Rohan Marley, a son of the famous reggae singer, bought a Jamaican farm in 1999 for a quarter of a million dollars.

“I went through it and thought, ‘Wow! This place is filled with coffee,'” Marley recalled.

So last month he and his business partner, Shane Whittle who he met five years ago while walking their dogs in Los Angeles launched a coffee company. “And now I have this finished product,” Marley said.

Marley coffee comes mostly from his Jamaican farm, but it’s blended with African beans, including yirgacheffe, found only in Ethiopia.

The two now are contacting retailers for distribution. The coffee can be purchased online, and is on sale locally at Larchmont Wine & Cheese and the Larchmont Larder. Marley and Whittle, who is Canadian, also are working on distributing the coffee in Toronto.

The venture is part of a deal with Hilco Consumer Capital, a Toronto real estate investment firm. Earlier, this year, the Marley family agreed to allow Hilco to develop and manage all brands based on the Bob Marley image and his music, including Tuff Gong Clothing and the coffee line.

Rohan Marley and Whittle started planning the coffee venture in 2007. Their top priorities were developing organic, pesticide-free products and treating the farm employees well.

“It took a long time to do research on the industry especially internationally with the ethical treatment of farmers,” Whittle said.

Added Marley: “It’s not just about coffee, it’s about people. The farmers are my family, and I make sure to take good care of them.”