Welcoming Cleland Coffee & Tea to Unbound Brews
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Someone forgot to tell me when I sold my first bag of coffee that I’d be acquiring a coffee distributor two years later. But like many parts of this journey, I've been fortunate to see the partnership in every opportunity and I’m excited about what growing 5x overnight means for the company, no matter how daunting it feels today.
After getting to know Tim Cleland for the last month, I’m excited to announce the purchase of Cleland Coffee & Tea and the transition of Tim Cleland to an Advisory role for Unbound Brews.
The Story Behind
Cleland Coffee & Tea began over 10 years ago when Tim retired from F. Gaviña and Sons after nearly 20 years in sales leadership roles. Retirement didn’t keep him away from coffee for long. Unable to walk away from helping small business owners with their coffee needs, his warm demeanor and friendly personality led to the successful creation of a coffee distribution company based in Los Alamitos, where he offers coffee, tea, and equipment to various small businesses in Orange County and the surrounding area.
When Tim decided it was time to sell the business, finding the right partner mattered. After more than a decade of working closely with his customers, he wanted to make sure they could continue receiving the same level of care and support they had come to expect. While Unbound Brews wasn’t the only opportunity on the table, a personal connection helped bring us together.
It was largely thanks to Dan Roope, my old coworker who chose Tim as the godfather of his daughter, that we received the opportunity to carry on his legacy. I take it to heart every time Tim mentions that I remind him of a younger version of himself, and we even get several customers wondering if he’s passing his company onto his son.
From a Business Plan to an Acquisition
This moment also brings the Unbound Brews journey full circle. Two years ago, through the Center for Global Management at UCLA Anderson School of Management, I met a mentor who encouraged me to write my first business plan and has come on to fully support the acquisition.
Their continued mentorship and support played an important role in making this opportunity possible. What started with selling that first bag of coffee has grown into something much larger than I could have predicted. I’m excited about what this next chapter means for Unbound Brews, for Tim, and for the customers who have trusted Cleland Coffee & Tea.
