Coffee aficionados at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport were at a loss when Banjo’s closed its door last year. The coffee shop was the only stop in the C concourse for Phoenix Coffee junkies to get their fill. So when Auntie Anne’s approached the local roaster about supplying their coffee, Phoenix decided to introduce a unique blend that is all Cleveland: CLE Blend.

“It’s a Cleveland pride thing,” says Phoenix CEO and self-described superbarista Sarah Wilson-Jones. “We thought it was time to have a coffee that is uniquely Cleveland.” The name reflects the Cleveland airport code.

The coffee, which originated as an espresso blend, is a combination of Brazilian, Columbian, Costa Rican and Sumatran coffees and is a medium body blend with floral aromas and touches of vanilla and a chocolate finish. The blend has its own logo – a CLE baggage tag.

Introduced in July, CLE Blend tempts travelers as they enter or leave the airport’s C concourse. It’s also available at Phoenix locations around Northeast Ohio and online. “It was designed to celebrate our relationship with the airport,” says Wilson-Jones. “It’s designed for Clevelanders by Clevelanders.”

Wilson-Jones says Auntie Anne’s approached Phoenix because they wanted a local connection for their coffee products.

“There’s a popular demand for local coffee in the airport,” she says. “And that’s what drove Auntie Anne’s to call us.”

Source: Sarah Wilson-Jones
Writer: Karin Connelly