Rouses Markets Commemorates its 60th Anniversary with New Coffee Blend in Partnership with PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans

Donny Rouse, the CEO of Rouses Markets, approached PJ’s Coffee Roastmaster Felton Jones in May 2019 to start the process of creating the right blend for the brand. Jones hosted Rouse for a cupping, a tasting technique used by producers and buyers of coffee from around the world to check the quality and flavors of a batch of coffee, to find the right flavor profile. The final product is the 60th Anniversary Dark Roast blend, which has a rich flavor with a nut-like finish.

“Rouses and PJ’s Coffee has a longstanding partnership and we were excited to work with them to create a unique, robust coffee blend for their 60th anniversary,” says Jones. “We look forward to celebrating a fellow Louisiana brand for many years to come.”

PJ’s Coffee beans are imported from Finca Terrerito, a Honduran coffee farm that PJ’s Coffee adopted in 2016. Jones works directly with farm owner Al Lopez to identify and source the highest quality coffee, using the top 1% of Arabica beans. By working with PJ’s Coffee, Rouses Market is directly supporting the small farm and its immediate community.

“PJ’s has been producing outstanding coffee for over 40 years and we could not think of a better Louisiana partner to create such a special blend,” said Rouse. “We know our customers will thoroughly enjoy the dark roast blend celebrating 60 years as the number one grocery retailer in the Gulf Coast.”

The blend will be available for purchase in stores through 2020. PJ’s Coffee will sample the blend in-stores later this year when it is safe to do so due to COVID-19.

PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans was founded in 1978 by Phyllis Jordan, a pioneer in the coffee industry that demonstrated that better beans, superior roasting techniques, and pure passion for the art of coffee-making mattered. In 2008, the company was purchased by New Orleans natives and brothers, Paul, Steven and Scott Ballard. PJ’s Coffee serves a wide variety of hot, iced and frozen coffee beverages using only the top 1% of Arabica beans, as well as organic tea and fresh breakfast pastries.

PJ’s Original Cold Brew™ Ice Coffee is brewed daily using a special cold-drip process that protects the flavor and strength of the beans, while producing a coffee that is 2/3 less acidic – a process and technique pioneered by our founder and used for more than 40 years at all PJ’s locations. Bags of whole bean coffee, single serve cups of PJ’s Coffee are available for sale in-store and online.

The late Anthony J. Rouse, Sr., founded Rouses Markets in 1960. Donny Rouse, CEO, is the 3rd generation of the family to lead the family owned chain, which is one of the largest independents in the country. Rouses Markets has 64 stores in Louisiana, along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and Lower Alabama and employs over 7,000 team members. It has consistently been voted Best Supermarket and Best Place to Work. www.rouses.com