat unique. We have many loyal customers who seem to enjoy our products, and we think the market is big enough to allow for our business to be viable,” he said. “We are more focused on trying to make our product better and more convenient for our customers.”
COFFEE SECTOR
Jamaica’s coffee industry generates about US$25 million annually, driven by the global prestige of Blue Mountain beans. Yet domestic consumption remains a fraction of output, underscoring a paradox: the island produces some of the world’s most sought-after coffee but drinks little of it.
Coffee once held a central place in Jamaican households, with brewing rituals captured in folk songs such as Mi Coffee. That tradition waned as premium beans were exported and instant coffee became the norm. In 1997, Susan Hana opened a coffee bar on Southdale Avenue, it’s still operating but under new ownership. Also in around 2000, producer-turned-operator Patrick Sibbles launched The Coffee Mill in New Kingston, but market forces eventually led to its closure. Then between 2009 and 2010, Kingston saw about 15 independent cafés open and fail, as operators misjudged the challenge of positioning coffee as a gourmet product in a market accustomed to instant brews. Cafe Blue survived by focusing on coffee, but also the invisible product that most cafes lacked — customer service. Also, the chain leverages its association with Coffee Traders Ltd, Jamaica’s largest coffee producer, and owned by the Sharp family.
EXPANSION STRATEGY
The New Kingston store follows openings at Whitter Village in Montego Bay last July and Eight Rivers Mall in Ocho Rios in late 2023. Sharp said the chain sees demand for spaces that serve both as business meeting venues and casual dining spots.
“In any business district, you need this type of space to add to its level of convenience and sophistication, where people can have breakfast or lunch and great coffee, of course,” he said.
Cafe Blue’s new location plans piazza-style outdoor seating between the CIBC bank and the new ARC building on Grenada Crescent. Sharp declined to disclose the investment cost, but said the 1,200-square-foot store will seat 75, with capacity to double for events. He emphasised that Café Blue’s menu is rooted in Jamaican identity. All coffee options use Jamaican beans, from 100 per cent Blue Mountain to blended varieties.
That stands in contrast to Starbucks, which does not sell Jamaican coffee locally. Café Blue’s food offerings include jerk chicken, tuna and marlin sandwiches, plantain tarts, gizzadas and cheesecake. “We are a Jamaican brand and we try to focus on our ‘Jamaicaness,’” Sharp said.
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