History

Taste The Tradition

1873

Shipbuilder Austin Hills, Sr., along with his two sons, Austin Herbert and Reuben Wilmarth, sail from England to California.

1878

Once settled, young Austin and R.W. (few called him Reuben) sell coffee, tea, extracts and dairy products in a Bay City Market stall.

1882

Office, factory and selling force, circa 1882.

1882

Their market location blossoms into a full-fledged retail store called Arabian Coffee and Spice Mills on Harrison Street.

1890

Men in front of Hills Bros building, circa 1890.

1900

R.W. Hills, a very passionate tinkerer, stumbles upon a process that removes air from coffee packaging - resulting in fresher beans. Known as 'vacuum-packing', R.W.'s discovery is the most widely used packaging method to this day.

1900

Original vacuum-packed can, circa 1900.

1905

Workers loading boxes of coffee onto a wagon, circa 1905.

1906

A young artist named Briggs offers to create a company trademark. His design, the 'taster', inspired by the coffee's Ethiopian origin, is welcomed by Austin and R.W. A life-size statue is still present at the Hills Bros. San Francisco building.

1906

Hills Bros can, circa 1906.

1914

the Red Can Brand of Hills Bros. Coffee is introduced.

1922

Hills Bros can, circa 1922.

1923

Alaskan explorers take a Hills Bros coffee break, 1923.

1925

Roasting operations move into the landmark brick structure along the Embarcadero.

1926

2 Harrison Street in San Franscisco becomes the official home office for Hills Bros.

1928

Hills Bros building dedication, 1928.

1930

Hills Bros. expands into Chicago. Within 11 short months, Hills Bros. becomes the region's #1 selling coffee.

1931

R.W. Hills, 1931.

1931

Austin H. Hills, 1931.

1937

Hills Bros. provides on-site employees to help grocers in case they have any dissatisfied coffee customers.

1940

During World War II, packaging changes from metal to glass containers. Coffee hoarding becomes widespread and Americans are limited to one pound every five weeks due to rationing.