Gloria Jean's Coffees

' (commonly shortened to just ') is an Australian-American retail coffeehouse brand headquartered in Castle Hill, Sydney. The chain is owned by the multinational fast casual restaurant conglomerate Retail Food Group and has more than 599 stores in 40 countries, including over 140 in Australia.[2]

History

Gloria Jean's Coffees was founded by Gloria Jean Kvetko in Long Grove, a small town just outside Chicago, Illinois, United States in 1979.[2] The brand began as a small coffee and gift shop in the Chicago area and grew to over 50 locations in the United States after the franchising rights were purchased by the chain Coffee People.[3]

International expansion (1995–2009)

Controversies

Sugar and fat content

In 2009, Gloria Jean's was criticised for the sugar and fat content of some of their products. Analysis of a regular 'Gloria Jean's Mocha Chiller Coco Loco' revealed it contained 95.5 g of sugar, which is 106 percent of an adult's recommended daily intake. They have also been criticised for failing to provide nutritional information to their customers.[13] Gloria Jean's now provides nutrition and ingredient information.[14]

Coffee supply

In April 2010, Gloria Jean's Australia was accused of breaking a joint venture agreement with a small US-based coffee supplier, Western Export Services.[15] The matter was resolved in the High Court of Australia, in October 2011, with Western Export Services' appeal being dismissed.[16]

Financial support for the Australian Christian Lobby

In November 2010, in the lead up to the Australian Federal Election, Gloria Jean's donated $30,000 to the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL).[17] This donation and Gloria Jean's links to the evangelical Hillsong Church led to a national boycott of its stores. Social media campaigns in support of the boycott on Facebook and a petition on Change.org resulted in thousands of supporters.[18][19] As a direct result of this donation, national youth mental health foundation headspace pulled out as a partner of the suicide awareness campaign R U OK?, of which Gloria Jean's was a major sponsor.[20] Gloria Jean's released a statement on 11 June 2012 stating "this was a once off donation".[21] Both Gloria Jean's and the ACL claim that the monies were provided as advertising.[22]

Underpayment of wages

In February 2014, a Gloria Jean's franchise in the Melbourne suburb of Caulfield was fined $110,000 for underpaying staff following an investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman which found that 22 workers were paid as little as $8 per hour (or around half the minimum wage).[24]

Loss-making shops and illegitimate marketing expenses

In December 2022, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission won a civil court case against the owner of Gloria Jean's, Retail Food Group, resulting in Michel's Patisserie and Gloria Jean's franchises receiving repayments and debt erasures totalling $10 million as part of a settlement relating to allegedly illegitimate marketing expenses and allegedly being sold loss-making shops.[25]

foundation	1979 in Long Grove, Illinois, USA
founder	Ed & Gloria Jean Kvetko
type	Subsidiary
location	Castle Hill, New South Wales, Australia
locations	599 in 40 countries
products	Hot and Cold Beverages‡R1R‡
parent	Retail Food Group
key people	Peter Irvine Nabi Saleh

Gloria Jean's Coffees

History

International expansion (1995–2009)

Consolidation (2009–present)

Controversies

Sugar and fat content

Coffee supply

Financial support for the Australian Christian Lobby

Underpayment of wages

Loss-making shops and illegitimate marketing expenses

See also

Further reading

External links

References