Bob Marley’s Spirit Will Live On In Son’s Coffee Empire

Three days ago it was Bob Marley day in Toronto. Marley who died in 1981 of melanoma, has been at the center of many tributes, whether it be murals or musical performances, but one honor may go above and beyond the rest. That honor is currently underway in Jamaica and has Marley’s message at heart. The son of Bob, Rohan Marley started a coffee company called Marley Coffee in 2009 that focused on eliminating chemicals from coffee. Now four years later the coffee company built in Bob Marley’s honor is quickly expanding all over the world.

Rohan Marley acts as the founder and chairman of Marley Coffee. He recently sat down for an interview with Business Insider to discuss his company that’s in honor of his late father Bob. What started as a small company quickly expanded to thousands of stores including in North America, which is the biggest market out there for coffee. Going by a recent report, Marley’s output is up by 300 stores, and that’s only in the last year.

His sustainable farming practices which has been inspired by his father Bob and his Rastafarian upbringing, Marley spoke about how his company’s foundation is based on his father Bob Marley’s early teachings and philosophy:

“I was truly inspired by a vision that came into my mind as the son of Bob Marley. I thought about how I could really encompass his message of peace, love and sustainability.”

The pesticide-free coffee is the largest supplier and employer in Kingston, which is a city in Jamaica.

CEO Brent Toevs explained how Marley Coffee goes beyond just being a coffee brand:

“We’re more than just this brand that is trying to market some coffee. We are creating good lives for people who are helping to produce that product through sustainable farming. We’re really passionate about it.”

Marley Coffee’s statement is clear and acts as an unfulfilled promise to the late and great Bob Marley:

“Bob Marley always said he would return to farming one day. With Marley Coffee, Bob’s son Rohan fulfills the dream. Rohan remembers his grandmother drying their wild coffee berries in the sun, then hulling and roasting them for her own cup of coffee each morning. Marley Coffee is determined to deliver that same intoxicating aroma and rich smooth flavor into every cup.”

What’s possibly the most heartwarming part about the coffee company is that they named the blends of coffees after Marley’s songs, including “Get Up, Stand Up,” “Buffalo Soldier,” and “Simmer Down.”