Autocrat, LLC (now named Finlay Extracts and Ingredients USA (Finlays)) is a coffee and tea extracts manufacturing company based in Lincoln, Rhode Island, United States.[1][2] The company's coffee syrups are often used to make coffee milk, which was made the official state drink of Rhode Island in 1993.[1][3][4] The company's name change occurred in 2015, and its retail products remain marketed under the Autocrat brand name.
History[edit]
Autocrat, LLC was established in 1895 under the name Brownell & Field Coffee Company, and began manufacturing coffee syrup in the 1930s.[4][5][6] In 1991, the firm acquired Eclipse, a coffee syrup manufacturer, after which it became the sole manufacturer of coffee syrup in the United States.[6][7] In January 2012, the firm partnered with RFI, LLC to expand coffee product offerings.[8] In April 2014, the company was acquired by James Finlay Limited, a British tea extract producer, and continued to operate under the Autocrat name.[9][5] In July 2015, the company's corporate name was changed to Finlay Extracts and Ingredients USA (Finlays).[5] Retail products remain marketed under the Autocrat brand name.[5]
Products[edit]
The company produces a brand of coffee syrup under the Autocrat name, and also as Coffee Time Syrup,[4][10] and after the acquisition of Eclipse in 1991, it also continued to manufacture coffee syrup under the Eclipse brand name. It also manufactures and markets frozen and powdered coffee and tea extracts and concentrates.[2]
Autocrat and Coffee Connection collaborated to invent the Frappuccino in 1992, and in 1994 Starbucks acquired all of the 23 Coffee Connection locations, along with the trademark rights to the "Frappuccino" name.[5]
In December 2013, Narragansett Brewing Company marketed a limited edition stout brewed with Autocrat Coffee syrup.[11][12]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Lukas, Paul (November 13, 2002). "The Big Flavors Of Little Rhode Island". The New York Times. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
- ^ a b "Autocrat LLC Company Profile". Bloomberg. August 23, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
- ^ Bender, John (September 5, 2016). "What's In That Coffee Cabinet? A Delicious Taste Of Rhode Island History". NPR. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Coffee Milk Is Rhode Island's Secret Local Drink You've Got To Try". Huffington Post. 2017-05-12. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
- ^ a b c d e Coelho, James (November 23, 2015). "How Autocrat Has Changed With The Times". Rhode Island Monthly. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
- ^ a b Brown, Seth (2007). Rhode Island Curiosities. Globe Pequot. p. 130. ISBN 978-0762743384.
- ^ Simonson, Robert (April 16, 2011). "Rhode Island Coffee Milk". Imbibe. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
- ^ "Autocrat, LLC Partners With RFI, LLC To Expand Coffee Product Offerings". VendingMarketWatch. Retrieved 2017-11-03.
- ^ Lefebvre, Rochelle (April 29, 2014). "Autocrat in Lincoln sold to UK company". WPRI. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
- ^ Dietsch, Emily (December 16, 2013). "Drunk on Gansett Coffee Milk". Providence Monthly. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
- ^ Dzen, Gary (December 3, 2013). "Narragansett announces release of Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
- ^ "Narragansett Beer Co. Planning Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout". CBS News. Boston. October 18, 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
