The Story Of Johnny Wray's

John George Wray was a true New Yorker. Born to an American father and an Italian mother, he grew up in New York City in the early 1900’s, working in the family trading business and supplying coffee beans from Caribbean to the boom of New York’s Café Society.

John’s father George owned a small fleet of trade ships that worked the coast of the United States and the Caribbean, mentoring his hard working son who eventually took command of his first trading vessel at the tender age of 18. In his later years, George Wray downsized the business into just one magnificent vessel, The Isabella, named after his dear mother.

Johnny took the helm of The Isabella, with its boat speed he was able to beat the bigger square riggers of the day. Riding the Caribbean trade winds, he was always first to arrive for the pick of the crops of the coffee bean harvest, then beat them all back to New York with the first supply of coffee.

The coffee trade boom of the 1900’s brought in fierce competition. Johnny needed a point of difference to sell his stock for a good profit.

With his Italian background he had in his possession something no one else could acquire for any price, his mother Antonietta’s roasting technique passed from generation to generation. With his passion for great coffee, he went on to create the most superior Italian coffee blend and founded the famous Johnny Wray’s Casa del Caffè.

Because of Johnny’s likeable charm, and unique Italian blend in both coffee and character, Johnny Wray’s became a household name throughout New York in the 1920's.

The spirit and the culture of Johnny Wray is now saluted here almost 100 years later. Experience a little bit of the legend, culture and character… nurtured and delivered to you in every cup.