25 Years Of Perks

Back in 1994, the term third wave coffee (modern customer experience coffee roasters) was hardly a thing. It wasn’t even officially coined as a phrase until 1999 by a man named Timothy Castle. And yet that’s the year that Hampton Coffee Company opened its doors in Water Mill, introducing the Hamptons to a new coffee experience.

“We opened when there was literally only one Starbucks on Long Island, and had to explain to our customers what lattes were. It’s a true testament to how much the industry has grown on the East End alone and we’re proud to have been one of the first,” said Edythe Collins, marketing/PR manager for Hampton Coffee Company. To date, the company retains approximately 120 local wholesale partners that provide their freshly roasted coffee.

The brew house is synonymous with the Hamptons itself. Co-owners Jason and Theresa Belkin have seen their company grow into a multi-facility business. In 2006, they opened a second location in Westhampton Beach, a coffee experience store welcomed customers in Southampton in 2013, and an Aquebogue location greeted North Fork residents in 2016. They will add a brand-new East End store to that list; an official announcement is expected soon.

Hampton Coffee’s customer loyalty program also continues to gain momentum. Each of the 3321 members, and growing, are given points for every in-store purchase, accumulating exclusive offers and rewards, and are able to order ahead through the HCC Perks app.

HCC is dedicated to providing the community with more than just a top-quality cup of joe. “It’s been interesting to see this manifest over the years,” Collins said of the over 100 unique local charities and organizations the company supports. “We take pride in being able to provide jobs for locals year-round, and watching our team grow has been a rewarding experience. We have team members who have been with us for over 15 years, that have become a part of our family, who now have children that work for the company.”

To commemorate its 25th anniversary, HCC will be celebrating all year long. The company kicked off its silver anniversary last week with a week of 25 cent deal s, where guests enjoyed baked goods and coffee for only a quarter. To commemorate the anniversary of its flagship store, a special limited-edition Anniversary Blend of boxed coffee featuring its Water Mill Blend, which includes a free engraved stainless-steel coffee scoop, is now available, with a limited-edition Silver Ceramic Hampton Coffee mug for separate purchase. Aiming to include fans both near and far, HCC is currently running a social media sweepstakes (follow @HamptonCoffee).

Looking forward, HCC plans to focus on its environmentally friendly efforts, including being 100 percent direct trade (cutting out the middleman by buying directly from coffee growers). In 2019, the company roasting team took a flight to Colombia to visit some of the direct trade partner farms. “When coffee shops like us purchase direct trade coffee, it enables the farmers to better support themselves and their farms,” Collins noted.

Additionally, customers receive a discount when bringing in their own reusable tumblers. Collins added, “Based on our reports, this discount has been given over 8000 times in the last year. That’s 8000 single-use cups kept out of our local landfills.”

For a full list of events, locations, and information, go to www.hamptoncoffeecompany.com.

nicole@indyeastend.com