Spring Hill coffeemaker company gets county money to grow its business
By Barbara Behrendt
Tampa Bay Times
Published: Dec 20, 2018

BROOKSVILLE - Hernando County commissioners last week approved an economic development incentive package to help a local coffeemaker company expand its business into the Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport.

But the discussion raised questions about whether such incentive packages will continue into the future.

Jaguar Coffee Company has been operating out of a site on Linden Drive in Spring Hill, but has outgrown its facility. Company representatives settled on a new location within the airport business park on Technology Drive. Their plan is to build a 10,000 square foot building - a $1 million capital investment - with plans to open by late 2019, according to Valerie Pianta, the county's economic development coordinator.

The incentive package will total $52,429, payable over seven years from 2020 through 2016. Jaguar will pay the county $7,140 a year to lease the land under its new building. The lease will be for 30 years with two 10-year renewal options.

Jaguar provides commercial and industrial machinery, repairs, sales and back-office operations for commercial espresso equipment, coffeemakers and coffee grinders. While Spring Hill is the company's headquarters, it has accounts across Florida, outside the state and a coffee roasting business with coffee available locally, Pianta said.

The company has 18 full-time workers who are eligible for insurance, paid time off and a 401(k) program and is eligible for the county's job creation and impact fee mitigation incentive programs. To receive the money, Jaguar has to hire 12 new employees in three phases from 2020 to 2022 at an average wage of $37,506, at least 115 percent of the county's annual average wage.

The company also can participate in the county's rapid-response permitting process. According to its website, Jaguar Coffee clients have included "some of the country's largest chain coffee shops, restaurants, hotels and food-beverage companies in the world, in addition to many small and independent organizations.''

After the unanimous vote, Commissioner John Allocco asked whether incentives will be the future of economic development in Hernando County. In some political circles, the idea is not popular.

Allocco suggested the county consider preparing sites for businesses rather than offering cash incentives, saying he also understood the need to compete with other communities.

"I know that everybody else is doing it. I get that,'' Allocco said.

"It's like a balancing act,'' said Commissioner Wayne Dukes.

County administrator Len Sossamon, who also is the county's economic development director, said offering incentives is "almost like self defense," and is a foundation of economic development. But the county's recent budget challenges make it difficult to put aside large sums for an incentive pool.

"It's a two-edged sword,'' Sossamon said. "It cuts coming and going.'' "We can't keep it up,'' Allocco said. "It's not economically feasible.''

The board agreed to continue the conversation at a future meeting.

Contact Barbara Behrendt at bbehrendt@tampabay.com or (352) 848-1434. Follow .