Ismail Coffee & Tea

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Company History

1920:
Ismail Gibrail arrived in London from Somalia, having served in The Royal Navy since the age of sixteen. Education was a priority for him, with Somalia having no written language until the 1960’s, so he enrolled to study at The Pitman School.

1923:
Ismail began making Turkish coffee at a London hotel.  The owners asked him to do similar work at other hotels. He started brewing coffee at The Hotel Metropole, Blackpool. 

1925:
Ismail opened his first café in Blackpool, where coffee was the speciality. He went on to open tea and coffee retail shops in Blackpool, Preston and Morecambe. 

1933:
Ismail began selling coffee and tea, both to the retail and wholesale markets, from his base in Blackpool.  

1938:
Ismail personally roasted, brewed and served coffee to HRH The Duke of Kent at The Imperial Hotel, Blackpool

1963:
Ismail’s son, Raschid, took over responsibility for the company’s buying and quality control.  

Today:
Inspired by Ismail, the next generation of Gibrail’s are continuing the family tradition. The family are supplying speciality coffee and tea to the general public, through the new brand Ismail Coffee and Tea.  Twenty five stores will be opening across the UK in the near future.