| |
 |
|
|
| 07 July 2010 |
| Dawn of the 49p cappuccino |
| |
With McDonalds already treading on the toes of Starbucks and Costa across the UK, Europe and the US another potentially big coffee vendor has entered the UK market.
The pub chain Wetherspoons which has made its name by selling cheap beer and reasonably priced meals will now offer a latte, cappuccino, espresso or a tea for just 49p.
Wetherspoons has over 700 pubs across the UK some of which now open from 7am to capture some of the lucrative breakfast market by offering an inexpensive cooked breakfast as well as porridge, yoghurt and now very reasonable tea and coffee.
The Wetherspoon pubs actually serve a range of Lavazza coffees, which are very good quality and are all certified by the Rainforest Alliance.
Coffee and teas will be available to drink in or take away and will supposedly offer the best possible value on the High street.
If you get near a Wetherspoons try them out and let me know what the quality is like.
|
| |
|
| 05 July 2010 |
| Welsh NHS bans sugar in tea and coffee |
| |
According to latest reports the NHS will ban the sale of hot drinks containing sugar from all hospital vending machines across Wales because of the possible health risks.
The ban comes as the result of a Welsh Assembly health drive to tackle obesity and poor health across the population. The Welsh Assembly has recommended the sale of water and healthy snacks as an alternative to sugared traditional hot drinks.
Their spokesperson commented: “Hospitals are visited by a very broad cross-section of society and, as such, the whole hospital environment should reflect the importance of healthy living.”
Now this may come as a surprise but a recent visit to the food court at Addenbrookes in Cambridge turned up some really naughty food outlets including Burger King, Costa Coffee, Not Just Jackets, Spice of Life and Trattoria (pizzas). Now compared to these fat peddling monsters what is a sugar or two in a nice cup of tea of coffee.
Maybe the English NHS is not taking it's responsibilities towards the promotion of healthy nutrition so seriously as its Welsh cousin.
What price health? Clearly that of a nice few fast food franchises.
|
| |
|
| 26 June 2010 |
| World barista championships 2010 |
| |
The World Barista Championships of 2010 were a great success against the background of Cafe Culture, which promotes and celebrates everything related to the coffee trade.
Congratulations must go to Michael Philips of the US (Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea) who became the first American to win the World Barista Championship on the last day of the show (25th June) with a score of 706 points. We also sympathise with John Gordon the UK barista champion who unfortunately only came 14th in the competition. I hope John is up for trying again next year.
All competitors in the championships have to prepare a range of drinks in a session set to music including: four espressos, four cappuccinos, and four signature drinks within a timescale of 15 minutes. All of the drinks must be of the highest standard with the scoring based on creativity, presentation, cleanliness, taste and technical skill. The barista must pick the correct coffee, or coffee blend as well as the cups, decoration and ambience to produce a winning combination.
The signature drink is one of the most important elements and is a concoction of the baristas own making which can comprise a range of ingredients that can combine with coffee to produce a taste sensation. John Gordon’s signature drink combined strawberries, and buttered praline with coffee to produce a coffee strawberry cheesecake. The Costa Rican barista champion used a honey produced from hives situated in a coffee plantation (so coffee flower honey) for his signature drink base.
Again we wish Michael Phillips all the best and look forward to the 2011 championship in Bogota, Colombia.
|
| |
|
| 23 June 2010 |
| Karma cup to reduce paper waste |
| |
As waste paper cups become a more recognised problem some ingenious solutions are put forward. The latest is a project known as Karma Cup, which won a sustainable design contest called betacup in June 2010 by introducing a simple reward program. The program has attracted the support of Starbucks (widely regarded as one of the top paper cup waste producers) who also sponsored the design competition.
Karma Cup will give customers a major incentive to use reusable coffee mugs by offering free drinks.
The concept is simple for every customer that uses a reusable cup/mug a chalkboard adjacent to the till is marked up and every tenth reusable mug ‘marked up’ gets the customer a free drink.
The concept beat 400 other entrants and won a prize of $10,000.
According to the latest figures, in the US alone, more than 58 billion paper cups are consumed and thrown away annually with the majority ending up in landfills. Starbucks has already made a pledge to serve all of its drinks in recyclable and reusable cups by 2015.
A similar idea has already been trialled in the UK by Costa coffee and also Starbucks where a discount has been offered on coffee served in reusable mugs and was hailed as a great success.
There are some great travel/reusable mugs on the market and after the initial investment if you are a regular customer of Starbucks or any other popular coffee shop then potentially you could save a packet.
|
| |
|
| 14 April 2010 |
| Free coffee at Starbucks |
| |
Get down there quick today (Thursday) as it is free coffee day at Starbucks providing that you take a reusable mug with you (a free hot or iced espresso coffee of your choice).
This is part of the company’s efforts to reduce their use of paper cups which at the moment comes to about 3 billion per year worldwide.
Starbucks has set a goal of using 100% recyclable materials by 2015.This ‘Earth Day’ promotion is good for both US and UK stores.
As an ongoing promotion taking a reusable tumbler to Starbucks will give you a 25p discount on every drink purchased.
Starbucks hope that eventually the reusable tumbler will become as popular as the reusable grocery bag.
|
| |
|
| 30 March 2010 |
| Go gluten free with Byron Bay Cookies |
| |
Byron Bay Cookie Company is helping cafés and coffee shops get involved with this year’s Awareness Week for the Coeliac Society (10th–16th May 2010). Coeliac Disease (pronounced
‘see-lee-ac’) is a serious illness where the body’s immune system reacts to the gluten found in certain foods, making the body attack itself. Gluten is a composite protein found in a number of cereals such as wheat, rye and barley. The disease currently affects around 1% of the UK population.
The campaign builds upon last year’s highly successful launch, which aims to increase the number of cafés and coffee shops stocking and labelling products that are free from wheat and gluten. The ‘Free for Tea?’ campaign has already gained the backing of the National Trust and the National Trust for Scotland, who, once again will be
supporting the weeklong event. They are joined this year by Warner Leisure Hotels who will host a number of events across the country.
Byron Bay Cookie Company has a range of five single-wrap gluten-free cookies that have been registered with the Coeliac Society and use the internationally recognised
crossed grain logo (licence number CUK-M-107). The five gluten-free cookies are: Triple Choc Fudge, Dark Choc Orange, White Choc Chunk & Macadamia Nut, Sticky Date, Ginger & Walnut and the newly launched gluten-free Dotty.
“We are once again delighted to be able to help the Coeliac Society and the millions of people in the UK who are either Coeliac or wishing to avoid wheat and gluten. There is still a long
way to go in getting the UK’s independent coffee shops and cafés to offer a range of gluten-free
options to their customers. Just by adding a tray of Byron Bay Gluten Free Cookies to your menu offers you an effective way of tapping into the £750million gluten-free market. Taking part in this national event is a fantastic way of letting your customers know that you are offering a
gluten-free option.” commented Paul Maxwell of the Byron Bay Cookie Company.
For more information about the weeklong event or to order posters and leaflets please contact the Coeliac Society on freefortea@coeliac.org.uk or visit the website at www.coeliac.org.uk.
To order Byron Bay Gluten-Free Cookies contact your local distributor or call Beyond the Bean on +44 (0)1179 533522 or email sales@beyondthebean.com
READER OFFER – We have 2 trays of Byron Bay Gluten-Free Cookies (gluten-free Dotty and Sticky
Date, Ginger & Walnut), posters and point of sale material to offer the first 10 readers to email cookies@beyondthebean.com with their business name and address before 5th May 2010.
|
| |
|
| 20 March 2010 |
| Breathable coffee is the latest innovation |
| |
For the ultimate caffeine hit on the move, in case you might spill that espresso over your expensive business suit, there is Le Whif. The product is an inhaler which can deliver chocolate or coffee flavour to the user just by the act of breathing them in. The latest release is the coffee variety which can provide 100 milligrams of caffeine in each hit (round about the same as single espresso). The product has sold over 60,000 in the last nine months and now with the new coffee flavour it is expected to require a production rate of around 100,000 per week.
The lipstick sized inhaler was developed by Harvard biomedical engineering professor, David A. Edwards using advanced particle engineering, which is able to reduce the coffee particles so that they're small enough to be airborne, but are too large to enter the lungs. The inhalable flavour product was developed through ArtScience Labs, which is a network of art and science labs that seek to “promote socially beneficial innovations.” Professor Edwards the inventor has likened the experience to ‘smoking’ chocolate or coffee.
Currently there are four flavoured varieties including chocolate, raspberry chocolate, mint chocolate and coffee. Later in 2010 more flavours are expected including a three course meal flavour. I hope they don’t have blueberry pie as the dessert as you remember what happened in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
|
| |
|
| 12 March 2010 |
| A Carpuccino Please! |
| |
A car that runs on coffee grounds is the latest attempt at a demonstration of a new green fuel. The car, which is actually a 1988 Volkswagen Scirocco that cost £400 has been developed by a team from a new BBC 1 science programme called ‘Bang goes the Theory’. The car was the brainchild of Jem Stansfield the Presenter of the programme who is an Engineer. Jem was inspired by a sign in a Sainsburys coffee shop that asked customers if they needed any used coffee grounds (they are generally used for the garden to deter pests such as slugs or to improve the soil). The custom car was built at Jems home in Brighton on an overall budget of £700.
The modified vehicle uses a gasification system to convert organic material such as coffee grounds into a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen that can be burned in the engine as a fuel. The problem is that running costs could be up to 50 times the costs of running the same car on petrol. A furnace at the back of the car ‘burns’ the coffee grounds in the absence of oxygen to produce the combustible gas mixture which is then cooled cleaned and piped to the engine.
The vehicle with its custom built propulsion system is being exhibited at the Big Bang Science Fair held in central Manchester in March 2010. The car made the 210 mile journey from London to Manchester running totally on the power that can be produced from coffee grounds (the equivalent of 11,760 espressos). This is not as convenient as it sounds as it has been determined by the Big Bang experts that the car will need to stop every 30-45 miles to refuel with it achieving only 3 miles per kilo (stops were also required to clean the gasification system removing soot and tar). The whole journey required 70 kilos of dry coffee grounds (used are as valuable as virgin grounds), which were provided by Costa Coffee. The journey was completed on 12th March and despite some slight traffic holdups the journey went well taking a little over 17 hours.
|
| |
|
| 04 March 2010 |
| Chinese bite back and fight back |
| |
A recent comment in China from Yan Qi a member of the Chinese governments advisory legislative body had an unfortunate affect on her restaurant website, the Taoranju hot pot restaurant chain, when it was attacked by hackers and completely paralysed.
She had suggested that all private internet cafes should be banned and closed down because they were responsible for many of the social ills in the country including truancy, video game addiction and pornography.
There are over 140,000 internet cafes in China and some 380 million internet users. It seems that many didn’t agree with her. She had commented that desperate diseases must have drastic cures, which is to ban them all.
Maybe a step too far in a country that is already censored to the hilt and where human rights are certainly not top of the agenda. China is actively trying to contain the internet in the country but the genie is already out of the bottle and I don’t think they can afford another Tiananmen square.
|
| |
|
| 26 February 2010 |
| Cafe WiFi hotspots may be outlawed |
| |
WiFi at your local cafe may soon be under threat if new laws are passed as part of the Digital Economy Bill. The UK Government has decided in its wisdom that open WiFi networks are not good for the general public. The upshot is that it will be necessary to obtain a password from the coffee shop owner to use their WiFi system.
With a host of other clauses and limitations in the bill some experts have predicted that small businesses will find the provision of a WiFi hotspot too expensive and troublesome and hence the number of access points may drop dramatically. Internet cafes are also likely to be affected as they will be expected to store customers data for a period of over three years in case it needs to be used for investigations or reference by the rights holder. There are service providers who can run systems for cafe owners but of course this is an added expense. According to the latest clarification from the Government many organisations will be open to the same penalties for copyright infringement as individual subscribers, potentially including disconnection from the Internet.
Lord Young, a minister at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is worried about encouraging copyright infringement although by his own admission internet cafes usually have a low band width which is totally unsuitable for file sharing and other illegal activities. Basically any business providing an open WiFi networks to a customers will have to decide if they are an ISP (internet service provider) or a subscriber. According to Lord Young this will "depend on the type of service and the nature of their relationship with their consumers... although it appears unlikely that few other than possibly the large hotel chains or conference centres might be ISPs".
The new bill is basically the result of constant lobbying from the music and entertainment industries to make a stand against illegal downloads and piracy. Can the UK government infringe peoples freedom anymore without locking them up? I think WiFi hotspots are very convenient and allow many people to freely work outside the confines of their work or home and there is nothing wrong with that. To stop this is a total travesty.
|
| |
|
| 04 February 2010 |
| Workers unite you have nothing to lose but your cuppa |
| |
A recent story in the Telegraph has highlighted the growing cuppa crisis in the workplace. Apparently British workers now have to pay for their cup of tea or coffee at work as employers turn the screw and cut costs during the recession.
According to the survey from uSwitchforbusiness.com two fifths of workers actually expect an employer to provide free tea and coffee as a perk. One in ten said that a cutback on refreshment perks had affected workers morale and nearly 20% were worried about the future of their job as a result of the cost cutting effort.
Many workers value their free perks but are glad to contribute to the costs leading to just a subsidised cuppa.
I must say that the best food/drink perk I have come across is the Rentokil-Initial site in East Grinstead where all workers enjoyed a completely free canteen (I am not sure if this is still the case).
On the other side of the coin in April 2009, following a cut in profits of around 45%, Easyjet scrapped free drinks for cabin staff and flight personnel saying that staff would have to bring their own tea bag or coffee but magnanimously suggested that they could use hot water from the aircraft systems to make the beverage.
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the founder of Easyjet had already warned that the airline was cutting costs and his proposals had also included scrapping orders for new planes. Still on the airline theme Ryanair claims that it gives free food and drink vouchers to cabin crew (no confirmation of that except from their website).
All in all cutting the cuppa may be penny pinching but if it comes before cutting jobs it is worth it.
What king of foodie perks have you come across let me know the best ones.
|
| |
|
| 03 February 2010 |
| Coffee and tea effective against brain cancer |
| |
A group of scientists at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) (South Korea) has announced that caffeine found in coffee and green tea could effectively slow the growth of brain cancer tumours and prevent the cells from spreading.
Test results have shown that the caffeine found in coffee and green tea has strongly repressed the growth of the inositol trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) that is closely linked to glioblastoma, which is one of the most common and aggressive types of primary brain tumour in humans.
Research was conducted by scientists from Seoul National University, Gyeongsang National University, and Emory University in Atlanta. According to these researchers calcium plays one of the primary roles in spreading glioblastoma tumour cells in humans, and IP3R directly contributes to the amount of calcium released.
The amount of coffee used in the tests was equivalent to 2-5 cups of coffee or green tea being consumed each day. Lee Chang-joon, the scientist who led the study commented “This is the first type of discovery showing caffeine to have an inhibitive effect on the growth of glioblastoma, and thus, we expect it to have monumental impact on related studies”.
The health benefits of coffee and tea keep on increasing.
|
| |
|
| 01 February 2010 |
| Haitian coffee, buy it and help out |
| |
If you were shocked at the scenes for Haiti following the recent devastating earthquakes aside from sending cash aid directly you could also support the country’s coffee industry by purchasing some of their beans.
One out of six people in Haiti work in the coffee industry (coffee accounts for 30% of Haitian products) and the country has some 145,000 hectares of coffee under cultivation.
Haiti is famous for its Bleu coffee beans, which are a specialty coffee in the Caribbean region that was introduced to the area in 1995 when Haiti's coffee market was depressed following an untrustworthy government.
Haitian bleu coffee is handpicked and is shade-grown at an altitude of over 6,000 ft under a fair trade policy. Wet processing techniques are then used to produce unique blue-green colour beans most of which are sold to France. The coffee produced from them has a wonderful rich flavour and a mellow body with a hint of acidity.
At the current time Bleu may be a little difficult to find (especially if the French have got it all). However a good alternative also grown in Haiti is Kafe Lespwa or Coffee of Hope (Creole). This is grown in the far southwestern regions of the island around Baradères by subsistence farmers. The beans are imported and roasted by Just Haiti Inc, a US company that operates under a Fair Trade model giving the full trade price to the farmers and the profits from sales to the growers association.
The coffee is sold online via the Web site, www.justhaiti.org.
|
| |
|
| 27 January 2010 |
| Christopher Reid announced as winner of the 2009 Costa Book of the Year |
| |
London author Christopher Reid has been announced as the winner of the Costa Book Awards 2009 for his book ‘A Scattering’ at an awards ceremony held in central London on 26th January 2010 in Quaglino's. The poetry collection was a tribute to his wife Lucinda Gane following her death in 2005.
The five category winners in the running for the 2009 Costa Book of the Year award were:
Colm Tóibín – Winner of the 2009 Costa Novel Award for ‘Brooklyn’ – (Viking)
Raphael Selbourne – Winner of the 2009 Costa First Novel Award for ‘Beauty’ (Tindal Street Press)
Graham Farmelo – Winner of the 2009 Costa Biography Award for ‘The Strangest Man The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac, Quantum Genius’ (Faber and Faber)
Christopher Reid – Winner of the Costa Poetry Award for ‘A Scattering’ (Arete Books)
Patrick Ness – Winner of the Costa Children’s Book Award for ‘The Ask and the Answer’ (Walker Books)
The winning author was decided by a judging panel including writer & model Marie Helvin, musician, actor & writer Gary Kemp, actress Caroline Quentin, ITV’s Political Editor, Tom Bradby, actor & writer Neil Pearson, journalist Tom Fleming and authors Sandra Howard, Robert Lacey and William Nicholson. The panel was chaired by novelist Josephine Hart. Christopher will receive a cash prize of £30,000.
|
| |
|
| 26 January 2010 |
| Starbucks begins new love affair with the UK |
| |
Starbucks has had a tough time over the last two years with poor performance, an economic slowdown across the globe, and a number of store closures. Now it seems with latest financial reports from Europe and the US that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Starbucks reported a strong performance in the UK over the Christmas period with like-for-like sales increasing by 3.9% in the final quarter of 2009 (figures showed an increase in 6% over the final six weeks of the quarter). Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks is now much more pleased with the way the UK economy is shaping up as far as his company is concerned. In February 2009 he angered Lord Mandelson by casting doubts about UK consumer confidence, but now those doubts seem to be unfounded by the new figures. Starbucks now forecasts a bright 2010 with more improvement in sales figures.
With the success of the new Via brand of instant coffee in the US and across London. Starbucks is now gearing up to release the brand across the UK in 2010. There has been some controversy with claims that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) was going to stop Starbucks describing the product as ‘instant coffee’ because it is of superior quality to alternatives in the market including brands such as Kenco and Nescafé. But this has been refuted by both Starbucks and the FSA. Starbucks is free to describe Via as ‘Instant coffee’.
In other good news five of the recently closed Borders book stores will reopen as New Look clothing stores that will sell Starbucks coffee. In addition EasyJet has begun to offer Starbucks coffee to its passengers. So it seems Starbucks loves the UK. But let us not forget that the company recently attained its highest share price in almost a year on the New York Stock Exchange, so the US end isn’t going to badly either.
If economic recovery is measured by the gingerbread latte index then there may be a brighter year ahead.
|
| |
|
| 24 January 2010 |
| Tea sales are up rejoice! |
| |
According to latest figures from the UK Tea Council the sale of tea across the UK has increased for the first time in almost forty years.
The reasoning behind this surge is that consumers are finding coffee drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos just too expensive and so are reverting to the comforting cheaper cuppa.
Apparently cost conscious younger women are increasing tea sales by just over 3% and are leaving the more expensive bottled drinks and latte/cappuccinos on the ‘shelf’.
It seems that the old fashioned tea room is also making a comeback with many reopening or enjoying new business after a period of being considered not cool or trendy.
Tea has always had an old fashioned image, but now with new trendy brands such as Teapigs, London Tea Co, Mighty Leaf, Dragonfly and Clipper as well as increase in use of herbal, fruit and redbush tea it is seeing a new lease of life.
|
| |
|
| 21 January 2010 |
| Cadbury takeover could mean the loss of the Curly Wurly |
| |
Well Kraft has finally managed to take over the celebrated British chocolate maker Cadbury. We hope that is not the end of an era and that UK jobs will be saved as well as the great tasting chocolate that Cadbury’s are known for.
It has been rumoured that some of the less profitable chocolate brands that are still enjoyed by many in the UK but are maybe not as popular as the premium brands such as Dairy Milk, Crunchie, Fuse and Flake maybe lost. If so we may have to mourn the loss of old friends such as the Curly Wurly, the Picnic and the Caramilk. Kraft will be looking to improve productivity and profits and so these less popular items may be phased out in cost-cutting.
However, not everyone is happy about the Kraft takeover. Warren Buffet the US investor believes that the $19 billion (£11.5 billion) (840 pence per share) deal is a step too far for Kraft and that they have paid too much for Cadbury and borrowed too much ($7 billion) to finance the deal. Kraft on the other hand believes that the Cadbury acquisition will improve its portfolio. In addition UK unions are worried that the deal will mean rationalisation across the Cadbury operation leading to job losses at a time when the UK can hardly afford more job losses.
Many people believe that Cadbury’s have sold out and a great British institution has been lost.
Irene Rosenfeld, the chairman and chief executive of Kraft Foods who brokered the deal has said that the deal is good news for shareholders and staff (I hope she is right remember what happened to Terry’s). Her comments on the takeover were “We have great respect for Cadbury’s brands, heritage and people... We believe they will thrive as part of Kraft Foods.”
I am not sure I am a believer, watch this space to see how Cadbury gets on in the future.
|
| |
|
| 21 January 2010 |
| Starbucks to stimulate ready-to-drink coffee market |
| |
Starbucks have announced that they are to enter the ready-to-drink coffee market in Europe. They have signed a deal with Arla Foods to manufacture market and distribute these new products.
Rich DePencier, vice president of Starbucks global consumer products international commented “The success we have had bringing ready-to-drink coffee products to consumers in North America and Asia demonstrates the global potential of the business”.
Starbucks already sell a bottled Frappucino drink in the US, which has been on the market since 1996. The market in the US is worth some $1.4 billion per year and Starbucks anticipate that the same level can be achieved in Europe.
The US ready-to-drink coffee market is also set for a shake up with a new offering from Seattle’s Best Coffee (Starbucks Corporation owns this brand). The new product range will be a new line of Seattle’s Best Coffee-branded iced latte coffee drinks. This is a new direction for Seattles Best and according to John Wuycheck vice president of Franchise Development “demonstrates the importance the brand plays in the growth of Starbucks Corporation”.
The new Seattle’s Best Coffee Iced Latte drinks are based on their guest favourite lattes that are already available in the stores. Then range will include Iced Latte, Iced Vanilla Latte and Iced Mocha flavours.
Michelle Gass the vice president of Franchise Development commented “We are well-positioned to continue the growth of Seattle’s Best Coffee by broadening our overall portfolio and awareness in new channels, bringing new customers to the brand… By entering the growing ready-to-drink coffee category, Seattle’s Best Coffee is able to meet the needs of more specialty coffee consumers looking for a high-quality, uncommonly smooth ready-to-drink coffee experience.”
It remains to be seen how successful these new drinks will be. We will try and get a taste test conducted in the near future.
|
| |
|
| 20 January 2010 |
| Chocolate penis murder trial controversy |
| |
A case that is currently before the US Supreme Court is arguing about the presentation of gifts to court officials by the jury during a murder trial that was conducted in 1993.
The Judge in the case felt obliged to take the Jury out for a meal to a restaurant close to the court house during the trial. The Judge and the Chief Bailiff in the case were then sent a milk chocolate penis and a milk chocolate pair of breasts respectively although one would have thought that a nice box of choccies or a bunch of flowers might have been more appropriate.
Apparently the convictee of the murder trial (currently on death row in Georgia) is now appealing on the grounds of bias introduced into the case by these shenanigans.
The case is being sent back to the lower courts for investigation.
|
| |
|
| 20 January 2010 |
| Krispy Kreme due to release new chocolate treats |
| |
Krispy Kreme, the celebrated US doughnut maker, is about to release a number of new products in time for Valentine’s Day.
These new offerings will include the Triple Chocolate doughnut with chocolate Kreme filling and topped with chocolate icing and brownie crumbles; Chocolate-Iced ring with Valentine's Day sprinkles; and the Chocolate-Iced Heart doughnut.
As yet these are only being released across the US but we live in hope in the UK that these might get to us eventually.
Other offerings at US Krispy Kreme outlets for Valentine’s Day include 'Hot Hearts' and 'Hot Now' Original Glazed doughnuts.
Yum Yum I hope they get to the UK |
| |
|
| 16 January 2010 |
| Mars bar to become healthier |
| |
According to a report in the Sun the MARS bars will soon contain 15% less saturated fat after £9 million has been spent researching a new recipe over a five year period.
The new recipes will also include Snickers, Milky Way, Topic and Flyte but will in no way affect the taste or texture of your favourite sweet treat.
This is a follow on from the 2008 Mars campaign ‘Raise the Bar’ which saw changes to recipes and packaging across the whole range.
Changes included recipe modifications for the Mars bar and packaging alterations for some of the best-selling brands such as Twix, Milky Way and Snickers. At that time the majority of Mars products became free from artificial colours, flavourings and preservatives and the packaging was changed to have clear nutritional labelling detailing guideline daily amounts for the intake of calories, fats (including saturates) sugar and salt.
To complete the story in June 2009 the Mars range was also certified as Kosher by the Kashrut Division of the London Beth Din (KLBD).
|
| |
|
| 14 January 2010 |
| Is Willy Wonka Chinese |
| |
Aping some of the antics from the film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory a team of Chinese chocolatiers have been constructing a 10 metre long replica of the Great Wall of China in order to try and popularise chocolate in the country.
The wall, which has been produced from real dark chocolate bricks that have been cemented together with white chocolate, is being exhibited at the World Chocolate Wonderland exhibition and trade show that opened in Beijing on 14th January 2010 (will be displayed to the public in a chocolate theme park from 29th January).
The wall required 80 tonnes of chocolate to construct and the engineering skills of master chocolatier Wang Qilu. The display also includes a mini-chocolate terracotta army (560 chocolate replicas of the warriors standing on chocolate flakes).
Chocolate has never been popular in China but the organisers of the show hope this will change and give foreign confectioners access to a vast untapped market. |
| |
|
| 13 January 2010 |
| New look Dotty from Byron Bay cookies |
| |
The popular Dotty cookie from the Byron Bay Cookie Company has under gone a makeover for 2010 (cookie dotted with Smartie type sweets). After a successful launch in Australia, the new look single wrap pack has been developed to appeal to those customers who are most likely to buy (or have bought for them) a Dotty cookie - kids. The eye catching single wrap pack and tray highlights the additional benefits that the Dotty cookie offers over other cookies, that they are free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives.
"We have been looking at ways to communicate to parents that Byron Bay cookies offer a great treat product that is free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives. When the new look packaging for the Dotty was launched in Australia in 2009 there was a 30% increase in sales and the feedback that we are already getting from those that have trialed the new look product is extremely positive". Commented Mark Perrin; the European Sales Manager for Byron Bay Cookie Co.
The new look Dotty is also being joined by a gluten free version that is being added due to an increase in demand for allergy aware kids food products. Both lines have been approved by the Vegetarian Society and the gluten free Dotty is registered with the Coeliac Society. But its not just the single wrap product that is getting the makeover; the information tag for cafe cookies will also be available in the striking new design.
Try these Dotty cookies. They are fantastic I just managed to prise a piece off one of the kids to try. Very scrummy.
You can get them from Beyond the Bean www.beyondthebean.com |
| |
|
| 13 January 2010 |
| Kenya cuts 2010 coffee harvest forecast |
| |
Kenya is East Africa’s second largest coffee producer (Uganda is the largest producer with 198,000 tonnes) and it has recently been subject to heavy rainfall. This has led the Coffee Board of Kenya to cut the forecast for coffee bean production in 2010 from 57,000 tonnes to only 48,000 tonnes. The harvest in 2009 was 54,000 tonnes and this was a record breaking figure.
This drop in production is also compounded by lack of investment in coffee farming in Kenya, poor agricultural practices and delays in getting the product to the customer according to the East African Fine Coffees Association. |
| |
|
| 06 January 2010 |
| Denver Mill project in crisis, can we help? |
| |
Denver Mill is one of the last working mills in Norfolk and is currently undergoing extensive restoration. The mill also houses a fantastic coffee shop and artisan bakery.
The whole project is in jeopardy at the current time due to a lack of funding from the landlords the Norfolk Historic Buildings Trust (NHBT) (they received a lottery/heritage fund grant in 2000 for this very purpose). The leaseholders Mark and Lindsay Abel are of the opinion that to save the mill and a very viable buoyant business they need more funding (funding they were promised and that the NHBT is duty bound to provide). If they don’t receive funding the business may close by the end of this month with the loss of a fabulous coffee shop/bakery and thirteen staff.
Denver Mill is hoping that public support in the form of a petition will mean that a piece of Norfolk heritage can be re-established for future generations to enjoy.
Please sign the petition on the Denver Mill website. http://www.denvermill.co.uk/
|
| |
|
| 05 January 2010 |
| The Streat cafe chain acquired by Henderson Group |
| |
The popular cafe chain ‘The Streat’, which is based in Ireland and Scotland, has been acquired by Henderson Foodservice. This is part of the Henderson Group, a privately owned food and retail group, which owns the Spar, EuroSpar and Vivo franchises in Northern Ireland.
The Streat was founded in 1999 by Michael and Nikki McQuillan and has since grown to a 37 outlet concern employing 350 personnel with a turnover of £8 million and with 8% growth since 2008-09.
The Streat brand name will continue as before, all staff will carry on working with Michael McQuillan continuing to run the company.
Damien Barrett, Managing Director, Henderson Foodservice, commented “The Henderson Group has extensive experience in the franchise business through the SPAR and VIVO brands and it is an area in which we have actively sought growth opportunities. The Streat offers an attractive proposition as a very successful and well-run business whose company ethos and ambitions echo our own. As a local wholesaler we see this as a very positive investment in a local brand, which will bring mutual benefit. Henderson’s will add value to The Streat through our property skills, buying power and foodservice expertise whilst The Streat will bring an exciting new dimension to our overall business and help expand our franchise portfolio. As well as stand-alone cafes, at present we have two Streat franchises within Spar stores and we will continue to explore this as a collective opportunity. The partnership also has the potential to boost trade for local suppliers as we service the needs of the chain throughout Ireland and Scotland.”
Welcoming the announcement Michael McQuillan, of the Streat commented “The deal with Henderson Foodservice is a fantastic opportunity for the chain to realise its true growth potential. We are very excited about the potential to develop our newly developed ‘Food To Go’ concept and with the support of such a significant player in the foodservice business The Streat will not only be able to increase its franchise outlets but also expand its ‘more than a café’ business model to include additional outside catering and food delivery elements. We see this move as a natural partnership and look forward to working with our new colleagues.”
|
| |
|
| 14 December 2009 |
| Costa Coffee boasts increased sales in 2009 |
| |
Costa Cafes owned by the Whitbread Group have release their latest results that show booming sales across the UK. Costa has seemed to buck the recession trend which has meant other cafes have suffered as customers cut back on their ‘luxury’ latte in town.
Like-for-like sales increased by 6.7% in the third quarter of 2009 whereas overall sales for 2009 were £141.8 million across the 900 UK stores.
This has been a great boost to the Whitbread Group prompting their CEO Alan Parker to forecast a bumper year for 2009-2010 with results exceeding city expectations. Clark commented:"The positive momentum in sales and our rigorous cost control lead us to expect that our 2009/10 results will somewhat exceed the top end of market estimates."
He went on to say: "Costa had a particularly strong performance in the third quarter with like for like sales up 6.7%, more than double the increase in the first half. Sales in UK and overseas franchise units were £141.8m, up 28.2%. In the year to date, Costa has opened a net 154 stores in the UK and 22 internationally.".
Good luck to Costa they seem to be doing the right things and making a success of it although I will say they occasionally serve a very ropey latte.
|
| |
|
| 13 December 2009 |
| Customer in US Starbucks assaulted because of crying child |
| |
It was reported on Sunday (13th December) that a dad buying a coffee at a Starbucks in Montague St, Brooklyn Heights, New York was slapped for having a noisy/unruly child.
A man complained to the dad who was standing waiting for his coffee and when he didn’t respond, the dad was slapped on the back of the head. The slapper then made a hasty exit (obviously a cowardly nutcase who couldn’t face up to the consequences of his own actions).
When I last looked in the UK or US it wasn’t illegal to have a noisy baby but certainly illegal to assault someone in broad daylight because you are a little put out.
The NYPD were called and there will be video footage of the incident on the security cameras.
As a dad myself I believe that I wouldn’t have responded too well to this approach from a member of the public.
It is not clear whether the slapper carried out the attack because he was aggrieved over the disruption and noise caused by the child or whether it was because he was annoyed that the father was ignoring the upset/distressed kiddy.
This has been reported on various internet sites and blogs so the exact circumstances may have been changed due to viral embellishment.
|
| |
|
| 10 December 2009 |
| Coffee reduces risk of heart disease |
| |
A health study conducted in Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, Scotland has suggested that drinking coffee may be a good preventive for heart disease.
The study examined 11,000 men and women aged between 40 and 59 who were selected at random to take part in the seven and half year Scottish Heart Health Study.
The results were recently published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
The study showed little benefit for drinking tea (even though tea has been linked with health benefits previously) but indicated that those who drink the most coffee were least likely to die from heart disease. The interpretation of this could be that coffee drinking is linked with a younger healthier section of the population.
Health officials from the British Heart Foundation have responded by claiming that there are a number of factors involved in the development of heart disease and the best way to prevent it is to lead a healthy lifestyle and get plenty of exercise.
A US study from Harvard School of Public Health examined 41,736 men and 86,216 women over a 20 year period and reported similar findings in 2008. Women who drank two to three cups of coffee per day, had a 25% lower risk of dying from heart disease than non coffee drinkers.
Esther Lopez-Garcia who headed the Harvard study commented: “More research is necessary to be able to recommend consuming coffee on a health basis... Our study is not enough to make such a statement.”
So enjoy your coffee habit and rejoice in the fact that it could be doing you some good according to these results but no one is absolutely sure.
|
| |
|
| 09 December 2009 |
| Coffee does not sober you up |
| |
Continuing a look at the health benefits of coffee a recent study from Temple University in Philadelphia and published in Behavioural Neuroscience has indicated that if you are drunk then drinking coffee to sober up is a bad idea despite what you see in films (particularly westerns).
The mix of caffeine and alcohol is a bad one as the caffeine makes you more aware and jittery but alcohol will have a relaxing effect. The combination of the two means that a subject is less anxious and more relaxed but unable to deal with unpleasant situations.
Coffee might make you feel more sober but this is an illusion and there is a definite decrease in cognitive ability.
Dr Thomas Gould the research scientist responsible for the study commented: “The myth about coffee's sobering powers is particularly important to debunk because the co-use of caffeine and alcohol could actually lead to poor decisions with disastrous outcomes... People who feel tired and intoxicated after consuming alcohol may be more likely to acknowledge that they are drunk... Conversely, people who have consumed both alcohol and caffeine may feel awake and competent enough to handle potentially-harmful situations, such as driving while intoxicated or placing themselves in dangerous social situations.”
Maybe it’s best to think twice about buying that pitcher of Vodka and Red Bull on a Friday night.
|
| |
|
| 08 December 2009 |
| Coffee reduces the risk of prostate cancer |
| |
A recent study by Harvard Medical School has indicated that drinking coffee may significantly reduce the chance of men developing prostate cancer.
The study included 50,000 men over 20 years and came to the conclusion that men who drink six cups or more of coffee per day have a 60% lower risk of developing the cancer (5% of the men in the study were in this category) than those who drink no coffee at all.
The risk comes in at 20% lower for consumption of 2-3 cups per day and 25% lower for those who drink 4-5 cups per day.
The affect is actually seen with both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee but the component responsible has not yet been identified or isolated.
The affect of coffee on the ability of insulin to convert blood sugar has been put forward as a possible explanation as increased levels of insulin have been linked with the aetiology of prostate cancer.
Research is continuing and maybe you can comfort yourself that your cup of Joe may be doing you some good.
|
| |
|
| 07 December 2009 |
| Kit Kat is going Fairtrade |
| |
The Kit Kat is about to become a Fairtrade product using cocoa from farms in the Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).
Nestle, the manufacturer of one of the UK’s best selling chocolate bars (one billion units sold every year in the UK alone) has made the decision that in mid-January the first Fairtrade four finger Kit Kats will hit the shops.
The farmers will receive the Fairtrade price for directly selling their cocoa to Nestle as well as $150 premium per tonne to be used for community and social improvement projects.
The move by Nestle follows a similar Fairtrade certification of Cadburys Dairy Milk earlier in 2009.
Rt Hon Gareth Thomas MP, the UK government’s Trade and Development Minister, commented: "I am glad to see Kit Kat become Fairtrade certified, giving more British shoppers the chance to improve the lives of some of the world’s poorest people. This will give thousands of Ivorian cocoa farmer’s better opportunities to trade their way out of poverty." |
| |
|
| 07 December 2009 |
| Nobel Prize winners give credit to coffee |
| |
The most recent Nobel Prize winners for Chemistry, Physics and Economics have all given coffee some credit for their success.
It’s not just the mind clarifying properties of caffeine (central nervous system stimulation) that have been sited but also the social aspects of coffee drinking that have allowed them to share ideas with colleagues and discuss their hypotheses.
Coffee and chit chat can be a valued resource. I am not quite sure if alcohol would have the same effect although Crick and Watson would often discuss the structure of DNA over a pint or two of best. |
| |
|
| 05 December 2009 |
| Starbucks to sell a ‘flat white’ in London |
| |
Following rumour and speculation, Starbucks announced that it will start to sell the ‘Flat White’ in its London stores from 7th December 2009.
The drink which is a latte/cappuccino hybrid with a milky velvety texture (very nice) that originated in Australia and New Zealand will be available in an 8 ounce serving (containing two espresso shots) and will cost around £2.25.
Starbucks have added this new product to their menu allegedly because of customer demand. Certainly there are a great many coffee shops in central London offering the Flat White and it’s not like Starbucks to miss a great new marketing opportunity.
The Flat White will be available in their shops across the UK early in 2010. There are however currently no plans to export this new coffee derivative to the US Starbucks stores.
Costa Coffee may well follow suit but as yet there have been no announcements. |
| |
|
| 01 December 2009 |
| New Byron Bay Fairtrade cookie |
| |
With Fairtrade fortnight only a few weeks away, the multi award winning Byron Bay Cookie Company have once again come up with a unique and innovative Limited Edition cookie to help celebrate the popular and well known event.
Chock full of Fairtrade apricots, almonds, muscovado sugar and locally sourced oats, flour butter and free range eggs, this new Limited Edition from Byron Bay Cookies allows you to promote your business during Fairtrade Fortnight and take advantage of the estimated £75 million spent on ‘Out of Home’fairtrade goods.
The new Limited Edition Fairtrade Apricot & Almond Muesli Cookie has been developed to give an alternative for you and your customers to enjoy during Fairtrade Fortnight(22nd February – 7th March 2010) which this year has a theme of replacing non fairtrade products with those that are fairtrade.
These delicious and chewy cookies are packed full of the finest ingredients and hand baked to perfection and are a great accompaniment to a fairtrade coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
“We have spent over 6 months looking to get the recipe for this limited edition cookie correct and filled with as many fairtrade ingredients as possible. This is the first fairtrade cookie that Byron Bay has baked; we feel that this could be the start of more fairtrade products being launched by us.” Commented Mark Perrin European Sales Manager for Byron Bay Cookie Company.
Since 2001 Byron Bay Cookie Company has been nominated for and won many international awards, the latest is from the Vegetarian Society for ‘Best Approved Snack Product’ which was voted for by the members of the Vegetarian Society for the Triple Choc Fudge Byron Bay Cookie.
The new limited edition Byron Bay Cookie will be available from all good Byron Bay distributors from February 2010.
For more information about Fairtrade Fortnight please visit www.fairtrade.org.uk. To find your local distributor or for further information about the Byron Bay range of cafe cookies, single wrap and gluten free cookies please contact the Beyond the Bean Customer Care Team on +44(0)1179 533522 or email sales@beyondthebean.com
|
| |
|
| 13 November 2009 |
| Cup of Excellence in Brazil |
| |
The latest round of the ‘Cup of Excellence’ competition took place recently in Brazil (13th November 2009). The Cup of Excellence is a top award given out for premier coffees. The awards are decided by a strict competition selecting the very best coffee produced in each particular country for that year. The winning coffees are selected by a group of irreproachable national and international cuppers and are trialled at least five different times during the overall competition process. Only the coffees that continuously score high in the challenge are selected to move forward in the competition.
The final winners are awarded the prestigious Cup of Excellence and are then sold to the highest bidder using internet auction (occurs five weeks after the competition).
The Cup of Excellence is the Oscar of the coffee world and the winning grower will get a premium price for their coffee. Previous rounds of the competition have been held in Rwanda, Nicaragua, Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras and a whole host of other coffee producing nations. The competition attracts the best of the best in the coffee world. |
| |
|
| 02 November 2009 |
| And the winner is… Byron Bay Cookies |
| |
The multi award winning Byron Bay Cookie Company can now add another award to its list. Byron Bay Triple Choc Fudge Cookies have been awarded the coveted Vegetarian Society Award for ‘Best Vegetarian Society Approved Snack or Confectionary Product’ for 2009. The awards, held on Thursday 29th October at the Magic Circle Headquarters in London, celebrated those products that have helped people looking for a truly vegetarian option.
The full range of Byron Bay Cookies now baked in the UK using premium ingredients, free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives and only using free range eggs are all approved by the Vegetarian Society. The move to UK bake has also helped to create new jobs and support UK farmers*.
Paul Maxwell of the Byron Bay Cookie Company commented “Everyone at Byron Bay Cookie Company is delighted to have been selected and voted for by members of the Vegetarian Society as their favourite approved snack product. We have worked hard to bake the best cookies on the market and this award goes towards proving that we are doing just that.”
Vanessa Brown, Head of Corporate Relations for the Vegetarian Society said, “Byron Bay Triple Choc Fudge Cookies are the treat you want to give yourself! Completely veggie and melt in the mouth, one really isn’t enough.”
Other nominees shortlisted in this category were: Swedish Galce Smooth Vanilla Dessert, Kettle Chips Lightly Salted, Munchy Seeds Pumpkin Mix and Millions Strawberry Flavour Sweets.
For more information about the 2009 Vegetarian Society awards please visit www.vegsoc.org. For more information or to order the award winning Byron Bay Triple Choc Fudge Cookies please contact the Beyond the Bean customer service team on +44 (0)117 953 3522 or email sales@beyondthebean.com
*Byron Bay UK baked cookies use as many ingredients as possible that a sourced within a 50 mile radius of the UK bake house helping to support local UK farmers. Local ingredients include flour, oats, butter, eggs and honey.
The History of Byron Bay Cookie Company: Returning to Australia after 6 years in New York founders’ Maggi Miles and Gary Lines drove up the East coast of Australia until they found the idyllic Byron Bay. Using the old farmhouse stove in her country cottage, Maggi experimented with ingredients to create a white choc chunk and macadamia nut cookie and triple choc fudge cookie which are still the company's top selling cookies today.
With customers insisting on calling the products ‘those cookies from Byron Bay’ the company name officially changed to Byron Bay Cookie Company in the late 1990s. Since then Byron Bay Cookies have become an international best seller in over 30 countries worldwide, picking up awards for their quality and taste.
In 2007 wanting to keep with the companies green credentials and use as many locally sourced ingredients as possible; Byron Bay Cookie Company signed a deal with one of the UK most prestigious bakeries to produce the cookies in the United Kingdom. The move to being baked in the UK meant that they could be certified by The Vegetarian Society as they now contained only free range eggs. Byron Bay Cookie Company have also searched all over Europe to find a candy covered chocolate bean that is free from cochineal and gelatine which has resulted in the ever popular Dotty™ and Clowning Around cookies being able to gain Vegetarian Society approval . The gluten free range has also been approved by the Coeliac Society and will display the Cross Grain Symbol.
Byron Bay Cookies can be found at all good cafes, coffee shops and independent delis across Europe.
For more information about the Byron Bay Cookie range contact either Helen Ostle (helen@beyondthebean.com) or Paul Maxwell (paul@beyondthebean.com).
|
| |
|
| 29 October 2009 |
| Web entrepreneur launches web site to distribute gourmet coffee and tea |
| |
There's nothing like snuggling up with a blanket next to a roaring fireplace while comfortably draped in a bath robe and slippers. Although most people can only imagine such a scenario, because of their overly packed schedules, everyone can surrender 10 or 15 minutes to enjoy the next best thing: a warm and velvety indulgence of gourmet tea or coffee. Combining the two would be the ideal euphoria; however, in a realistic regard, cosying up to a warm mug of delight is a much more feasible option in today's fast-paced world.
Colleen Jedlicka cherishes the moments she is able to spend in between meetings, phone calls and errands. With a freshly brewed cup of gourmet coffee or tea in hand, she mentally escapes to a mini vacation of ultimate relaxation. These pauses in life are fundamental to maintaining low stress levels while maintaining one's overall health. In an effort to promote such self-indulgent moments of tranquillity - and because gourmet coffee and tea are utterly delicious - she launched www.MorningDelites.com in September of 2009.
Here customers can browse through a tasty assortment of gourmet coffee, tea and candy available for individual purchase or in a sampler pack. Custom order gift baskets in small, medium and large sizes are a great way to say thank you or I love you to a friend, family member or co-worker. Fill a decorative basket with a personalised variety of tea and coffee in accompaniment with delectable chocolate-covered espresso beans or chocolate-covered strawberries and blueberries.
In addition to the eclectic selection of gourmet tea and coffee available at MorningDelties.com, the Web site offers a variety of absolutely high end coffee such as Jamaican Blue, Kona and African blends. Shoppers may also choose from a collection of lose leaf teas, black tea and white tea.
"I want to tantalize the palate of every tea and coffee drinker with my gourmet selection," Jedlicka said.
Shoppers are encouraged to visit the Web site's newly implemented blog, www.MorningDelitesReview.com, to learn about the proper stippling of various teas, the differences between caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee and tea, the health benefits these beverages offer and how oil prices can impact the distribution of coffee and tea.
|
| |
|
| 26 October 2009 |
| The Supreme Bean coffee roasters acquires Rocky Roaster |
| |
The Supreme Bean Coffee Roasters of North Hollywood, California has acquired Rocky Roaster, LLC, a wholesale coffee roasting business based in Canoga Park, California.
Rocky Roaster Founder Mr. Rocky Rhodes will join The Supreme Bean team to manage the Rocky Roaster brand of coffee for the organization and maintain its website at http://rockyroaster.com.
"Rocky and I have been friendly competitors for the last twelve years, over which time I have learned to respect his talents. I look forward to having him on our team," said Jeff Chean, Principal of The Supreme Bean Coffee Roasters.
"It just makes so much sense to join forces, combine talents and reduce overhead... With the resources, personnel and operating efficiencies gained by joining The Supreme Bean, we can dramatically grow the Rocky Roaster brand through our wholesale and Internet sales channels, while maintaining our signature flavor profile and high quality standards."
Wholesale operations of two companies will be combined later this month.
About The Supreme Bean Coffee Roasters
The Supreme Bean is an artisan specialty coffee roasting company based in North Hollywood, California. Founded in 1994, the business began as modest wholesale coffee roasting and catering business, within a few short years becoming a must-have feature of television productions like The Tonight Show, Friends, The Academy Awards, The Emmy Awards and numerous motion picture sets.
Consistently recognized for quality by trade publications and industry experts, including the highest-ever scored decaffeinated coffee by the venerable Coffee Review, The Supreme Bean has grown to become a leading supplier of premium specialty coffees, training and support services to businesses nationwide under The Supreme Bean, Joe to Go, Groundwork Coffee and now Rocky Roaster brands. For more information, visit http://thesupremebean.com.
|
| |
|
| 20 October 2009 |
| Bath Coffee Festival launched |
| |
The Bath Coffee Festival 2010, a two day outdoor event celebrating everything related to coffee will take place in Bath city centre on May 15th and 16th 2010. The organisers hope to attract many local businesses to get involved in the festival.
The event will be a celebration of coffee culture and will present an opportunity for the coffee industry to showcase and sell its products, as well as educating consumers about the fine art of coffee making.
The main exhibiting area in the city centre will hold around 100 exhibitors, while other venues around the city will host coffee related activities and events. The festival programme will include expert barista sessions, roasting master classes, latte art demonstrations, as well as educational talks, films about coffee and music from the coffee growing regions.
Speaking about the festival, Linda Donaldson, PR Director at Geometry PR (an organiser) comments; “Café society is an important part of Bath life. The city has a large number of independent retailers as well as the big brands, and with its many other attractions, Bath is the natural place to host Britain’s first coffee festival. We want as many businesses to benefit from the festival as possible and there are lots of ways in which businesses can get involved even if they are not coffee retailers. There are arts, education and charitable events tied in with this festival and we want to offer businesses in the city a chance to showcase their wares at this event.”
Symbolising the inclusive spirit of the festival for Bath, Geometry PR has pledged that 50% of any profits from the festival will be donated to two charities that specifically benefit the Bath community.
Poppy Clark, owner of The Bridge Coffee Shop, said; “Bath is a brilliant place to hold a coffee festival because of the café culture that exists here. We get so many visitors from all over the UK. The pedestrianised areas allow visitors to congregate, which is ideal for festivals.”
While there are currently no coffee festivals in the UK, examples of successful annual coffee festivals can be found in New York, Sydney and New Zealand.
Sponsors of the festival include: Gold Top Milk (Highgrove Food Distribution), Ginsters, Martin Carwardine and Co (coffee roaster), Taylersons Malmesbury Syrups and Future Bath Plus.
Get the latest from the Coffee Festival twitter at twitter.com/bathcoffee
|
| |
|
| 10 October 2009 |
| Climate change causing havoc to coffee and tea farmers, says Cafédirect |
| |
Climate change is already wreaking havoc on the livelihoods of small-scale tea and coffee farmers in some of the world's poorest countries, according to a three-year research project by Fairtrade drinks producer Cafédirect.
Research across four countries – Kenya, Mexico, Peru and Nicaragua – carried out with the state-funded German Technical Corporation, showed that growers are already being forced uphill to higher altitudes, at a rate of three to four metres a year on average, as temperatures rise. "A huge number of growers are now experiencing increased instances of pestilence and disease from rises in temperature. They are also facing prolonged drought and changing weather patterns," said Cafédirect chief executive, Anne MacCaig.
She argued that the priority for developed countries should be helping the world's poor to protect themselves against climate change.
"What's crucial is that there's an option of sustainable adaptation to safeguard the supply chain. Climate change is affecting those least able to deal with it. We can't underestimate that."
Smaller producers, who are reliant on a single crop and often cannot afford to install costly irrigation equipment as temperatures rise, are worst affected, the project, known as AdapCC, found.
Some farmers could see their incomes fall by up to 90% in the next fifteen years, the researchers say. They argue that worldwide 30 million farmers will be affected.Small-scale growers in Peru have seen yields fall by 40% since last year, compared to 30% across the country as a whole; small producers in Mexico have seen yields halve, against a national decline of 7%, Cafédirect says.
Tea and coffee are on the climate change front line because they only grow in a relatively narrow temperature range. Research suggested that all four of the countries involved would see the quantity and quality of their crops decline sharply over the coming years.
Cafédirect worked on different ways of helping farmers adapt. In Kenya, it helped growers diversify into new crops such as passion fruits; in Peru, farmers were able to use their land to sell carbon credits; and elsewhere they planted native tree species to help bind the soil and prevent mudslides.
The report came as the government said that it will donate £12m to the Fairtrade Foundation, with the hope of doubling the number of developing country farmers who are awarded the Fairtrade mark.
Fairtrade products pay a premium to relatively small-scale growers, helping to protect them from the vicissitudes of global commodity markets and the buying power of vast multinationals. The Fairtrade mark is celebrating its 15th birthday, and now covers a wide range of products, from bananas to chocolate. Sales of Fairtrade products were up by 43% in 2008.
Addressing a conference of Fairtrade supporters yesterday, development minister Douglas Alexander said: "Fairtrade products are already a big part of life in the UK, with new products appearing on our shelves every day. Our £12m funding will help improve this even further." The Fairtrade market as a whole is expected to treble, to £9bn, by 2013.
Harriet Lamb, executive director of the Fairtrade Foundation, said: "In the current economic climate, it's the poorest communities who are hit the hardest, and so positive business models like Fairtrade, which deliver increased development benefits from trade, are more important than ever."
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/oct/10/climate-change-fairtrade-food
|
| |
|
| 03 October 2009 |
| Paignton council orders cafe owner to take down 'dangerous' balloons |
| |
A council was accused of being “bang out of order” by a café owner after an official told him to remove two balloons from outside his shop over health and safety fears.
Danny Philpott tied them to a signpost to advertise a coffee morning to raise money for a cancer charity. But a council highways official ordered him to take them down because they could be a hazard to motorists. The official explained that the balloons could obscure a “loading only” sign, which could lead to “dangerous or illegal parking”.
Mr Philpott, 50, who runs the Italian Job cafe in Paignton, Devon, called the ruling ”totally barmy”, and put up even more balloons.
He said: ”A council officer came in and started complaining about the balloons. I thought he was joking at first... He said the signpost was council property and no one had authorisation to put balloons on it and I should remove them. He quoted some highway bylaw... I was incensed and refused to do so. I said, 'You can come back and arrest me but they are not going to be moved'. They were just normal-sized green balloons. There were only two but I added two more as he was winding me up. All my staff and customers are very angry about this.”
A waitress at the cafe, Sandy Abbott, said: “I think it is overkill. The balloons were not causing damage, they were just helping to promote a cancer charity.”
Mr Philpott put the balloons up outside his shop for a coffee morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.
A spokesman for the Liberal Democrat-run council defended the highways officer and said it was safety issue.
“The officer is from the council’s highways team whose responsibilities include enforcing highways legislation and offering advice on issues such as pavement cafes and highway obstruction... The officer advised the owners of the premises that unfortunately the balloons were covering the parking restriction signs for the highway and they would therefore need to be removed. The officer was concerned that a car might park dangerously or a motorist could get a parking ticket if they were unable to see the sign... Council officers will use their discretion on matters such as this, but will always take into account pedestrian and motorist safety.”
Elaine Bovey, the Macmillan regional fundraising manager, said: ”We would never encourage anyone to break the rules when supporting us but we would hope officials would look at the bigger picture when coming across situations like this.”
Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6859540.ece |
| |
|
| 30 September 2009 |
| Britain's tea revolution |
| |
Why we are finally trading cheap tea for a higher quality brew, and how to make the perfect cuppa
Comrades, there is a revolution upon us. The economy is shifting and the proles are becoming conscious. Conscious about tea, that is.
"But we have an emotional attachment to cheap tea," explains Henrietta Lovell, founder of the Rare Tea Company, "and that's why the Revolution is going to be difficult."
The Revolution? Lovell's tea company is one of about 80 that have sprung up in the past five years. Their aim: to bring high quality tea back to Britain.
With drought in the tea-growing areas of India, Sri Lanka and Kenya expected to hike up the price of tea by 10-15 per cent next year, the revolution could be entering a new and potent phase. High quality and speciality tea (such as Oolong, Assam and Darjeeling) is more immune to the "drama" of the global markets than mass-produced blends, says Bill Gorman of the Tea Council, which means it could see a dramatic rise in market share in the next 12 months. High quality and speciality tea already constitutes 8 per cent of the total tea-market in the UK and "is growing about 20 per cent a year," says Gorman.
"We've lost the art of tea-making," explains Lovell from her headquarters in Camden. "One hundred years ago everyone from the scullery maid to the lady of the house would have known how to make good tea. but these days we're completely divorced from the leaf."
To demonstrate her case, Henrietta Lovell, dubbed 'The Tea Lady' by friends, customers and even by the author Alexander McCall Smith in Corduroy Mansions gets out a very familiar looking packet of big-brand breakfast tea. She tells me I'm not allowed to write down which brand it is for fear of starting a tea war (Lovell is a bit of maverick in the tea world - she wants to "break the tyranny of the tea bag").
I smile broadly because I like this brand of tea and drink it every morning. I think she's going to make me a cup.
Lovell shoots the packet of tea a scathing look. "This stuff is just ground-up and mass-produced with no flavour," she says.
"Builder's tea," I scoff, making a hasty U-turn.
"Actually my builder drinks Jasmine Silver tip," Lovell says. "And my other builder drinks White Leaf."
I try to look guilty for having made assumptions.
The quality of tea in England plummeted in the 1970s with the advent of the supermarket, says Lovell. "Tea became a loss-leader. The staple things that people wanted from a supermarket like bread, milk and tea were often sold at a loss to attract people into the supermarket. This was devastating for tea as it just meant the quality plummeted as well. Milk and sugar were only added to disguise the bitter taste."
At the other end of the tea scale is Edward Eisler, who set up JING tea about five years ago. Like Lovell, he visits.
A huge world map is pinned to the JING office wall in Oval, London. India, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, China and Japan are peppered with gold stars: each one denotes a farm from which JING has sourced tea. It shows the kind of scale Eisler has in mind for his empire.
Eisler recognises that the popularity of high quality tea is all part of the "huge shift towards premium food... which can be a bit gimmicky and connected to packaging."
However, small tea companies with a good product have had success via fancy websites as much as fancy packaging. The internet is a medium which allows sellers to give the story behind the product and educate around the product. This careful but relentless communication of 'quality' is essential to any small tea start-up. But as Gasden points out, "Everyone says their tea is high quality."
Lovell and Eisler both tell me that the way to make sure you've got the finest tea is simply to get out to the farms and taste it. As well as buying tea from the Makaibar and Thurbo estates in India and Fujian in China, Lovell has sourced from Cornwall and Malawi.
Lovell explains that it is difficult for customers to know which tea is genuinely high quality, ignorance being rife in our tea-bag culture.
Andrew Gasden, Managing Director of allabouttea.co.uk, explains that determining the quality of tea is "all smoke and mirrors". Tea Tasters are employed by firms who assess tea based on colour, flavour and strength. The climate, the quality of the pluck (which leaves are plucked and when), the freshness and the skill of the processor all have an impact. But, he says "The truth is in the tasting. Over the past 30 years our palates have been educated downwards leaving us all at the mercy of the tea merchant."
Twinings has been doing particularly well with Assam and Darjeeling tea, and consumers are also picking up on Yerba Mate, a Brazillian tea, and Formosa Oolong Orange Blosom, a Taiwanese tea. Meanwhile Typhoo has seen its market share drop slightly.
Could I taste the difference between 'low' and 'high' quality tea? Lovell gives me Jasmine Silver Tip. It's sweet, delicate and completely unprocessed. I like it. She also gives me Oolong, which I really, really like.
After several shots of speciality tea I feel a bit high on the caffeine. Then it's time to compare the quality stuff with my usual breakfast tea and I'm a bit worried.
But when I sip the high-street brand, a blend of about 40 different teas ground into bits that's now gone cold, I need not have worried. I gag a little and it's a bit embarrassing really. But it's her fault for awakening my senses.
"The problem with ground tea," says Lovell, "is that it gives up its flavour too quickly, like a floozy. Whole leaf tea releases its flavour slowly as the water goes deeper into the leaf."
She's right. They're all right. High quality tea is tastier and the time could well be nigh to wean the nation off its comfort blanket of cheap, black tea. Once you've Oolong'd you clearly can't go back.
Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article6846066.ece
|
| |
|
| 22 September 2009 |
| TransFair USA, Cordes Foundation and Green Mountain Coffee announce commitment to action at meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative |
| |
TransFair USA, the only third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States, in partnership with the Cordes Foundation and Green Mountain Coffee today announced a Commitment to Action at the 2009 meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) to fight poverty among small farmers in Rwanda by enabling them to sell more Fair Trade Certified coffee.
Commitment partners will work to develop consumer mobilization strategies to increase demand for Fair Trade Certified coffee. These strategies will increase awareness of the Rwandan coffee story and the role of Fair Trade in promoting sustainable development in agricultural communities around the world. Engaging consumers directly with Rwanda's development progress represents a critical extension of TransFair USA's ongoing efforts in the country. TransFair USA has worked in Rwanda for more than three years, providing farmers with targeted training and linkages to international markets.
Valued at over $250,000, this commitment will benefit more than 5,000 members of Rwandan coffee families. It will also provide more than 1.5 million farmers throughout the global Fair Trade network with tools to tell their stories to U.S. industry leaders, grassroots advocates and consumers.
Coffee plays a critical role in Rwanda's economic rebuilding in the wake of civil war and genocide. It represents a lifeline for half a million farmers cultivating plots as small as half a hectare. Rwandan soil and climate conditions are ideal for the production of high-quality specialty coffee, but coffee farmers have historically suffered due to isolation from international buyers and crucial services. Fair Trade Certification offers farmers in Rwanda and beyond resources to overcome these barriers.
Fair Trade Certification provides higher prices, support for sustainable agriculture and funds for democratically-elected development projects. Through this commitment, TransFair USA, the Cordes Foundation, and Green Mountain Coffee will amplify the benefits Rwandan farmers gain from Fair Trade, increasing their incomes and capacities going forward.
About TransFair USA
TransFair USA is the only third-party certifier of Fair Trade Certified(TM) products in the United States. TransFair USA audits and certifies transactions between U.S. companies and their international suppliers to guarantee that the farmers and workers producing Fair Trade Certified goods were paid fair prices and wages. Visit www.FairTradeCertified.org.
About the Cordes Foundation
The Cordes Foundation was founded in 2006 by Ron and Marty Cordes, and seeks to play the role of a catalytic investor in innovative projects designed to utilize market-based solutions to fight global poverty. The Foundation is currently involved in projects promoting homeownership for low-income families in the United States as well as microfinance, Fair Trade agriculture, and sustainable schools in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
About Green Mountain Coffee
As a leader in the specialty coffee industry, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (GMCR) is recognized for its award-winning coffees, innovative brewing technology, and socially responsible business practices. GMCR maintains two business units: the Specialty Coffee Business Unit, which includes the Green Mountain Coffee(R), Newman's Own(R) Organics coffee and Tully's Coffee(R) brands, and the Keurig Business Unit, a pioneer and leading manufacturer of gourmet single-cup brewing systems. Green Mountain Coffee offers more than 100 high-quality coffees, including one of the largest selections of Fair Trade Certified(TM) organic coffees in the country. GMCR supports local and global communities by offsetting 100% of its direct greenhouse gas emissions, investing in Fair Trade Certified(TM) coffee, and donating at least five percent of its pre-tax profits to social and environmental projects.
|
| |
|
| 16 September 2009 |
| Krispy Kreme appoints The Drury Tea and Coffee Company to handle it's coffee service |
| |
Krispy Kreme has been making fresh, hot doughnuts of the highest quality since 1937. Started in Winston, Salem, the company now has over 300 stores across the United States, and launched in the United Kingdom in Harrods, October 2003. Already the company has 19 outlets in this country and is set to continue growing at the same rate over the coming years. Krispy Kreme has always known that nothing goes better than coffee and a doughnut, and wants to ensure that every cup of coffee is made to the same exacting standards as the doughnuts. This was the rationale behind the recent appointment of Drury.
The Drury Tea and Coffee Company is a London-based coffee roaster and tea blender, family-owned since its formation in 1936. Drury worked with Krispy Kreme to develop a blend of espresso coffee beans exclusively available under their own label. The coffee was chosen following blind tastings amongst customers who selected it above coffees from seven other manufacturers. Drury also supplies Krispy Kreme with Rancilio Classe 8 Tall traditional espresso machines, sourced through its associate company, The Coffee Machine Company - the exclusive UK importer of Rancilio equipment. The "Tall" version is specifically marketed as a coffee shop machine and, amongst other features, has the facility to serve 20 fl oz cups using a 3-shot spout controlled by fully automatic push-button programming.
Krispy Kreme originally launched in the UK with bean-to-cup machines, but changed to traditional machines for improved quality and to introduce some "theatre" to coffee making, similar to its philosophy on doughnut making.
Having decided on traditional machines, both companies knew they had to instigate a strict quality control programme. Barista training was introduced and staff now also regularly attend fortnightly refresher courses held at Drury’s central London showroom. To ensure that what they learn is put into practice, a monthly quality audit has been put in place. Unannounced, a Drury coffee consultant calls at each branch and checks on the quality of coffee and the condition of the machines. The checklist covers all the different aspects of coffee service from milk frothing and texturing to espresso production, pour times and correct tamping.
Staff are also required to fill in a daily log of coffee activity and all items in the audit are graded, giving a league table of branch proficiency in coffee service.
As an inaugural incentive to staff, Krispy Kreme has offered the prize of a weekend trip to Italy which includes a factory visit to Rancilio at Parabiagio on the outskirts of Milan. Watford and Holborn showed the biggest increase in coffee sales over the period in their respective categories and each will send four of their key coffee "drivers" to Italy.
Vice President of Operations for Krispy Kreme, Richard Cheshire, is quick to emphasise the benefits of such a scheme: "We believe that our team members are our greatest asset; and their motivation for our coffee experience is the key to our success. Through providing a fabulous coffee experience we wanted to educate our customers in realising that our coffee is as good as our doughnuts. The effect on coffee sales has been tremendous, almost doubling in the four months since we initiated our coffee program and appointed Drury". |
| |
|
| 12 September 2009 |
| Elite Gaggia coffee machines left useless as supplier goes bust |
| |
They are the must-have coffee machines that sit atop granite work surfaces in stylish designer kitchens across Britain. But many of the beautifully engineered Gaggia devices have been reduced to nothing more than expensive ornaments after the collapse of the firm’s only UK distributor. Supplies of specialist water filters and other vital accessories and spare parts have run dry when Gaggia UK stopped trading, after reporting losses of £520,000 last year.
Meanwhile, the company that owns the Italian-based Gaggia brand, Saeco, has just been taken over by Dutch electrical giant Philips, further complicating the supply lines for spares. Philips last night admitted it will be at least ‘a couple of weeks’ before supplies can resume, and told customers that, until then, all they can do is phone a helpline and leave their details.
Gaggia coffee-makers cost from £250 for the basic ‘baby’ model to £20,000 for commercial models used in cafes, hotels and restaurants. One owner of a £1,200 Platinum Gaggia machine said: ‘I’ve been unable to find a new filter for love nor money. We bought our machine from Selfridges, but they told me they had no idea when they would be able to supply me with a new filter. The Gaggia makes wonderful coffee, but our dinner parties and breakfasts won’t be the same until we get the parts we need.’
Selfridges, one of Britain’s largest Gaggia outlets, said that anyone whose machine did not work or required parts would be reimbursed the full price of the machine or offered an alternative coffee-maker, provided it was still under guarantee.
A spokeswoman said: ‘We’re in a pickle because we would like Philips to provide the parts and accessories, but they are unable to do so right now. Provided customers have a receipt and their Gaggia machine is still under guarantee, we will offer a full refund so we can continue to offer them the type of service they expect from us.’
Harrods also said it would be honouring existing Gaggia guarantees.
A Philips spokeswoman added: ‘Gaggia UK, which is not part of the brand we have purchased, has gone bust and we are wiping up the mess in Britain. We are still awaiting stock of accessories such as filters from Italy, which we will look to push out when we can, hopefully in about two weeks. Our first priority has been to repair machines that have gone wrong.
People should call the customer care division on 0800 331 6015 and register their details so they can all be held on a database.
But when The Mail on Sunday called Philips UK Customer Care and asked when Gaggia parts would be available, the reply was: ‘I’ve no idea where you can get hold of spare parts, sorry.’
The taste of a revolution
Milan-born Achille Gaggia invented the modern steamless coffee machine in 1938, devising a piston to force pressurised hot water to flow over the coffee grounds, producing a light coloured mousse, or crema, on top of the espresso.
After the war, British families holidaying in France and Italy would have had their first taste of espressos made by Gaggia machines – a far cry from the bland brown liquid served at home.
Britain’s first Gaggia machine arrived in 1952, and helped fuel the explosion of coffee bars in London. By 1960, there were 2,000 UK coffee bars, a quarter of them in the capital.
For a generation of teenagers rebelling against the traditional pub and tea shop, the coffee bar provided a welcome alternative.
Coffee bars played the kind of music enjoyed by the new teenagers: Cliff Richard and Tommy Steele were discovered at the 2i’s coffee bar in Soho, where Lonnie Donegan, Adam Faith and Hank Marvin all played, sowing the seeds of the pop revolution of the Sixties.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1213010/Does-mean-use-instant-Elite-Gaggia-coffee-machines-left-useless-supplier-goes-bust.html#ixzz0R1anoqS7 |
| |
|
| 11 September 2009 |
| Zuma’s double gold win |
| |
First time entrant, Zuma Beverages, has won two ‘Golds’ at this years’ internationally recognised ‘Great Taste Awards’. This year’s Great Taste Awards had a staggering 4873 products enter with only 21% meeting the high standards required for winning gold.
Since its launch in 2003, the Zuma range of hot chocolates, frappes and chai mixes have become one of the most popular selling lines into the cafe and coffee shop sector in the UK, Europe and beyond. With its dedication to quality and taste, the full Zuma range has also become popular with retailers and consumers alike.
Zuma Fairtrade Caffé Frappe has a history of firsts; it was the first frappe on the market to be certified by the Vegetarian Society, the first frappe in the world to be certified by the Fairtrade Foundation and has now become the first frappe mix to win gold at the Great Taste Awards. The subtle mix of Fairtrade coffee and cocoa from San Domingo with Fairtrade sugar from Paraguay, results in a thick, smooth and delicious frappe every time.
Zuma Spiced Chai has also been awarded a coveted Gold at the Great Taste Awards. With a strong influence from India and packed with exotic flavours such as ginger, cinnamon and cloves along with a rich creamy flavour that works well with the aromatic spices and black tea.
“We are delighted that on our first attempt, we have won two Great Taste Awards. With so many companies vying for recognition, it has confirmed our much loved products are of ‘Gold’ standard! We always knew that our products were good and now we know that they are of gold standard. We are always looking to improve upon our products and are already working on our current and new products in the Zuma range that are and will be the best on the market.”, commented Helen Ostle, Brand Manager for Zuma master distributor Beyond the Bean.
The full range of Zuma drinks have been approved by the Vegetarian Society and are free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives to give you and your customers a worry free drinking experience.
For more information about the full range of Zuma products including the gold winning Zuma Fairtrade Frappe and Spiced Chai, please contact Beyond the Bean on +44 (0)1179 533522 or email info@beyondthebean.com to find your nearest local distributor. |
| |
|
| 11 September 2009 |
| Plum Pudding from Byron Bay Cookies |
| |
With leaves on the trees turning majestic fiery hues, it is now time to start thinking about wrapping up warm and preparing for the winter season. With the start of the new season comes the launch of the new Limited Edition Plum Pudding Cookie from Byron Bay Cookie Company.
It is sadly time to say goodbye to the summer Limited Edition Strawberries & Clotted Cream Cookie. It has proven to be the biggest selling Limited Edition Cookie in the company’s history and has won fans from distributors, retailers and consumers alike.
Developed to evoke memories of log fires, thick woollen jumpers and those all important rich fruit puddings that winter was made for. Each cookie is packed with plums, sultanas and walnuts and delicately spiced with nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and allspice to give a moist and delicately chewy cookie that is sure to be a big seller this winter.
“It has taken months of development to get a cookie that is reminiscent of the classic plum pudding desert that is a mainstay of the winter season. With extensive taste testing we are confident that we have the perfect winter accompaniment for any tea, coffee or hot chocolate. With the success of the Strawberries & Clotted Cream Cookie we are confident that the Plum Pudding Cookie will be just as well received from both trade and consumers alike.” commented Mark Perrin, European Sales Manager for Byron Bay Cookie Company.
Since its launch in Australia during the mid 1990’s, Byron Bay Cookie Company has become synonymous with impeccable quality which has resulted in numerous awards from all over the globe. In 2008, to allay concerns over food miles, production of the world famous Australian cookie brand started in the UK. UK baked Byron Bay Cookies use locally sourced ingredients, free range eggs, premium European chocolate, are fully approved by the Vegetarian Society and the gluten free range is certified by the Ceoliac Society.
The new limited edition Byron Bay Cookie will be available from all good Byron Bay distributors from October 2009. To find your local distributor or for further information about the Byron Bay range of cafe cookies, single wrap and gluten free cookies please contact the Beyond the Bean Customer Care Team on +44 (0)1179 533522 or email sales@beyondthebean.com |
| |
|
| 09 September 2009 |
| Wow Cafe and Wingery wins two awards at Buffalo Wing Festival |
| |
WOW Café and Wingery, known for its flavourful cuisine with New Orleans inspired influences, announces today that for the fourth straight year, it has received special recognition from the legendary National Buffalo Wing Festival. The National Buffalo Wing Festival, the chicken wing industry's most prestigious event, took place during Labor Day weekend in Buffalo, NY, which lays claim to the creation of the first buffalo wings in 1964.
This year, WOW Café was honoured with 3rd place in Traditional BBQ - Kansas City Honey BBQ and 3rd place in the Traditional X-Hot category - Buffalo XIII. The National Buffalo Wing Festival, which is held annually, has also awarded WOW Café and Wingery in the past with the Wing King Award, first place in the Best Creative Spicy Wing Sauce Category and Rookie of the Year, among others.
"It was an amazing weekend for WOW Café and Wingery, as we were honoured to be a part of the National Buffalo Wing Festival and thrilled to win awards for our Kansas City Honey BBQ sauce and Buffalo XIII Sauce," explains Reid Nolte, marketing director for WOW Café and Wingery. "With our 17 signature sauces, our wings are a customer favourite and we are pleased with their success at this year's event."
During this year's event, the National Buffalo Wing Festival attracted more than 92,000 visitors, who consumed an estimated 40 tons of chicken wings.
WOW Café offers potential franchisees the option of a full-service, fast casual or QSR unit design. The full-service option offers seating for up to 120 with full-service bar and features wall-to-wall television screens. The fast casual design supports seating for 70 with the option of full or limited-service bar and wall-to-wall television screens. The QSR design is standard for college campuses as well as mall locations.
About WOW Café and Wingery
New Orleans inspired, globally desired! With passion for the sauce, sound, and spice that represents the soul of southern Louisiana, WOW Café and Wingery launched in 2001 by the Ballard brothers; Paul, Steven, and Scott. Since opening the original store in Covington, Louisiana, WOW Café has spread its wings across America. As a fun, family restaurant featuring 17 proprietary sauces and dressings and wall-to-wall television screens WOW Café and Wingery is everyone's destination for casual dining and will leave you saying "WOW! What a Place!" Restaurant Business Magazine named WOW Café #11 in its 2008 Future 50 ranking. For more information, visit www.wingery.com. |
| |
|
| 31 August 2009 |
| Survey: Most cafe Wi-Fi users are male, affluent and 25-49 |
| |
A new survey of who uses Wi-Fi hot spots in coffee shops and cafes shows the audience is generally affluent, overwhelming male and mostly between the ages of 25 and 49.
These public Wi-Fi users also buy things over the Internet from the cafe hotspots, with 38% saying they use Wi-Fi to make purchases. They also click on mobile advertising, with nearly 98% of the mobile device users clicking on ads with either an iPhone or an iPod Touch.
The survey data, compiled by JiWire, a media company that delivers ads to mobile devices, looked at usage trends across 275,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots. JiWire also surveyed 2,057 customers randomly selected at 6,500 cafe locations in the US between April and June.
According to JiWire, 68% of Wi-Fi users at cafes spent more than an hour online, while 56% reported connecting daily or nearly daily. That kind of information is obviously useful to advertisers who are increasingly seeing Wi-Fi usage and mobile devices as important in selling their products, JiWire officials said.
Kevin McKenzie, CEO of JiWire, said in a statement that cafe Wi-Fi users are doing more than checking e-mail, using their connections to research products and buy goods and services, for instance, as well as using social networks when they're out of the home and office.
JiWire also discovered that the number of public hotspots around the world grew by 9% between January and June. As of June, the US had the most of any country, with more than 67,000; China was next with 28,000, the UK had 27,000 and France, 25,000.
Also, JiWire reported that 81% of public Wi-Fi hotspots are paid, with just 19% free. The public Wi-Fi hotspots in North America are located in hotels (55%), airports (27%), Cafes (10%), ferries and cruise ships (5%) and on subways (3%).
Among the most-often used devices to click on ads, Apple's iPod Touch ranked first, with 56%, and the iPhone ranked second with 42%, while the Sony PSP, Nokia N95 and the Palm Pre took the next three spots, with less than 1% apiece. JiWire did not report the actual number of ad requests that were made.
The survey also found that 67% of cafe Wi-Fi users were 25-49, 74% were male and 66% had a household income of $50,000 or more. About 44% of the cafe users reported working for small companies of fewer than 99 workers, indicating the value of a Wi-Fi-enabled cafe as a kind of nomadic office.
Source: Computerworld http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9137310/Survey_Most_cafe_Wi_Fi_users_are_male_affluent_and_25_49 |
| |
|
| 30 August 2009 |
| Kruger claims world record for largest coffee party |
| |
Thousands of coffee drinkers of all ages today descended upon Cologne's Jugendpark to become record-breakers at KrugerKranzchen - a Guinness World Records achievement for the world's largest coffee party.
The record-breaking event kicked off at 12:00 at the Jugendpark in Cologne where 8,162 attendees were greeted with a piece of cake and coffee by hostess Gisela - a.k.a. famous comedian Hape Kerkeling - for a day of star-studded entertainment on the Kruger stage.
Andre Puchta, Head of Kruger Communications said: "It seemed everybody had a wonderful time at the KrugerKranzchen and we can hardly find the words to express how happy we are to be the new record holders for largest coffee party. A big thank you to Guinness World Records for all the support - to the City of Cologne, its citizens, our partners and everybody attending this great event."
Admission to the event was free and visitors were able to enjoy their coffee and cake while Gisela chatted on stage with Katja Mitchell from the TV show "Zimmer Frei!" and Friede Patt of "Kaffeeklatsch." Music entertainment included "The Baseballs" and the great voices of the "Sven West Band."
Cheerleaders from local football club "1. FC Koln" also showed off their skills along famous hypnotist PHARO.
Guinness World Records Adjudicator, Kristian Teufel, who was present to officially verify the achievement, said: "We congratulate the participants on their outstanding achievement and welcome Kruger in to the family of Guinness World Records."
The previous Guinness World Record of 4,585 participants at a coffee party in a single venue was achieved in London in 2008. |
| |
|
| 30 August 2009 |
| Angelina's Premium Gourmet Coffee Syrups, sweetening the bottom line with flavoured syrups |
| |
ProConcept Marketing Group, Inc. (PRMK) announces it has launched their new line of Gourmet flavoured coffee syrups, Angelina's Premium Gourmet Syrups, with over 30 classic flavours in both sugar and sugar free. Specially formulated not to curdle milk and to hold up well under heat, Angelina's Premium Gourmet syrups are perfect for virtually any application: espresso-based drinks, brewed coffee and tea, granitas, smoothies, Italian sodas, desserts, baking and more.
Angelina's Sugar Free Flavoured Syrups are sweetened with SPLENDA® Brand Sweetener. SPLENDA® is the only no calorie sweetener made from real sugar and because SPLENDA® is derived from real sugar, it tastes like real sugar. There is no unpleasant aftertaste like many other sugar-free sweeteners, and everyone, including diabetics can safely enjoy SPLENDA®.
"The flavoured Gourmet coffee syrups are highly concentrated, so a little goes quite a long way. This makes it very cost effective for not only the consumers but for the Cafe owners. One half-ounce shot of syrup is usually adequate to flavour an entire coffee drink; the gourmet flavoured coffee syrup adds a new dimension to beans," stated Reid Stone, VP of Sales.
Our manufacturer has been producing for more than 60 years and is recognised with Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). The Global Food Safety Initiative has been established to ensure confidence in the delivery of safer food to consumers.
For additional information, visit the company's website at http://proconceptmarketinggroup.com/products/Accent-Beverages/39/Angelinas-Coffee-Syrup.php or www.ProConceptMarketingGroup.com.
About ProConcept Marketing Group, Inc.
ProConcept Marketing Group, Inc. (PRMK), headquartered in Buford, Georgia, is a publicly traded company engaged in business acceleration, business management, and proprietary marketing strategies to major international corporations engaged in diverse industries. ProConcept manages the marketing and distribution of exclusive products and services globally, while involved in the manufacturing process and ownership of these products by creating compelling solutions to generate demand for its products and services. |
| |
|
| 27 August 2009 |
| First independent tea tasting a huge success |
| |
Tea Extravaganza 2009, the first independent tea tasting of its kind, was successfully completed at the Drake Hotel in Chicago on August 10th and 11th. Similar to a fine wine tasting, the two-day event was unanimously hailed by registrants as extraordinary after tasting 14 of the finest, rarest, and most exquisite loose-leaf teas the world over. Tea Extravaganza 2009 attracted aficionados from all over the US and Canada, including two from London and several certified tea masters. The event was co-sponsored by the Drake Hotel and the American Tea Masters Association.
What made Tea Extravaganza 2009 so unique was its independent structure. Neither of its co-sponsors, the Drake Hotel nor the American Tea Masters Association, were promoting or selling any of the teas. The event was purely an experiential gathering for sampling three steepings each of the 14 high-end, exquisite teas.
The tea menu was personally prepared by Chas Kroll, Certified Tea Master and Executive Director of the American Tea Masters Association. “We taste-tested and evaluated well over 200 loose-leaf teas over the past three months. We followed the tasting protocol used by the association for training new tea masters,” according to Kroll. “Several of the teas on the menu are harvested by hand on only one day of the year or during a very short timeframe. This is important due to the influence of the terroir and growing conditions affecting their rarity, similar to fine wines, which explains why they retail for $100 to $400 a pound.” The teas on the menu were all donated to the association by major tea vendors such as: PeLi Teas, Tea Gschwendner, Keiko-tea, Metropolitan Tea, and Cloudwalker Specialty Teas.
Of the 14 teas on the menu, Tenbu (Keiko), Oriental Beauty (Cloudwalker), Melon Slice (PeLi), Jun Shan Yin Zhen Silver Needle (PeLi), and the 1996 Collector’s Pu-erh Super Grade (PeLi) received the greatest praise from registrants.
As for the future, the American Tea Masters Association is giving serious consideration to launching Tea Extravaganza 2010 in four major North American cities next year, including one in Canada. For more information on the 2010 schedule, send an email to ChasKroll@TeaMasters.org. |
| |
|
| 26 August 2009 |
| More gold for Beyond the Bean? |
| |
With two products already gaining awards this year, could Beyond the Bean scoop two further awards in October?
Having come away from the 2009 Great Taste Awards with both the Zuma Fairtrade Caffé Frappe and Zuma Spiced Chai picking up gold; Beyond the Bean are looking to see if October will bring yet more awards their way.
The October awards are for the Vegetarian Society with the intention of highlighting those approved products that are increasing the options for the UK’s growing vegetarian population. The 15,000 members of the Vegetarian Society were asked to choose their favourite products from a range of categories and the five top scorers for each then go on to a final panel taste test.
This year, two products from Beyond the Bean have been chosen by Vegetarian Society members as their favourites and are now in with a chance of winning. In the ‘Best VegSoc Approved Snack/Confectionary’ section, Byron Bay Triple Choc Fudge Cookie is up against Munchy Seeds Pumpkin mix, Lightly Salted Kettle Chips, Strawberry Flavour Millions and Swedish Glace Dairy Free Ice Cream. While in the ‘Best VegSoc Approved Drink’ section, Sweetbird Mango & Orange Fruit Smoothie is up against Grolsch larger, Marble Brewery Beers, McDonald’s Milkshakes and George Batemen & Son Beers.
Beyond the Bean became the first supplier to offer all its core brands with full Vegetarian Society accreditation. They have recently added vegan certification to the majority of its Sweetbird range. “We are delighted that members of the Vegetarian Society choose not one but two of the products for these prestigious awards”, commented Beyond the Bean Brand Manager Helen Ostle.
“It is an honour to be nominated for this award, as each product has been selected by members of the Vegetarian Society. The Triple Choc Fudge Cookie is one of our best selling lines and this nomination has proven to us that the move to UK bake for the whole range has been as well received as we hoped”, commented Byron Bay Cookie Company spokesperson Paul Maxwell.
The Vegetarian Society awards have been running since 2001 and past winners include Quorn, Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Green & Black’s and Pizza Express. This year, the winners from each of the 10 categories will be announced at a gala event at The Magic Circle Headquarters in London on Thursday 29th October 2009. For more information about the Vegetarian Society Awards please visit www.vegsoc.org/awards.
For more information about the full range of Vegetarian Society approved products from Beyond the Bean please call +44 (0)1179 533522, email info@beyondthebean.com or visit www.beyondthebean.com. |
| |
|
| 25 August 2009 |
| New book on The Meaning of Tea showcases wisdom of tea lovers from around the world |
| |
An illuminating new book reveals timeless insights into the health and lifestyle benefits of the 5,000 year-old tea drinking tradition through interviews with tea lovers, growers, tasters, scholars and experts from eight countries. An exploration of the history, health benefits, rituals, spirituality and simple pure enjoyment of tea, The Meaning of Tea: A Tea Inspired Journey, by Scott Chamberlin Hoyt, edited and with commentary by noted author Phil Cousineau, offers unprecedented lifestyle wisdom ideally suited for our modern culture facing the stress of economic uncertainty.
The Meaning of Tea
Culled from more than 50 conversations with tea pickers and plantation owners, street sellers, traders, teapot makers and eloquent tea scholars from many places where tea is revered – from India to Ireland and Taiwan to Tea, South Dakota – readers learn about how tea has brought peace, calm, health, friendship and often wisdom into their lives. The Meaning of Tea makes clear, that although tea is more popular than ever – the wholesale value of the US tea industry has increased more than 400% since 1990* – it is still an underutilised source of health, solace, and friendship for the modern world.
Scott Chamberlin Hoyt, director of the Meaning of Tea project, is a man on a mission to spread the meaning of tea. "Our dream is to open the hearts and souls of those seeking fresh insight about the art of living in today's increasingly virtual society," he reflects. "The Meaning of Tea project offers an unprecedented range of perspectives in an effort to enrich lives and broaden human awareness. We sincerely believe that through our work, the great and often overlooked mysteries of tea may become available to the larger community around the world."
"When we drink tea with others we shorten the distance between people," reveals Feng Ming-Chung, a grower of Bao Zhong tea in The Meaning of Tea. Beyond its social virtues, such as companionship and aesthetic pleasure, tea has been credited as a remedy for everyday concerns, such as sluggishness, lassitude, fogginess, and lack of alertness and concentration. In fact, in one of the very first texts that mention tea, the classic Shen Nong Herbal, it is written, "Drinking it one can think quicker, sleep less, move lighter, and see clearer."
In The Meaning of Tea, tea farmer Wu Sheng-Ben from Taiwan brings a unique insight into the restorative powers of tea when he recommends people focus on their heart when they drink tea. For him, health benefits are primary, emphasising how it reduces the risk of diabetes, bringing a sheen to the skin, and rejuvenates the drinker by way of its detoxifying properties. Mr. Ben insists that tea drinking also encourages friendship because it calms the spirits and lessens the tendency toward anger in human interactions, which he feels is the most important of all its benefits.
And we learn that tea can "expel the dourness," the gloominess or sullenness that can make our hearts heavy. Tea affects our moods, by dint of its sheer chemistry; but also by simplifying our lives, allowing room for everyday pleasure, and by "inducing inspiration," in the words of James Norwood Pratt, a highly respected American tea scholar in The Meaning of Tea. Pratt believes that tea has been one of the great "civilising forces" in human history, serving as "our solace in solitude," and inviting us in to participate in "the oldest fraternity on the planet," those people whose lives have been transformed by tea.
Illustrated with more than 150 photographs, The Meaning of Tea celebrates tea as the beverage of choice of civilised cultures for thousands of years. Editor Phil Cousineau says there is no better time for the rest of us to adapt the practices of tea drinkers, "Considering that the fallout of our weakened economy includes millions of stressed-out, overstretched people, this book offers a simple avenue to wellness, calm and meaning through tea."
*Source: Tea Association of the USA.
About The Meaning of Tea Project
The Meaning of Tea project is an ongoing, tea-inspired journey that celebrates the history, rituals, spirituality and simple pure enjoyment of tea through the eyes of tea lovers from many places around the world. The project aims to bring to light the mysteries of the world's favourite beverage to larger audiences, and, as tea has done for the last fifty centuries, to stimulate health, friendship and community. The Meaning of Tea: A Tea Inspired Journey (ISBN-13 978-0-615-20442-0; $24.95; Trade Paperback with French Flaps; 362 pp; 150 photographs; Talking Leaves Press; September 2009), is a collection of insights about tea from around the world. The feature-length documentary that inspired the book, also titled The Meaning of Tea (ISBN 978-0-615-20441-3; $24.95; 74 minutes; Tea Dragon Films; 2008), is a poignant search through India, Japan, Taiwan, Morocco, England, France, Ireland, and even Tea, South Dakota for glimpses into the secret character of tea. For more information and to view additional movie trailers, visit The Meaning of Tea Web site. The Meaning of Tea's soundtrack, Music of Tea (ISBN 978-0-615-20443-7; $14.95; 2008), is a compilation of tea-inspired world music including tracks composed by Joel Douek and Eric Czar and featuring the song "Marco Polo" written and performed by Loreena McKennitt. |
| |
|
| 24 August 2009 |
| Timothy's Original Donut Blend™ – The return of classic donut shop coffee! |
| |
Enjoy the taste of classic donut shop coffee in seconds. The Wholesale Division of Timothy's Coffees of the World Inc.® announces the launch of their newest K-Cup® coffee, Timothy's Original Donut Blend™. Inspired by the quintessential cup of joe, Timothy's Original Donut Blend is packed in K-Cup single serve portion packs, specifically formulated for use in Keurig® Single Cup Brewing Systems. With the push of a button, coffee lovers can now experience the taste of classic donut shop coffee in the convenience of their home, office, or cottage.
Timothy's Original Donut Blend is a mild roast made with 100% Arabica specialty coffee. A perfect selection for those who love a coffee that is smooth and bright, with a good body and clean finish.
"Today, enjoying some of life's simple pleasures is more important than ever" said Tracey Noakes, Marketing Manager of Timothy's Wholesale Division. "There is an ease to this coffee that's comfortable and unassuming, like a reminder of simpler times."
"Original Donut Blend is a highly anticipated product launch for Timothy's given the new direction in the branding of this product" said George Michel, President CEO of Timothy's.
The Original Donut Blend packaging is decidedly retro. It’s bold orange and pink colour palette and eye catching design immediately bring donut shops, baked goods and wholesome cups of coffee to mind.
Timothy's Original Donut Blend is not just another cup of coffee... it's one of life's simple pleasures. So sit back, relax and celebrate simplicity.
Original Donut Blend is available in K-Cup format for use in Keurig single-serve brewing systems. Timothy's K-Cups and Keurig Brewers can be purchased at participating Timothy's retail locations, or online at www.Timothys.com.
About Timothy's World Coffee
Founded in 1975, and headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Timothy's Coffees of the World Inc. is a purveyor of specialty gourmet coffee. Timothy's purchases the finest Arabica coffee beans from around the world and roasts these premium beans at its own coffee roasting facility, located in Toronto, Canada. Roasting coffee beans is an exact science, and Timothy's meticulous roasting and testing practices ensure that each batch is roasted to perfection. The result is extraordinary coffee with rich aroma and superior quality.
For over 30 years, Timothy's has remained committed to serving only the finest coffees to its customers, while continuing to be socially, economically and environmentally responsible. Through its various Partnership Programs, Timothy's helps to ensure a safe and sustainable future for the people of coffee-growing communities and here at home.
Timothy's Coffees of the World Inc. is an affiliated portfolio company of Sun Capital Partners, Inc. ("Sun Capital"), a leading private investment firm focused on leveraged buy-outs, equity, debt and other investments in market-leading companies. |
| |
|
| 19 August 2009 |
| 7-Eleven sells New Leaf tea in metro New York area |
| |
New Leaf Brands, a wholly owned subsidiary of Baywood International, has announced that 7-Eleven, a convenience store operator, is now carrying New Leaf tea in 280 stores in the metro New York area including approximately 180 stores in Long Island and 100 stores across Brooklyn, Bronx, Suffern and Queens.
Baywood International said that the product will reach 7-Eleven through Manhattan Beer Distributors, a beer distributor that markets beer and non-alcoholic beverages in 15 counties in the metro New York area.
Bob McGetrick, general manager for Manhattan Beer Long Island, said: "We are excited at Manhattan Beer to extend our portfolio with 7-Eleven. 7-Eleven is a great chain and we are now selling one of our top non-alcoholic brands with the introduction of New Leaf tea. We have done very well with New Leaf in the independent markets and we expect solid results from this latest authorisation at 7-Eleven." |
| |
|
| 18 August 2009 |
| The calories are in your coffee cup – Starbucks And Dunkin' Donuts |
| |
It’s summer time and you want a cool refreshing drink. You pass Dunkin Donuts on every street corner and notice the promotion for a small Coffee Coolatta only $1.99! Before you know it you're in the store debating which flavour to get. This morning, your summer diet really started, so you order a small Strawberry Fruit Coolatta. Little do you know, this drink is the third most fattening option you could have chosen. Do not be tricked by the name of the drink!
In comparison the Coffee Coolatta with skim milk is the option with the least calories. Ordering a small iced coffee with skim milk and Splenda is only 30 calories and is just as refreshing. If you're craving an extra twist to your daily iced coffee choose Hazelnut or French Vanilla flavour.
If you've been on a roll with making healthy choices and switched from a regular Latte to ordering a Latte Lite, here is the approximation of calories that you've been saving. A small regular Latte is 120 calories; with sugar added it is 170 calories. A small Latte light is 80 calories; a vanilla added it is 90 calories. Therefore, you save approximately 40-90 calories.
Dunkin Donuts has recently updated their menu offering healthier options under their DDSMART menu. One of their healthiest choices is a freshly brewed unsweetened iced tea, with only 5 calories in a small.
You'll be surprised to learn that choosing an Old Fashioned Donut over a plain bagel will save you about 50 calories. The healthiest way to satisfy your sweet tooth is to order plain cake munchkins, 50 calories each. This way, you'll curve your cravings for a sweet snack and save some extra calories.
Instead of stopping by Dunkin for a Coolatta, you run to Starbucks for a Frappuccino. The healthiest way of ordering your frap is a, brace yourself, Tall Espresso Frappuccino with light blended coffee. The light blended coffee fraps are not milk based. Therefore, ordering with skim over whole milk will not affect the calorie count in your drink. By choosing light blended coffee over regularly blended coffee you are saving yourself 60 calories.
If you're not a Frappuccino lover, you may want to try an iced latte. The healthiest way to order your iced latte is: skim milk and sugar free aka the "Skinny Latte." This drink has a calorie count of 60 calories for a tall.
Tip: Always opt for no whipped cream. The addition of the whipped topping on your drink adds up as hidden calories you may not be counting!
The Bottom Line: While ordering your coffee, don't rush. Use these smart tips to lessen the calorie count of your drink.
1. Always ask for skim milk, instead of whole milk.
2. Order sugar free options and add Splenda to sweeten your drink.
3. A simple coffee is always the smartest, least calorie choice. Coffee has almost no calories; it's what you add to it that counts.
4. Make sure you say NO to whipped cream. Even the smallest amount of whipped cream topping could add about 100 calories on to your drink. |
| |
|
| 18 August 2009 |
| Sam's Club® introduces new Fair Trade Certified coffee from Brazil |
| |
Today, Walmart, TransFair USA, SEBRAE-Minas Gerais and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) announced that a new Fair Trade Certified coffee from Brazil will be sold to Sam's Club members across the country. The two new Fair Trade Certified™ Member's Mark coffee options will be available in more than 600 Sam's Club locations in the United States. These new products are part of the innovative Responsible Sourcing Partnership Project that links Brazilian coffee farmers with mass market coffee consumers in the United States through Fair Trade certification.
"We are excited to be expanding our offering of high quality Fair Trade Certified coffee at clubs throughout the US," said Jill Turner-Mitchael, senior vice president of Merchandising, Sam's Club. "This partnership falls in line with the company's mission of providing opportunity in communities around the world, as nearly 30,000 Brazilian producer family members are being positively impacted."
Through the Responsible Sourcing Partnership Project, Brazilian producers and their families receive increased employment opportunities, expanded access to new domestic and international markets, increased use of environmentally-sound production methods, and, in turn, improvements in their quality of life. Partner cooperatives are located in the Brazilian states of Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Espirito Santo.
Jeffery Bell, director of USAID/Brazil, said, "USAID believes that public-private partnerships are the most effective mechanism to respond to global challenges. The Responsible Sourcing Partnership Project is a successful alliance that combines our complementary assets to promote sustainability, expand social and economic opportunities within the Brazilian coffee value chain."
The project aims to expand and improve the quality of Fair Trade Certified coffee supply through investments in infrastructure, technical assistance with production and post-harvest processing, as well as training in coffee quality management. These investments will result in increased producer capacity through organisational strengthening including financial management operations and marketing. The partnership also raises the marketing capacity of Brazilian coffee growers to improve the reputation of Brazilian coffee, raises awareness of Fair Trade impact and empowers producers in the marketplace.
Paul Rice, TransFair USA president and CEO, said, "Sam's Club is an innovative partner in offering high-quality Fair Trade Certified coffee in a manner that both expands the marketplace and delivers value back down the supply chain to the farmer. A year from now we will be able to trace Member's Mark coffee sales directly to improved environmental management at Fair Trade coffee farms and higher quality of life in farming communities."
In 2008, imports of Fair Trade Certified coffee grew more than 30 percent. Fair Trade is a market-based approach to sustainable development, seeking to empower millions of disadvantaged producers worldwide while protecting the environment for future generations. Fair Trade empowers US consumers to make a difference in the world simply by adjusting their shopping list. The dramatic growth of Fair Trade products proves that consumers are voting for a better world with their purchases, demanding sustainable, ethically-sourced goods.
Roberto Simoes, SEBRAE Minas Gerais president, said, "The Fair Trade program is in line with the purpose of SEBRAE's activity to increase business and promote Small and Medium Enterprises with social, environmental and economic sustainability. We support entrepreneurship and cooperation, and the program matches with our intention of helping local producers access international markets."
Sam's Club also sells Fair Trade Certified bananas, dried fruit and wine, among other products.
About USAID/Brazil
USAID is an independent federal government agency receiving overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State. Our work supports long-term and equitable economic growth and advances US foreign policy objectives by supporting global health, economic growth, agriculture and trade, democracy, conflict prevention, and humanitarian assistance. In Brazil, USAID supports Brazilian efforts towards sustainable socio and economic development, while strengthening the partnership between the United States and Brazil. For more information about USAID, visit brazil.usaid.gov.
About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., or "Walmart," serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at more than 8,000 retail units under 53 different banners in 15 countries. With fiscal year 2009 sales of $401 billion, Walmart employs more than 2.1 million associates worldwide. A leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity, Walmart ranked first among retailers in Fortune Magazine's 2009 Most Admired Companies survey. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting www.walmartstores.com.
About TransFair USA
TransFair USA, a FLO member organisation, is the only independent, third-party certifier of Fair Trade Certified™ products in the United States. TransFair USA audits and certifies in accordance with FLO's internationally agreed standards, monitoring transactions between US companies and their international suppliers to guarantee that the farmers and workers producing Fair Trade Certified goods were paid fair prices and wages. TransFair USA certifies coffee and more than 20 other product categories. For more information about TransFair USA, visit www.FairTradeCertified.org.
About SEBRAE
The Service of Support for the Micro and Small Companies of the State of Minas Gerais - SEBRAE-MG was created in 1972. Its mission is to promote the competitiveness and the sustainable development of the micro and small companies as well as to promote the entrepreneurship in the State of Minas Gerais. It offers entrepreneurial orientation, promotes courses, lectures and projects of managerial training, encourages the formalisation of, and approaches micro and small companies with the market and stimulates the generation of business. SEBRAE-MG, thus, contributes to induce the socioeconomic development of the State of Minas Gerais with the generation of revenue, work, income and better life conditions for the population. |
| |
|
| 15 August 2009 |
| Revealed: How police forces spend £3m on tea and biscuits |
| |
Every worker likes a tea break, but it appears that policemen enjoy them more than most. Forces across the country spent £3million on tea and biscuits last year, figures show.
Top of the 'refreshment' league was Lothian and Borders Police, which spent £383,000. It meant that the Scottish force, which has about 2,600 officers, spent £147.31 per head. Forces across the country spent £3million on tea and biscuits last year, figures show.
Second was Hampshire Constabulary, which drank and ate its way though £308,000-worth of refreshments, while Greater Manchester was third, spending £235,000. Fourth was Derbyshire police with £223,000 and fifth was the Police Service of Northern Ireland with £163,000. The Metropolitan Police, with 31,000 staff, spent £119,000 - just £3.84 per officer.
The figures, disclosed under Freedom of Information legislation, covered 40 forces. They also showed the police spent £11million on office stationery, buying 1.3 million pens and 450 million sheets of paper.
A police insider said: “It just goes to show how hard officers are working to try to reduce crime rates.
Tea and biscuits are a favourite snack in all British households and the police are no exception to that. It certainly helps give officers that extra boost to help them solve cases.”
But the TaxPayers' Alliance criticised the 'staggering' amounts of cash being spent by forces on refreshments and stationery. The Met, which is the biggest force in the country, bought the most pens, purchasing 837,584, the equivalent of 27 for every officer. Pete Smyth, chairman of the force's federation, blamed the “poor quality” of the pens for the huge number, which was more than half of the total bought across the country. “Most officers will want to to carry around three or four with them because it does not look professional if you are trying to take notes and your pen runs out,” he added.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1206446/A-new-expenses-storm-brewing-Police-forces-spend-3m-tea-biscuits.html#ixzz0PxFhgDLC |
| |
|
| 14 August 2009 |
| Bad news for coffee drinkers who get headaches |
| |
People who consume high amounts of caffeine each day are more likely to suffer occasional headaches than those with low caffeine consumption, a team of researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) reports in a study recently published in the Journal of Headache Pain.
But in findings that had “no obvious reason”, the researchers, led by Knut Hagen from NTNU’s Faculty of Medicine, also reported that low caffeine consumption was associated with a greater likelihood of chronic headaches, defined as headaches for 14 or more days each month.
The results are drawn from a large cross-sectional study of 50,483 people who answered a questionnaire about caffeine consumption and headache prevalence as a part of the Nord-Trøndelag Health Survey (HUNT 2), a county-wide health survey conducted in 1995-1997 on a wide range of health topics.
To drink or not to drink
Caffeine is the world’s most commonly consumed stimulant, and has long been known to have both positive and negative effects on headaches. For example, caffeine is a common ingredient in headache analgesics because it can help relieve headaches.
But research worldwide into the relationship between caffeine consumption and headache provides no relief to headache sufferers wondering whether they should drink more coffee or less. Some studies have shown that high caffeine consumption increases the prevalence of headaches and migraines, while other studies have shown no such relationship.
At the same time, headaches are costly to society, in work hours lost, and to individuals themselves. The World Health Organisation ranks migraine 19th in all causes of disability based on a measure called “years lived with disability”, as one example.
The issue is of particular interest in Scandinavia, because Scandinavians are heavy coffee drinkers, consuming on average about 400 mg of caffeine per day. That is roughly twice the average caffeine consumption in other European countries and in the US, and equates to roughly 4 cups of brewed coffee per day, although caffeine levels in coffee vary quite widely.
The power – and limitation – of numbers
The HUNT study is powerful because it is large-scale, population-based and cross-sectional, but when it comes to headaches, these characteristics make it difficult to establish cause-and-effect. For example, the frequency of non-migraine headache was found by researchers to be 18 per cent more likely in individuals with high caffeine consumption (500 mg per day or more) than among those with the lowest consumption (with mean levels at 125 mg per day).
But does that mean that all that caffeine causes headaches – or that people who are more likely to suffer from headaches drink caffeinated beverages in search of relief? “Since the study is cross-sectional, it cannot be concluded that high caffeine consumption causes infrequent headache,” the researchers write.
Even more difficult is explaining why chronic headache was less likely among individuals with moderate or high caffeine consumption, the researchers said. One possibility is that caffeine consumption helps change chronic headache into infrequent headache.
Cutting back may help
But it is equally possible that chronic headache sufferers had reduced their intake of caffeine because they had experienced its headache precipitating properties – and that individuals with infrequent headaches were unaware that high caffeine might be the cause.
In an interview, Hagen said that people should consider cutting back on their coffee consumption if headaches were a problem. “People who suffer from headaches should be focused on their caffeine use, because it can be a cause of their headaches,” he said.
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090813083455.htm |
| |
|
| 14 August 2009 |
| Green Mountain Coffee moving, but not far |
| |
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters says it's moving its corporate headquarters, but not far.
Spokeswoman Sandy Yusen tells the Burlington Free Press that the coffee maker - which last year bought a building in Knox County, Tenn., to use as a manufacturing centre - remains committed to staying in Vermont and won't move its headquarters out of state.
But Yusen says Green Mountain Coffee will move its corporate functions from Waterbury to southern Chittenden County, though she wouldn't be more specific. She says the move is "in development" and wouldn't say which towns or cities are being considered.
Information from: The Burlington Free Press, http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com |
| |
|
| 12 August 2009 |
| Bigelow Tea for the troops – A token of our thanks (American Classic Tea for American heroes) |
| |
They put their lives on the line each and every day – to protect and to serve. "They" are our American troops who are fighting to protect our freedom far away from home, in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Bigelow family (www.bigelowtea.com), committed to bringing a little bit of "home" to these courageous men and women, collaborated with their wonderfully supportive employees and friends to produce a special run of American Classic Tea – just for our American soldiers.
"One of my greatest joys at Bigelow Tea is the work we can do to try to make a difference," said Cindi Bigelow, President of Bigelow Tea. "We wanted to do something to show just how much we appreciate these men and women, so we decided to send them our version of a thank you card."
For over a week, the Bigelow manufacturing plant in Louisville, Kentucky was buzzing with activity as they wrapped and boxed nearly 2 million tea bags to be sent overseas. The selection of tea chosen for this thank you gift was none other than Bigelow's American Classic Tea which was 100% grown on American soil at the Charleston Tea Plantation which was purchased by the Bigelow family in 2003.
To our troops and their families: "We thank you and we are proud of you!"
About Bigelow Tea Company
100% family owned Fairfield, Connecticut-based Bigelow Tea pioneered the specialty tea category more than 60 years ago. Bigelow takes pride in its heritage and successful growth from a one-product, entrepreneurial venture into America's leading specialty tea company. The Bigelow Tea line includes more than 80 varieties of flavoured, traditional, green tea, organic, herbal, decaffeinated teas and iced teas -- including America's number one specialty tea flavour, "Constant Comment®." Also, enjoy the Charleston Tea Plantation located on Wadmalaw Island just south of Charleston, South Carolina which is owned and operated by Bigelow Tea and produces American Classic Tea and products. Bigelow Tea products are available nationwide and every variety can be found on the company website (www.bigelowtea.com). |
| |
|
| 11 August 2009 |
| Coffee Beanery generates buzz with 'Funny People' placement |
| |
Coffee Beanery and Feature This! are celebrating their prominent placement in a hit number-one film with "Funny People" featuring the java house not only on the big screen but in its national television ad campaign. Commercials for the film, which air nationwide on all major networks, feature a clip of the main characters meeting at Coffee Beanery, including a tight zoom on a paper cup with the company logo.
This is the second time in their 12-year collaboration that Feature This! has scored Coffee Beanery a starring role in a number-one film: 2000's "Erin Brockovich" also earned the top box office slot. Overall, Coffee Beanery has earned screen time in 40 feature films - including "Deep Impact," "Final Destination" and ''How to Lose Friends and Alienate People'' - and 75 television shows, including such small-screen standouts as "Weeds," "Entourage," "24," "Chuck" and "90210."
And Coffee Beanery's reputation doesn't end in front of the camera. "The entertainment industry is one fuelled by coffee, and Coffee Beanery's premium craft-roasted blends are production crews' caffeine of choice," said Jay May, President of Feature This! "Everyone working on these projects loves their coffee, so when we get placement in a movie or show, it's not just us who reaps the benefits."
About Coffee Beanery
Coffee Beanery was founded in 1976 in Flushing, Michigan, long before other American coffee chains began specialising in gourmet coffee. Thirty years later, Coffee Beanery is still comprised of "coffee people who care," with over 100 locations nationwide and 20 international stores that operate using the same unique, time-tested family business approach, relaxed environment and commitment to quality. For more information about Coffee Beanery, visit their website at www.coffeebeanery.com.
About Feature This!
When Jay May founded product-placement Feature This! in 1994, he developed the motto "underpromise, overdeliver" - and he's stuck to it ever since. Feature This! has developed close relationships with all the major studios and production companies and dozens of national name-brand companies. When determining where to place products, Feature This! always makes sure to represent the best interests of the brand to ensure the highest quality and integrity of the productions engaged. For more information and to contact Jay May, visit their website at www.featurethis.com. |
| |
|
| 10 August 2009 |
| Workers shun coffee shops in favour of vending machine |
| |
Coffee shop chains like Starbucks have suffered as employees chose cheaper vending machines.
Cash-strapped and time-pressured workers are shunning trips to high-street coffee shops in the recession, opting instead for office vending machines, according to figures out today.
Coffee machine operator LTT Vending, which provides more than 3,500 machines to call-centres, universities and the staff rooms of high-street shops, said its sales of "premium speciality drinks" such as cappuccinos surged 55% in nine months to April.
The UK's largest independently owned vending company claims the rise is down to workers choosing to stay in for drinks instead of leaving the office for more expensive coffee shops. Its drinks cost an average of 50p each, compared with typical prices upwards of £2 at the biggest coffee chains.
"The availability of quality vended drinks, along with economic pressure both on work rates and on the individual's pocket, have combined to drive up quality drinks consumption on the premises," said LTT Vending's sales director, Robin Turver.
"In many cases, workforces have been reduced, meaning that pressure on people's time has increased."
The vending machine pick-up follows news last month that high-street coffee chain Coffee Republic had collapsed into administration, blaming the downturn in consumer spending. US coffee giant Starbucks has also been badly hit by the recession over the past 18 months.
However, Britain's biggest coffee shop chain, Costa, has managed to squeeze out a small rise in sales in a tough market. Its parent company Whitbread's latest trading update showed Costa's like-for-like sales grew by 2.6% in the 13 weeks to the end of May.
Since the recession started, the JD Wetherspoon pub business has been heavily promoting its coffee offering, claiming it is now one of Britain's biggest coffee chains.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/aug/10/high-street-coffee-shops-suffer-recession |
| |
|
| 08 August 2009 |
| US coffee shops pull plug on laptop lounging |
| |
At the recently opened Café Green on New York's First Avenue, owner Yanni Belin was preparing to add the final touch yesterday. At last, the guys were coming to install his wireless internet in the kitchen that divides the front seating area from a small garden at the back.
This seems like a smart move. In Manhattan, just as in every other cosmopolitan US or European city, the café culture has been transformed in recent years by patrons surfing the web on laptops. Laptops and lattes are like bagels and cream cheese.
But Mr Belin is quick to clarify. "Oh, no, the internet is going to be for me, not the customers.".
Offering it for free couldn't be further from his mind, for a simple reason: students and doctors from a nearby hospital would come in, switch on and take up tables for hours while maybe spending just a few measly dollars. "If they want to do that they can go round the corner to Starbucks," he said.
Actually, anecdotal evidence suggests he may be not so much bucking the trend as joining it. Call it the stirrings of a laptop backlash.
More and more independent café owners in New York, already squeezed by the recession, are choosing to discourage laptop fans. They may buy one coffee and a bun but thereafter they are space and power spongers.
Bruce Taz, who until last year ran the Broken Cup around the corner from the Green Café, did not ban computers outright when customers discovered they could tap into a wireless signal elsewhere in his building. But they knew not to hang around too long if they weren't spending. One clue: Bruce had taped over his electric plugs. "I'd say' charge your computer before you come here. Stop using my electricity'," he says.
At Irving 71 Place, near Gramercy Park, owner Muffin Spencer rolls her eyes at the mere mention of the bloggers and browsers as she wrestles with her espresso machine, her hair in a scarf. She refuses to provide free internet and also actively discourages patrons from reaching down for their laptops. "We have writers and so forth in here who already take up table space. We don't have room for that," she says.
Similar tales of internet enmity can be found throughout the New York boroughs. On the Upper East Side, M. Rohrs' House of Fine Teas and Coffees found itself written up in the papers when it started charging $3 (£1.80) an hour for even powering up a computer. The owners posted a sign that said: "Warning: theft of electrical service is prohibited."
None of this impresses Tehu Ifa, 59, an author and college professor, who admits to spending roughly two hours a day at his local Starbucks, which like most branches in the chain, offers a wireless connection free of charge.
Typically he works on his book about Africa-centric education, sipping on a single short coffee, "occasionally lifting my eyes when a pretty girl come in".
A former resident of Paris, he scoffed at owners taking up arms against surfers like him. "It's so American, don't you think? Everything is always about turnover. In Paris, if you suggested doing this, they would laugh you right out the door. They should relax."
For now, he probably has no reason to worry. Free wireless hot spots abound outdoors in the city, including a new area for surfers in Madison Square Park sponsored by a Japanese car company powered by the sun. For the winter, he has Starbucks. Unless they switch sides and yank the internet cord too.
Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-coffee-shops-pull-plug-on-laptop-lounging-1769227.html |
| |
|
| 06 August 2009 |
| Celestial Seasonings® new green tea cracks the bitterness code, Sleepytime® gets a new flavour |
| |
Celestial Seasonings® has developed a line of delicious green teas that eliminate the bitterness sometimes associated with green tea, and has introduced new Sleepytime® Vanilla, the bestselling herbal tea’s first new flavour addition in more than 20 years. Coinciding with the tea maker's 40th anniversary, these new products continue the longstanding tradition of innovation from Celestial Seasonings, which includes virtually inventing the herbal tea category in North America and first introducing green tea to mainstream consumption.
"Since 1969, blending delicious, all-natural teas in a socially and environmentally responsible way has been, and will continue to be, Celestial Seasonings' priority," said Peter Burns, General Manager of Celestial Seasonings. "Now, in our 40th year, we're continuing to innovate - and our new green teas are a prime example. These new recipes will delight current green tea users, and will also allow those who have been turned off by green tea's sometimes bitter flavour to enjoy the health benefits and great taste of our new formulas."
The mature tea leaves with which regular green teas are made naturally contain high levels of tannins, which can sometimes cause bitterness.
Celestial Seasonings created its smoother green teas by adding Bai Mu Dan white tea, whose delicate, silky flavour profile comes from selecting only the tender buds and low-tannin young leaves of the camellia sinensis plant. The white tea infusion creates a balanced and satisfying taste with the healthful antioxidants for which green and white tea are both known. New Celestial Seasonings Green Tea is available on store shelves in nine varieties, including Authentic, Honey Lemon Ginseng and Goji Berry Pomegranate.
Also available on store shelves now is Sleepytime Vanilla, the first new flavour addition to the Sleepytime product family in more than two decades. The new variety adds rich and creamy vanilla, a favorite flavour among specialty tea drinkers, to original Sleepytime's soothing blend of chamomile, spearmint and lemongrass. Since its introduction in 1972, more than 2 billion tea bags of the original Sleepytime have been sold, making it the all-time bestselling specialty tea in North America.
As they celebrate their 40th anniversary, Celestial Seasonings remains as focused as ever on their original mission: to provide good health, great taste and innovative variety in their products while maintaining a commitment to social and environmental responsibility in their business practices. This dedication to authenticity, along with the beloved iconic imagery and inspirational quotes on their boxes, has resulted in the highest brand awareness in the specialty tea category and the passionate support of tea enthusiasts everywhere.
Celestial Seasonings
Celestial Seasonings, a brand of The Hain Celestial Group, creates delicious, all-natural specialty teas that offer a variety of extraordinary tea-drinking experiences. Each of the more than 90 flavours is expertly crafted using only the highest quality 100 percent natural herbs, teas, spices and fruits to produce fresh, delicious tea. For nearly 40 years, Celestial Seasonings has blended unique and healthful herb, green, white, black, red, organic, Chai and wellness teas, each adorned with beautiful imagery and inspiring words and designed to delight your palate, nourish your body and feed your mind and spirit. For more information, visit www.celestialseasonings.com.
The Hain Celestial Group
The Hain Celestial Group, headquartered in Melville, NY, is a leading natural and organic products company in North America and Europe. Hain Celestial participates in almost all natural categories with well-known brands that include Celestial Seasonings®, Terra®, Garden of Eatin'®, Health Valley®, WestSoy®, Earth's Best®, Arrowhead Mills®, MaraNatha®, SunSpire®, DeBoles®, Hain Pure Foods®, Hollywood®, Spectrum Naturals®, Spectrum Essentials®, Walnut Acres Organic®, Imagine®, Rice Dream®, Soy Dream®, Rosetto®, Ethnic Gourmet®, Yves Veggie Cuisine®, Granose®, Realeat®, Linda McCartney®, Daily Bread™, Lima®, Grains Noirs®, Natumi®, JASON®, Zia® Natural Skincare, Avalon Organics®, Alba Botanica®, Queen Helene®, Tushies® and TenderCare®. Hain Celestial has been providing "A Healthy Way of Life™" since 1993. For more information, visit www.hain-celestial.com. |
| |
|
| 06 August 2009 |
| SpoT Coffee announces successful opening of its fifth cafe |
| |
Spot Coffee is pleased to announce that it has recently opened its fifth location in Western New York State. SPoT’s newest cafe ("Williamsville SPoT") was opened on May 1st and is located in the historic Village of Williamsville in the affluent Town of Amherst, NY, US. Williamsville SPoT boasts a commanding sidewalk front location with high visibility at the busy intersection of Williamsville's Main Street and Union Road. The total area of this cafe is approximately 3,000 square feet with seating capacity for 110 patrons.
"Williamsville SPoT is financially a great success for our Company and a best-in-class example of a SPoT cafe designed for its community," commented Mr. John Lorenzo, President of SPoT.
Mr. Lorenzo added: "Consistent with our operating model, this cafe was designed to fit into the fabric of its surrounding community. With the help of local architect Bradley Wales, we have a created a modern design which respects the heritage of the Village of Williamsville and blends SPoT into its surroundings."
Mr. Lorenzo further added: "SPoT offers its patrons different types of seating areas depending on their moods-of-the-day, whether its table seating, a relaxed parlour with deep leather couches and chairs, window counter seating or patio seating. Our centrepiece of Williamsville SPoT is a free-standing fireplace located in the centre of the cafe surrounded by harvest seating. We purposely placed it in front of large, full length windows over-looking a very busy Main Street making it visible so it can be in the centre of our cafe and welcome people in as a warm refuge from the winter cold."
As a gift to the community of Williamsville, Williamsville SPoT commissioned and now displays a wall size mural highlighting several historical landmarks and scenes from the Village of Williamsville.
"Williamsville SPoT is exceeding management's break-even financial performance forecasts for a new cafe opening," further commented Mr. Richard Gress, CEO of SPoT USA Operations. "With the strong support and acceptance of SPoT into the Williamsville community, we have seen consistent revenue generation in our first three months of operation. Based on this measurement we are forecasting in excess of $1.2 million of revenue in our first year of performance from Williamsville SPoT which exceeds management's current metrics for evaluating the performance of a cafe."
SPoT is strategically redeveloping some of its existing locations to increase square footage and menu items, as well as expanding its locations across Canada, the United States and into the Middle East. The Company intends to be operating ten company-owned cafes by the end of 2010. SPoT's newest location in Del Ray Beach, Florida is anticipated to open during the fourth quarter of 2009, as well as the re-opening of SPoT's most successful location to date, Elwood SPoT in Buffalo. Elwood SPoT will become a marquee location for SPoT after a significant capital improvement project that will result in the doubling of its square footage to 4,400 square feet and a re-design to accommodate enhanced food offerings and entertainment space. Last year the Elmwood SPoT location generated $1.4 million in gross revenue for the company.
About SPoT
SPoT designs, builds and operates community oriented cafes that provide its customers from every lifestyle and culture with the highest quality service, signature light meals and roasted in-house gourmet coffee. SPoT has been successfully operating company-owned cafes in Western New York State and Canada since 2004. Each SPoT cafe is a popular and friendly gathering place for its community where specialty coffee, upscale beverages, fresh baked goods, signature sandwiches, soups, salads and gourmet pizza, cakes, pastries and home baked goods are offered and enjoyed by its patrons in a warm, friendly and home-like environment. The Company currently operates five cafes that range in size from 2,000 to in excess of 4,000 square feet with locations in Buffalo (two), Williamsville and Rochester in New York State and Toronto, Canada. Unlike other conventional gourmet coffee houses and quick service restaurants that are built on uniformity of product and style, each SPoT cafe maintains several unique and key features, including:
* Dedication to create a friendly environment that nourishes and intensifies a sense of gathering and of community
* Roasting in-house and blending SPoT's own award-winning premium Arabica coffee
* Unwavering commitment to offer the customers of the Company the highest quality products and services
* Innovative and varying cafe designs that consider both the culture and flavour of the specific communities of each cafe
* Choice of corner locations for each SPoT cafe at the centre of their neighbourhoods
* Ability to offer intimate and warm ambiances in each cafe to suit the social and private moods of SPoT's patrons, and
* Trained and dynamic service staff that are proud to call themselves "Spotters" who enjoy serving their customers and make them feel at home. |
| |
|
| 06 August 2009 |
| The ICEE® Company launches iced coffee by Javo Beverage |
| |
Javo® Beverage Company, Inc., a leading provider of premium dispensable coffee and tea-based beverages to the food service industry, and The ICEE® Company, today announced that ICEE distribution centres across the country will immediately add iced coffee to their line-up of industry leading beverage products. The two initial flavours, mocha latte and caramel latte, are to be offered under the Java Freeze™ brand to national accounts and retail foodservice operators in the US, Canada and Mexico along with an array of service and equipment options. The ICEE Company is a subsidiary of J&J Snack Foods Corporation and is the most highly recognised brand and leader in the frozen carbonated beverage industry.
Cody C. Ashwell, Javo chairman and CEO, said, "ICEE is a stand out supplier to the foodservice industry and has longstanding relationships with some of the most important foodservice operators in our industry." Ashwell added, "We believe this alliance will complement our own sales efforts because ICEE has reach to thousands of independent foodservice operators seeking to capitalise on the growing market for iced coffee but require a non-concentrated dispensed beverage solution because of lower daily cup sales."
Mr. Ashwell added, "As the leading provider of dispensed beverage iced coffee, we have the infrastructure, service, and distribution capabilities to supply national foodservice operators with specialty iced coffee as well as hot coffee and tea. Our products are cost effective and eliminate waste, and in this challenging economic environment, foodservice operators are committed to offering great tasting beverages in the most cost efficient manner possible."
Javo Beverage offers its foodservice customers the opportunity to serve specialty beverage programs for hot, on-demand coffee and for specialty dispensed iced coffee and tea like those found in retail coffee shops but without the need to install and learn a barista-style operating system. Most of Javo's product lines feature beverage concentrates in bag-in-box packaging that once installed, create recurring revenue for the company.
About Javo® Beverage Company, Inc.
Based in Vista, California, Javo® Beverage Company is an innovator and leader in the manufacture of coffee and tea-based dispensed beverages, drink mixes and flavour systems. The company has successfully commercialised a proprietary brewing technology that yields fresh brewed coffees and teas that are flavourful, concentrated and stable, with broad applications in the food service, food manufacturing and beverage industries. For food service operators, Javo makes it possible to serve great tasting hot coffees and cold specialty coffee beverages from convenient dispenser-based systems. Javo also assists food and beverage processors seeking authentic and robust coffee and tea flavours through its development and supply of customised ingredients for packaged foods and ready-to-drink beverages. The company supplies a growing list of national and international food service operations, specialty coffee retailers, restaurant chains and food manufacturers. For information about Javo Beverage Company, please visit www.javobeverage.com.
About The ICEE® Company
ICEE is the most highly recognised brand of frozen carbonated beverage in the industry. Available nationwide, across a variety of retail outlets, ICEE® and SLUSH PUPPY® brands of fun and classic flavours have been enjoyed by kids and adults alike for over 40 years. The ICEE Company has an array of programs, service, and equipment options to meet customer needs and are available in the US, Mexico and Canada. The ICEE Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of J&J Snack Foods Corp. which manufactures an expanding variety of nutritional snack foods to the food service and retail supermarket industries. |
| |
|
| 04 August 2009 |
| Mona Lisa recreated with coffee |
| |
The Mona Lisa, one of the world's most famous paintings, has been recreated with 3,604 cups of coffee - and 564 pints of milk.
It measures 20 feet high and 13 feet wide and took a team of eight people three hours to complete. Each coffee cup was filled with varying amounts of milk to create the different sepia shades of the painting. The different colours were created by adding no, little or lots of milk to each cup of black coffee.
It was created for The Rocks Aroma Festival in Sydney, Australia, and seen by 130,000 people who attended the one-day coffee-lovers event.
Elaine Kelly, from event organisers the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, was delighted with the result. She said: "Each coffee cup was filled with varying amounts of milk to create the different sepia shades of the painting. We wanted to create an element of surprise and a sense of fun in the way we engaged with the public. Once we had the idea of creating an image out of coffee cups we searched for something iconic to reproduce - and opted for the most iconic painting in history. The Mona Lisa has been reproduced so many times in so many different mediums but, as far as we know, never out of coffee. The result was fantastic."
"After much planning it was great to see if coming together so well and the 130,000 people who attended the event certainly enjoyed it."
Mona Lisa, also known as La Gioconda, is the 16th century portrait painted in oil by Leonardo Da Vinci during the Italian Renaissance.
The work is owned by the French government and hangs in the Musee du Louvre in Paris, France, with the title Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo.
It measures 770 millimetres by 530 millimetres and has prompted debate for years over the reason for her famously enigmatic smile. Extensive scrutiny using X-ray apparatus suggests that restoration work has resulted in the original being painted over three times.
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5971034/Mona-Lisa-recreated-with-coffee.html |
| |
|
| 04 August 2009 |
| Kona Luna Coffee Co launches free shipping despite economy woes |
| |
Kona Luna, an online retailer exclusively selling Kona Coffee directly from Hawaii is now offering free shipping to its customers.
In one of the worst recessions on record many businesses are tightening their belts and preparing for worse times ahead. However some online retailers like Kona Luna Coffee Co. are facing the economy with open arms and fantastic deals.
Jim Christian and Matt Jallo, owners of Kona Luna say "Business is Fantastic! We have lowered our prices and thought free shipping was a great way of saying thanks to our customers".
"Typically the summer months are the worst for the industry because of the heat and many people are on vacation but this year we are seeing promising results from Hawaiian Coffee Lovers. We invite everyone to taste the bold flavour of Aloha and try Kona Luna Coffee. We feel that our product speaks for itself.”
The offer which launches on Tuesday August 3rd will allow customers that order over $50 worth of Coffee to enjoy free shipping including Kona Luna’s award winning Kona Peaberry coffee. The free shipping offer will extend throughout the summer and into fall.
Kona coffee beans only come from one region in Hawaii and is strictly regulated by the Kona Coffee Council. This ensures each batch that goes out with the 100% guarantee has the councils seal ensuring that the customer is getting the product they paid for.
About Kona Luna Coffee Co.
Kona Luna Coffee Co. is a purveyor of Gourmet Kona Coffee. The farm that the beans come from is located in Kona-Kailua on the Big Island of Hawaii. Kona Luna sells various grades of Kona Coffee including peaberry, extra fancy, select and their one of a kind Wakea reserve. Kona Luna is well known for their freshness since each batch that goes out is roasted to perfections and sent out farm fresh and delivered to your door. |
| |
|
| 04 August 2009 |
| Valley cafe voted best brew in Australia |
| |
The Campos coffee shop in Fortitude Valley has been voted the best cuppa in the country by the thousands of bean fiends who participated in the annual LifeStyle FOOD Channel's I Love FOOD Awards 2009.
Nominations for the award opened on June 4 and attracted tens of thousands of voters across the 16 featured categories focused on Australia's favourite places to eat, drink and be merry.
Brisbane's Campos was voted the best cafe or deli in Australia, beating out a host of established southern institutions and a few home-grown originals to boot.
The coffee that the Sydney-based company roast and produce in-house was also voted Australia's favourite coffee.
A representative for the chic, alleyway cafe and roasting house told brisbanetimes.com.au that the result was an unprecedented landslide.
"They were a clear winner this year," he said. "It's a sign of the times for Brisbane."
More than just confirmation of the city's increasingly impressive cultural pedigree, the award is also good business news for the coffee shop's dedicated baristas.
Shortly after opening on the Wandoo Street site last year, the popular cafe found its main entrance blocked by a wall built by business rivals.
Built by the powers to be at neighbouring James Street Markets, the wall drove Campos customers around and down a side street.
Co-owner John Ronchi told local press the felt the move was a deliberate attempt to slow trade, while Cal Malouf of the James Street Markets claimed it was a simple matter of parking.
Denying the construction was Machiavellian in nature, Malouf said the wall was a preventative measure implemented to prevent cafe patrons using car spaces reserved for James Street shoppers.
Over a year on and it seems there's just no stopping those serious about the best blends, beans and good brews in Brisbane.
Source: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/lifestyle/valley-cafe-voted-best-brew-in-australia-20090804-e7l1.html |
| |
|
| 04 August 2009 |
| Starbucks and NS celebrate the opening of Starbucks Store in Utrecht Centraal |
| |
Tomorrow, Starbucks Coffee Company and Servex, a subsidiary of NS, will open the doors of the first Starbucks location at Utrecht Centraal Station, Netherlands. This marks the beginning of Starbucks initial expansion into the Netherlands through major railway stations including Amsterdam Centraal Station later this year.
“We are proud that we will now be able to offer our customers high-quality Starbucks coffee,” said Madeleine van der Zwaan, general director of Servex. “Starbucks will be a comfortable meeting place and a great place to rest in the busy world of our customers. It seamlessly fits into the NS ambition to turn stations into comfortable places where customers can relax with the goal of offering travellers more quality and variation in the shopping offering.”
The Starbucks store in Utrecht Centraal is centrally located in the arrival hall next to De Broodzaak and Bruna and will offer travellers its legendary Starbucks Experience, high-quality arabica coffee, innovative products and an inviting and relaxed atmosphere. The opening of Starbucks is further proof of NS’ commitment to adding quality brands to its broad food and catering portfolio.
“It is with utmost respect for the longstanding coffee tradition in the Netherlands that we open this Starbucks in Utrecht Centraal,” said Buck Hendrix, president of Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Starbucks has been roasting coffee in the Netherlands for seven years and by opening this store, we are honoured to expand our role in the rich Dutch coffeehouse culture.”
Starbucks opened its only coffee roasting plant outside the US in the Netherlands in 2002. The plant roasts and packages all Starbucks coffee distributed in the EMEA region.
NS and Starbucks announced a strategic license partnership to open Starbucks stores in Dutch railway stations in August 2008. The opening of the store at Utrecht Centraal Station is further proof of Starbucks commitment to the growing demand for high-quality coffee and service in a growing travel market.
About Starbucks Coffee Company
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at www.starbucks.com.
About NS
NS is the largest passenger rail transportation company in the Netherlands. The NS trains keep the Netherlands mobile. Per day more than 1.1 million train passengers reach their destination without traffic and parking problems. The train is an energy and climate friendly public service vehicle with low CO2 emission. At the 380 train station NS offers a range of services for travellers. ‘NS Reizigers’ takes care trains run, information is available and services are offered to travelers at train stations and in trains. ‘NS Poort’ develops, manages and exploits the station (areas) in the Netherlands to create comfortable and lively places where travellers can stay, work, live, shop and relax. ‘Nedtrain’ manages the train maintenance amongst which are cleaning, technical maintenance, and damage repair. ‘Strukton’ is active in the construction and maintenance of rail infrastructure and building activities. ‘NS Hispeed’ connects the Netherlands with the heart of important European cities. High speed train Thalys and ICE and the international intercity trains are a smart and durable alternative for airplane and car for distances to 600 kilometres. ‘NedRailways’ makes use of the free European rail market opportunities, for example by exploiting rail concessions in the United Kingdom together with the British enterprise Serco. NS shares the railway network, which is the most used in Europe, with more than 30 other parties. ‘ProRail’ shares its rails capacity, takes care of the rail traffic control and the management and maintenance of the railway network. |
| |
|
| 02 August 2009 |
| High tea: Mount Snowdon's magical mountaintop cafe |
| |
On a clear day, standing on the top of Mount Snowdon, you can see right across the Irish Sea. The views from the Welsh peak – which, at 3,560ft (1,085 metres), is the highest British mountain south of the Scottish highlands – are breathtaking, and the weather is savage. In winter, winds can reach 150mph, while the temperature plummets to -20C. In summer, it can reach more than 30C. Yet here you will find Britain's unlikeliest (and highest) building.
For 70 years, the cafe that stood here was an increasingly shabby, weather-beaten concrete hut; in its latter days, it was described by Prince Charles as the "highest slum in Wales". This bunker was the work of Clough Williams-Ellis, better known as the architect of Portmeirion, the dreamlike, Italianate holiday village overlooking the tidal waters of Traeth Bach and Tremadog Bay some 10 miles south. (It was the location for the 1960s TV series The Prisoner.)
I have no idea how Clough fluffed it so badly when it came to Snowdon – why erect an architectural eyesore amid such natural beauty? – but the story has a happy ending. The "slum" was demolished in 2006 and in its place the Croydon-based architect Ray Hole has come up with a minor masterpiece: Hafod Eryri, the new Snowdon Mountain railway terminus and visitor centre. There are two ways to reach the top of the mountain: on foot or by train, via Britain's only rack-and-pinion mountain railway. I walked, for three hours, in soft, insistent rain with tempestuous clouds scudding ever lower. The stone- and slate-faced building at the top came as a complete surprise. It is both modern and ancient; it is elemental, and now a piece of the Snowdon landscape, a part of the mountain it serves. It hunkers down into the rocks. The walls and roof are curved to fit Snowdon's contours and to counter the tumultuous winds and rain.
And yet some believe Hafod Eryri (which translates roughly from the Welsh as "summer residence in Snowdonia") should never have been built at all. When the decision was made to rid Snowdon of its concrete bunker, there was discussion as to whether to replace it. Conservationists argued that it would be better to return the peak to nature.
But tourists have been making their way up to Snowdon's summit since at least the 1780s, and the Snowdon Mountain Railway – based on German and Swiss engineering practice, and running four Swiss-built steam locomotives (as well as some 1980s diesel engines) to the peak from Llanberis station at the mountain's foot – has been here since 1896. In fact, when the railway opened, there were two rival hotels on the summit. One blew down, while the other had vanished by the mid-1930s. But Snowdon remained a tourist magnet and it needed, somehow, to cater for hungry, thirsty and weather-beaten souls.
The astonishing thing is that the £8.4m building has gone up so quickly. Construction began in 2007, with a team of at least 80 people working in what have often been appalling conditions. The workforce made their way up to the site, along with all the materials, by train. In winter, trains had to be dug out of the snow and, in the worst instances, builders had to trek back down the mountainside after a hard day's work. The building's frame had to be erected as quickly as possible, and the walls and roof clad in granite and slate in order to shelter the construction team from the savage elements. Nor is the building itself completely immune to the weather: Hafod Eryri will close when the summer season ends. The windows will be closed and shuttered, and all the water drained away. As the snows fall, it will become little more than a picturesque rock pile. This, truly, is architecture in extremis.
Hafod Eryri stands on the same foundations as the 1930s cafe it replaced. Its steel structure is clad with aluminium and then faced in Portuguese stone. Why not Welsh stone? There is some, from nearby Blaenau Ffestiniog, but the curious workings of the global economy mean that it has been cheaper to ship stone from across the Bay of Biscay than to cut and hew it from Snowdonia itself. The stones are finely laid, and animated on the exterior by five carved stanzas composed especially for the building by the poet Gwyn Thomas. "The summit of Snowdon, here you are nearer to heaven", reads one. "All around us are the grandeur and the anguish of an old, old nation", says another.
Inside, there is a handsome room set under a sail-like roof. Huge, aluminium-framed, west-facing windows offer thrilling views that are almost impossible to take in, particularly for visitors who are getting off one train and taking another back down the improbable gradient (an average of 1 in 7.6) to Llanberis. The windows are inclined to offset the solar glare – although I have to admit that I only managed to contemplate the entire operatic view for a few minutes, before clouds enveloped the building and the rain set in with a vengeance. Even so, this is a pleasant enough place in which to hole up once the crowds have thinned. The walls are lined in timber, the floors in slate, and the overall feeling of quality and solidity is reassuring when you remember that you are on top of a mountain. Once the railway passengers and walkers have retired for the day, most of the staff settle into the building for the night. Hafod Eryri has to be both comfortable and comforting: summer workers spend virtually the entire season at the summit (it would be all but impossible to commute).
Ray Hole is the creator of a number of excellent visitor centres, including the Bentley Pavilion at Volkswagen's Autostadt at Wolfsburg in Germany, sunk underground through a seductive green granite shell; the Rainforest House in Hanover, which resembles a miniature Eden Project; and the designs for a museum in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, devoted to the anti-apartheid activist, Steve Biko. Both architect and structural engineer, Hole is adept at shaping buildings in unusual or difficult settings. Hafod Eryri is the best of the bunch; it seems something of a shame that the majority of visitors who come this way are in and out of the place within minutes.
When I take the train back down to Llanberis, nearly five miles and an hour's ride below, the new station and visitor centre vanish out of sight in little more than an instant. The last train of the day is left to hiss gently down the mountainside, offering us a final view of Snowdon and the valley below, before the veteran locomotive and its single coach are swallowed up by trees, and the peak vanishes.
The fact that Hafod Eryri fits so effortlessly into that peak is a real credit to those who designed and built it. I had wondered, at the top of the mountain, what the people pouring off the trains thought of the building. I asked about 20: three went as far as saying the building was OK; others thought it was much the same as it had been before. Clearly, and despite a truly heroic design and building process, there's no pleasing some folk – even up here, in the realm of the Celtic gods, engineering sorcery and magical architecture.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/aug/02/mount-snowdon-cafe |
| |
|
| 27 July 2009 |
| Blenz Coffee opens their sixth Okanagan location in Vernon |
| |
This particular location was previously an independent coffee house called El Portillo, owned by the current franchised partners Trevor and Caroline Koenig. Over the last few days, the employees have been transformed into Blenz baristas and the store converted into Blenz Coffee. It is by far the largest Blenz Coffee in BC with three separate seating areas, a spacious patio, and their own parking lot, making it a destination for locals and travellers alike.
The Koenigs were always fans of Blenz Coffee. When they moved to Vernon a little over a year ago they could not find a Blenz Coffee location to purchase right away so they bought El Portillo, hoping that one day they will become a part of the Blenz Coffee family. Now the whole family – Trevor, Caroline, and their two children Ashley and Ryan – are part of the team, raising the bar in the coffee house scene in Vernon. Trevor and Caroline are both graduates of the extensive Blenz Coffee Franchisee Training Program which has equipped them well to serve high quality beverages to Vernonites.
"Caroline and I are pleased to have our existing coffee business transform into Blenz Coffee," said Trevor,raving about everything Blenz Coffee. "To know that the operating system is tried and tested and to have the support of a franchise is a huge asset to us. We look forward to introducing Blenz Coffee to thecommunity of Vernon, one we are proud to be part of."
"We know their enthusiasm for business and passion for coffee will play a major part in their success in Vernon," commented David McDougall, co‐master franchisor of Blenz Coffee Okanagan, commending and welcoming the new Blenz Coffee franchisees. His business partner Graham Hawkins agrees, stating that their downtown Vernon location is already a well‐known coffee destination.
Blenz Coffee in downtown Vernon will be open from 6am to 10pm every day with Open Mic Nights every Monday featuring local musicians. In addition to the downtown location, Blenz Coffee will be opening up another location in North Vernon, which will also be operated by the Koenigs.
About Blenz The Canadian Coffee Company Ltd™
Blenz The Canadian Coffee Company Ltd is a premium retailer of handcrafted coffee, tea and other innovative and delicious specialty beverages. All of Blenz' beverages are made in‐store from only the highest quality ingredients available. Blenz' commitment to serving a great cup of coffee, providing an excellent customer experience, and providing world‐class staff training, has fuelled Blenz' growth from its inception. Blenz operates a network of over 85 franchise locations in British Columbia and abroad, including Japan and the Philippines. |
| |
|
| 27 July 2009 |
| Clothes made from coffee satisfy eco-friendly fitness fans |
| |
Most of us need that caffeine jolt to kick-start us into the day. But how many of us, over a quick cup of coffee, would think about spinning our latte on a lathe and turning it into a top?
Jason Chen, the general manager of the Taiwanese Singtex Industrial Company, had a brainwave as he was sipping coffee in - where else? - Starbucks.
Most coffee grounds end up in landfill, but Singtex is now collecting waste grounds from the drinks giant to turn into sportswear.
The process of making fabric out of coffee grounds is very similar to that used to turn bamboo into a viscose-like material. The resultant fabric is soft, light, flexible and breathable and can also be used to produce an outer shell that is water resistant. It's impregnated with 'activated' carbon, derived from coconut, which makes it UV-resistant, wicks water away, keeps the wearer cool and binds to sweat to eliminate unpleasant odours.
Singtex says the fabric is perfect for mid and base layers for adrenalin-powered sports like rock climbing, as well as walking, running and yoga. Apparently, it only takes the grounds from one cup of coffee to make enough material for a couple of T-shirts.
Singtex already makes performance sportswear out of recycled plastic bottles, as does Patagonia, the first outdoor clothing company to begin the practice in 1993. Since then, Patagonia claims to have rescued 92m bottles of pop from the tip. As plastic is oil-derived, the company has saved enough oil to fill a gas-guzzling 40-gallon Chelsea tractor 20,000 times over.
Another innovative fabric that is currently being trialled is spun from nettles. The common stinging nettle was used to produce textiles for thousands of years, until people switched to cotton in the 15th century. Now cotton's reputation has turned sour thanks to reports of the child labour used to pick it, not to mention the vast amounts of water and tonnes of herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers required by the crop.
Stinging nettles can easily be grown sustainably, organically and with little water - in fact, as most gardeners know, they hardly need any encouragement at all. Camira Fabrics, based in Yorkshire, has been working for the past four years with Defra on a fabric made from nettles and has now produced a range called Stingplus. It's a tough textile primarily created for bus and car seats.
Nettle can be turned into finer fabrics too, with a texture like linen. It has the ability to wick moisture away from the body as well as keeping the wearer cool and trapping warm air, plus being naturally anti-bacterial and mould-resistant.
Brennels, a Dutch fashion label, has started growing its own nettles in eastern Europe and has brought out a range of smart-casual clothes made from the fabric. And in the Himalayas, the giant nettle, allo, is being spun by local communities to create a fair trade, eco-friendly fabric.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jul/27/clothes-coffee |
| |
|
| 22 July 2009 |
| Red Mango introduces the first probiotic iced tea |
| |
Red Mango, the fastest-growing retailer of authentic nonfat frozen yogurt, today announced it will become the first retailer to offer made-to-order iced teas fortified with probiotics.
Three proprietary flavours, all incorporating GanedenBC30®, a patented strain of probiotic shown to help support the immune system and regulate the digestive system, are available in participating Red Mango stores beginning July 27. Additionally, Red Mango's Original, Pomegranate by POM Wonderful® and Tangomonium™ authentic frozen yogurt sold throughout New York will now include GanedenBC30 through an exclusive agreement. By September, all other Red Mango stores will have frozen yogurt with GanedenBC30.
Lemonocity™ (Lemonade Green Tea), Mysteaque™ (Vanilla Black Tea) and Fanteasia™ (Wildberry Hibiscus Tea) iced teas are each uniquely delicious, low-calorie, sweetened with natural cane sugar and contain a significant amount of probiotics, or good bacteria.
Since its inception, Red Mango has focused on educating its customers about the advantages of authentic frozen yogurt and the probiotics Red Mango contains.
"Red Mango provides easy and delicious ways to be healthy," said Dan Kim, Red Mango's founder, president and chief executive officer. "Our new iced teas have both the benefits of antioxidants and probiotics, and our frozen yogurt became even healthier with the addition of GanedenBC30."
GanedenBC30 provides additional health benefits because of its excellent stability, which helps it survive better through the digestive system. Scientists now recognise that 70 percent of our immune system is actually living in the digestive tract, which emphasises the importance of digestive health.
"Red Mango is redefining a healthy treat. Their nonfat frozen yogurt, already naturally rich in probiotics is now fortified with the GanedenBC30 strain. It's a delicious all-natural treat that is good for you," stated Dr. Steven Pratt, the physician who revolutionised the superfoods movement and author of bestselling "SuperFoodsRx" and the recently published "SuperHealth: 6 Simple Steps, 6 Easy Weeks, 1 Longer, Healthier Life."
Red Mango frozen yogurt is 100 percent natural, made in the ways real yogurt is made, and offers a deliciously authentic yogurt flavour. It contains significant amounts of live and active cultures that are beneficial to one's health, has no fat, is gluten-free and contains no preservatives or artificial ingredients.
In 2007, Red Mango became the first natural frozen yogurt concept in the US to be certified by the National Yogurt Association's Live and Active Culture seal program, which confirms that Red Mango meets or exceeds the criteria for healthy frozen yogurt.
About Red Mango
Founded in 2002 in South Korea, Red Mango opened its first US store in July 2007 in Los Angeles and has since celebrated more than 50 store openings across California, New York, Washington, Illinois, Hawaii, New Jersey, Nevada, Utah, Indiana, Arizona and Texas. Red Mango received Nation's Restaurant News' 2009 "Hot Concepts!" award and has been named the best frozen yogurt in Seattle, Las Vegas, Chicago, Utah and New York by independent publications. Headquartered in Dallas, Red Mango serves uniquely delicious frozen yogurt that is all-natural, nonfat, gluten-free and packed with beneficial live and active probiotic cultures. Red Mango's frozen yogurt has been certified by the National Yogurt Association's Live and Active Culture Seal for meeting the required criteria for healthy frozen yogurt. Red Mango is a portfolio company of CIC Partners, also headquartered in Dallas, one of the premier mid-market private equity firms in the nation. For more information about Red Mango, please visit www.redmangousa.com. For franchising information, please visit www.redmangofranchising.com.
About Ganeden Biotech
Founded in 1997, Ganeden Biotech, Inc. is based in Cleveland, Ohio and is the largest seller of over-the-counter probiotics in the US through its Digestive Advantage® and Sustenex™ brands. It also licenses its patented probiotic bacteria, GanedenBC30, for use in commercial food and beverage applications, medical foods, nutraceuticals and in animal health industries. GanedenBC30 is self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) by an independent panel of experts assembled to assess its safety in use as a food ingredient. For information about GanedenBC30, visit www.ganedenbc30.com and for licensing information, visit www.ganedenlabs.com.
About Steven Pratt, M.D.
Steven Pratt, M.D. is the author of "SuperHealth" and the bestselling "SuperFoodsRx" books and is the scientific brain behind the growing SuperFoodsRx brand. He is a nationally recognised medical authority on diet, lifestyle and longevity science. In scientific forums around the world, Dr. Pratt has lectured on diet and its relation to chronic disease. He is a senior member of the medical staff at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California. |
| |
|
| 21 July 2009 |
| 2008 organic coffee market tops $1.3 billion in North America, new data shows |
| |
Consumers have spoken loud and clear
Consumers choose to support organic agriculture even when times get tough. Consumers are being more selective and increasingly moving toward products they perceive to provide real and lasting value, both personal and to the environment.
The ten participants in the Collaboration are Caffe Ibis (Logan, UT), Chiapas Farms (Austin, TX), Crimson Cup (Columbus, OH), Elan Organic Coffee (San Diego, CA), Equator Estate Coffees and Teas (San Rafael, CA), Green Mountain Coffee (Waterbury, VT), Maximus Coffee Group (Houston, TX), S&D Coffee (Concord, NC), Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company (Burnaby, BC, Canada), and True Origin Organics (Weston, FL and Bogotá, Colombia). These participants represent some of the newest companies on the market as well as well known firms that source, decaffeinate, or roast for the largest companies in the United States.
According to The North American Organic Coffee Industry Survey 2009 by Giovannucci (with support from the Specialty Coffee Association of America), approximately 89 million pounds of organic coffee were imported into the United States and Canada in 2008, a 12 percent increase from 2007, with most of the sales taking place in the US. The 29 percent annual average growth rate for the organic category documented by Giovannucci between 2000 and 2008 dwarfs the estimated 1.5 percent projected annual growth rate of the conventional coffee industry. The survey is available from the Organic Trade Association.
"Consumers have spoken loud and clear," said Christine Bushway, OTA executive director. "Consumers choose to support organic agriculture even when times get tough." Giovannucci agrees. "Consumers are being more selective and increasingly moving toward products they perceive to provide real and lasting value, both personal and to the environment."
Union Square Cafe, which has earned Zagat Survey's #1 ranking as New York's Most Popular Restaurant for an unprecedented eight years, is one of the many restaurants and other food establishments across the US offering organic coffees to their discriminating clientele.
Background
Organic coffee is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, avoid the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers, and build biologically diverse agriculture. Third-party certification organisations verify that organic farmers use only methods and materials allowed in organic production.
The Organic Coffee Collaboration - a project of the Organic Trade Association, the business association for the North American organic industry, includes:
CAFFE IBIS (Logan, UT) - An award-winning "green business," Caffe Ibis is a custom coffee roasting house featuring triple certified--organic, Fair Trade, and Smithsonian Shade Grown "Bird-Friendly®"- coffees, mountain grown, mountain roasted. Caffe Ibis® also operates a celebrated gallery/deli-licious espresso bar. University franchise, private label, equipment programs, monthly specials, and consulting services are available.
CHIAPAS FARMS (Austin, TX) - Chiapas Farms specialises in superior fair trade foods. Its Café de Chiapas coffee is from an organic/fair trade cooperative in the Chiapas, Mexico highlands. The coffee has a nutty and buttery taste with a smooth, slightly sweet finish. The product is offered in dark and medium roast and available online.
CRIMSON CUP (Columbus, OH) - Since 1991, Crimson Cup® Coffee & Tea has roasted and packaged great-tasting coffee in Columbus, Ohio. Led by Harvard "Crimson" graduate Greg Ubert, Crimson Cup offers a full line of certified organic Fair Trade coffee and teas to over 350 coffee houses, colleges and universities and grocers throughout 26 states.
ELAN ORGANIC COFFEES (San Diego, CA) - Elan Organic Coffees is a coffee developer and importer offering certified organic socially responsible and Bird Friendly® coffees it has developed through partnerships with village co-ops in coffee-producing countries. Elan has pioneered the supply of the world's finest certified organic coffees, while supporting farmers and protecting the environment.
EQUATOR ESTATE COFFEES & TEAS (San Rafael, CA) - Equator is known for its distinctive specialty coffees, socially responsible sourcing, and longstanding relationships with prominent chefs and national retailers who are passionate about quality. The women-owned company procures exceptional certified organic coffees from farmers who practice environmental stewardship, resulting in an empowered supply chain from crop to cup.
GREEN MOUNTAIN COFFEE (Waterbury, VT) - Green Mountain Coffee is recognised as a leader in the specialty coffee industry for its award-winning coffees and socially and environmentally responsible business practices. Green Mountain Coffee offers a broad selection of double-certified organic and Fair Trade coffees under the Green Mountain Coffee® and Newman's Own® Organics brands.
MAXIMUS COFFEE GROUP (Houston, TX) - Maximus Coffee Group's carbon dioxide (CO2) / triple-filtered water decaffeination process is the only decaffeination plant in the US that supplies coffee that is both naturally decaffeinated and USDA Organic certified. It is an EPA Green Power Partner with one-third of its energy coming from alternative sources.
ORGANIC TRADE ASSOCIATION (Greenfield, MA) - OTA's mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy. OTA's members include farmers, processors, importers, distributors, retailers, certifiers, and more.
S&D COFFEE (Concord, NC) - S&D is the second largest coffee roaster in the United States supplying both conventional and organic coffees. The company feels strongly about fostering sustainable agriculture and promoting a healthy planet. Quality Assurance International (QAI) certifies S&D's six organic coffees sold under the Buffalo & Spring label.
SWISS WATER DECAFFEINATED COFFEE COMPANY (Burnaby, BC, Canada) - A wholesome process for decaffeinating coffee - pure water, 100% chemical free - ensures the best of the bean remains, while only caffeine is removed. Swiss Water decaffeinates organic coffees for premium roasters. Look for the SWISS WATER® seal on packs or in stores to guarantee remarkable tasting 99.9% caffeine-free coffee.
TRUE ORIGIN ORGANICS (Weston, FL and Bogotá, Colombia) - True Origin Organics premium Colombian coffee hails from the magnificent Santa Marta and Tierradentro valleys. Like fine wine, our coffee has one true origin. It is harvested, roasted and packed right where it grows. True Origins Organics is available at East Coast specialty and natural stores and mid-Atlantic Whole Foods Markets.
See http://www.ota.com/organic_and_you/coffee_collaboration.html for further information on the Organic Coffee Collaboration. |
| |
|
| 20 July 2009 |
| The great tea break |
| |
At the Happy Valley estate, where large painted signs boast of providing organic tea to Harrods, it was unnaturally quiet. Usually at this time of year – midway through the second flush, or crop – these steep hillsides of densely planted bushes would be filled with women plucking the leaves and dropping them into woven baskets on their backs.
Instead, they sit inside their small, sheet-metal shacks, idling away the damp afternoon.
Across the Darjeeling hills, life has come to a standstill. An indefinite strike, or "bandh", called last week by activists demanding a separate state, has closed down schools, roads, businesses, hotels and – crucially – the tea estates. As a result, the day labourers who earn just 53 rupees (66p) a day picking tea to be sold to well-heeled customers in London's Knightsbridge, are currently getting nothing.
Yet – remarkably, in view of the hardship they are enduring – these workers support the strike and its goals. Most of them are ethnic Gorkhas and believe the creation of Gorkhaland will transform their lives. "Suffering falls on you when you cannot work," said one tea picker, a 30-year-old woman, bouncing a baby on her knee. "But everything will change if we get Gorkhaland. We will get good jobs, education, everything."
The demand for a Gorkha state – but one that would remain firmly part of India – is nothing new. Two decades ago these steeply forested valleys, around which the mist can wrap itself for days, were awash with separatist violence and a counter-insurgency operation that killed at least 1,200 people before a ceasefire was brokered. Now, having turned their backs on violence, a Gorkha political party formed two years ago, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), says it is using tactics pioneered by Mahatma Gandhi to try and secure its goals. The GJM's green, yellow and white flags can be seen flying from homes and buildings across the hills, or else painted onto walls alongside slogans demanding a homeland.
The agitation for a separate state has both an economic and social basis. Ever since independence, say activists, the Darjeeling region has been overlooked by the West Bengal state government in Kolkata. There are not enough schools, not enough hospitals and insufficient development. Darjeeling, once known as the Queen of the Hills, is now a shabbily-dressed commoner, suffering from broken roads and a crumbling infrastructure. It is a terrible irony that in one of the wettest parts of India there is a severe shortage of water. Every day people use plastic containers to collect water from tankers and broken pipes.
Beyond the economic factors, there is an issue of identity. The Gorkhas, who can be found from Nepal across a swathe of northern India, say they suffer intense discrimination from other Indians.
"Whenever we go anywhere like Delhi or Mumbai, people think we're foreigners. They think we are from Nepal," said Anuphang Subha, who owns a business in the town. "If we have Gorkhaland, people will know we are from India."
The drive for Gorkhaland is being led by Bimal Gurung, a former "hard man" who formed the GJM after falling out with another Gorkha leader who had led the separatist movement for the previous three decades. He is known as a passionate speaker, capable of rousing a crowd.
One morning last week, Mr Gurung spoke in front of hundreds gathered in a large hall at the town's Gymkhana Club. The Club was built 100 years ago by the British, who established Darjeeling as a summer retreat and tea-producing area in the mid-19th century. The event was to launch the publication of a booklet, Why Gorkhaland?
It was also Mr Gurung's birthday, and before his speech supporters queued to place silk scarves around his neck – a traditional gesture of respect. Such was the length of the queue that one of Mr Gurung's aides had to stand behind him removing the scarves to make space for new ones to be placed around his neck.
The GJM leader had previously said he would publicly shoot himself if he failed to achieve a separate state by March 2010. On this morning, however, he asked the audience for patience. That deadline "was my vision. We are technically working towards achieving Gorkhaland within that period," he said. "However, there would be some delay, or maybe it could be achieved earlier also. Even God can make mistakes. I am just a human being."
The crowd cheered and clapped. One elegant, grey-haired woman in a green sari, named Moni Mukia, approached to explain why Bimal Gurung was their "saviour".
"A schoolgirl produced a poster spelling out his first name," said the enthusiastic wife of a retired tea planter. "B is for brave, I is for intelligent, M is for merciful, A is for aggressive, L is for liberator."
In an interview, Mr Gurung said the strike was designed to force the politicians in Delhi to take notice. The federal government had agreed to another round of three-way talks with the GJM and officials from West Bengal next month, but he said he wanted quicker action. Asked whether the strike – enforced by GJM supporters who have set up roadblocks across the hills while the police remain inside their buildings – was legal, he responded that "It is beside the point whether it is legal or not legal. We are doing what we need to do."
Mr Gurung is aware that one of the key levers at his disposal is to put pressure on the region's 87 tea estates, many owned by wealthy, well-connected individuals based in Kolkata. The estates support almost half of the region's 1.6 million residents and the dilemma for the GJM is that by preventing day labourers from working the strikes have a severe impact on some of the poorest members of the community.
"I feel both sympathy and anger," said Ashok Lohia, who owns several estates including the famed Chamong tea gardens. "If you want to work in the area, you have to get on with the local guys. At the same time, you don't want to lose money" because of the strikes, he said.
Not everyone agrees with the GJM or its tactics. There are whispers and grumbles about the impact on the local economy, about how tourists have been kept away, and about the need to obtain permits from the GJM to travel out of town for such necessities as a hospital visit. Few who live in the town choose to voice these views publicly, and some say that those who speak out are threatened.
"The GJM are not thinking of the public. People are suffering," said Jeevan Sharma, a photographic shop owner and one of the few in Darjeeling willing to vent his frustration. "But if you speak against them, their people threaten you. I think it's just a game with the government so that they can demand money."
However, the GJM does have the backing of one national party. At the general election held earlier this year, rather than putting up its own candidate, the separatists threw their support behind that of the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), after it backed their demand for a new state. Its candidate, Jaswant Singh, a former foreign minister with a polished-crystal accent, won by a landslide.
"All the hill people, from the north-east to Jammu and Kashmir, have their own state. Why discriminate against the Gorkhas?" said Mr Singh. "All they are asking for is a say in their own social and political destiny."
That view appears to be commonly shared among the people of Darjeeling, whether or not they are actively involved in the struggle for Gorkhaland. One evening last week, on the veranda outside the Planters' Club – another relic of the colonial era, where the pelts of leopards shot long ago still hang from the wall – members sat looking out across the valley.
There was no tea to be had, as the strike had shut down the restaurant and bar. The members recalled how Darjeeling was once famed for its sanatorium, and how the roads were washed so regularly that British "ladies" could walk in their gowns along the town's famous Mall without fear of dirtying their clothes. These days, the town's basic hospital struggles to manage, and many of the roads are filthy. "Darjeeling has been in decline since the 1960s. The area has been badly neglected," said Amargit Dhir, a retired estate manager. "There is no other option but to revolt. This is the start of revolution."
Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/the-great-tea-break-1753029.html |
| |
|
| 20 July 2009 |
| Belfast tea company storming on |
| |
The Thompson family know a thing or two about tea. The Belfast tea blenders have been importing the stuff for more than 100 years now. Its Punjana brand is one of the most popular in the local market where the blend sells the equivalent of 50,000 cups of tea an hour. The firm says its two gold awards will help the Punjana brand reach out to markets in Britain and America.
So where did the Punjana blend of tea come from?
It's a long way from Comber to the Punjab, but the inspiration for the Punjana tea brand actually came from an inscription on the Gillespie statue which stands in the centre of the County Down town.
It was an evening stroll by Mr and Mrs Thompson through Comber that sparked the idea.
And it was a reference on the plinth of the statue to the 'Punjab' which set the thought process going.
The tea importers had been looking for the right name to describe its blend and from Punjab they soon developed the place name into the more rhythmical sounding Punjana.
So was born a local food brand which has weathered the power of the supermarkets and has flowered into a healthy business, based in east Belfast.
The image of a tea-blending firm may conjure up images of a creaking old warehouse and Victorian machinery. The Punjana factory though is very different, housed in a modern factory unit off the busy Albertbridge Road.
Bomb attack
The firm ended up there following a bomb attack on a police station beside its original premises in the city centre. What proved to a temporary move to the old rope works in east Belfast followed before the 50-strong workforce finally settled in its new factory tucked between rows of terraced houses and the local leisure centre.
Progress though has come at a price in this industry and alas the days of the tea chest have all but gone. These days the tea is stored in foil lined sacks which are stacked on pallets.
A storeman steps along one aisle, his hand rhythmically counting as he strides along. "The tea in this row is from different gardens in Kenya," says Ross Thompson who is joint managing director and he points to some of the best producers which have been supplying the Thompson family for generations.
As we walk towards the production room Ross explains that a tea plant can flourish for 100 years or more and during the growing season produce the typical two leaves and a bud which can be harvested every 10 days.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8159849.stm |
| |
|
| 13 July 2009 |
| Applebee’s, Corner Bakery Cafe and its neighborhoods unite to raise $1.6 million for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation |
| |
Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar, and Corner Bakery Cafe today announced it has raised more than $1.6 million for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF). For the fifth year running, the event was led by The Rose Group, a Pennsylvania-based franchisee of Applebee’s and Corner Bakery Cafe restaurants, and its partner Apple American Group. The companies have rallied support from their local communities, raising much needed money for paediatric cancer research in memory of Alex Scott, who dedicated her short life to battling childhood cancer “one cup of lemonade at a time.”
“For the past five years, The Rose Group and Apple American Group have made it a priority to bring Alex’s dream to life,” said Harry T. Rose, chairman and CEO of The Rose Group. “And with every year that passes, we’ve come that much closer to helping cure paediatric cancer. Raising $1.6 million is no small feat and with the environment we’re in, this really speaks to the commitment of our neighbourhoods and everyone involved who took the time to make a difference in a child’s life.”
This year participating Applebee’s restaurants donated 25 cents from every glass of lemonade sold to Alex’s. Guests who donated $5 toward the charity were entered in a contest to win free Applebee’s meals for a year. Local restaurants did their part by hosting various events, including in-restaurant lemonade stands, contests, carnivals and car washes. All the restaurants involved went above and beyond their set goals, including the Pottstown Applebee’s raising more than $18,000; Trexlertown raising more than $16,000; and Easton and Allentown raising more than $12,000. Local Corner Bakery Cafe restaurants have raised more than $1,000 each by selling $1 paper lemons over the five-week initiative. Additionally, both restaurants accepted donations from individuals who just wanted to help support the cause.
The Pottstown Applebee’s pulled out all the stops with its Battle of the Bands competition on June 19 at the historic Sunnybrook Ballroom, raising more than $6,000. The event showcased local bands and DJ’s, judged by professional drummer Daoud Shaw, music producer Phil Nicolo, and Alex’s dad, Jay Scott.
“The Rose Group and Apple American Group continue to amaze us year after year with their commitment and dedication,” said Liz Scott. “Looking at how this all started with Alex and a lemonade stand in our front yard, it is absolutely incredible to see where we are today and the support we’ve received. Our heartfelt thanks go out to them for their support over the past five years.”
Overall, each store raised 125 percent of what they collected last year with in-store promotions.
“So many restaurants and communities went above and beyond expectations this year. It’s inspiring what we all can do when we work together,” continued Rose.
Starting in 2005 and armed with more than 100 restaurants in Southeastern PA, Southern NJ, Delaware, Baltimore, Wilkes Barre/Scranton and the Lehigh Valley, The Rose Group and Apple American have worked hand-in-hand over the past five years on this fundraiser. With the help of corporate sponsors and thousands of individual stands nationwide, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation has funded more than 100 research projects at over 40 institutions across the country.
About The Rose Group
The Rose Group, headquartered in Newtown, PA, is the 33rd largest restaurant franchise company in the United States. They currently own and operate 59 Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar restaurants in eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and Delaware. The company was recently selected as the first franchisee for Corner Bakery Cafe, operating four cafes in Eastern Pennsylvania with plans to add additional units in the Philadelphia and South Jersey markets. The Rose Group also co-owns and operates The Shannon Rose, an independent Irish pub and restaurant in North Jersey. More information on The Rose Group can be found on their web site at www.therosegroup.com.
About Apple American Group
Apple American Group LLC owns and operates approximately 189 Applebee’s restaurants in California, Delaware, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Washington and West Virginia. Apple American Group is the top franchise developer in the Applebee’s® system with average growth of over 10% per year. With over 11,000 employees Apple American Group is the largest franchisee in the Applebee’s® system, and is one of the 10 largest franchisees of any concept in the world.
About Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). At the age of 4, Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of volunteers across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 charity, has raised more than $25 million towards fulfilling Alex’s dream of finding a cure, funding over 100 research projects nationally including those examining leukaemia, brain tumours, neuroblastoma, Wilm's tumour, lymphoma, and osteosarcoma among others. For more information, visit www.AlexsLemonade.org. |
| |
|
| 09 July 2009 |
| Corner Bakery Cafe launches “Stay Local” summer program celebrating locally sourced produce and locally sourced fun |
| |
With Americans vacationing less this summer, according to a recent Associated Press poll, Corner Bakery Cafe today introduced its “Stay Local” program, encouraging guests to explore and rediscover summer fun in their very own neighbourhoods. Whether it is visiting their hometown’s oldest theme park, volunteering for a community project or just lounging in their backyard pools, guests are invited to fan Corner Bakery Cafe’s new Facebook page, facebook.com/CornerBakeryCafe, and share their “stay local” summer ideas, photos and videos on the Facebook wall. As a thank you, Corner Bakery Cafe will offer participants a complimentary summer sweet with the purchase of a BBLT sandwich or any other lunch or dinner entrée at participating locations. Some cafe guests will also be randomly selected to receive free BBLTs and other special menu items throughout the summer.
Doing its own part to “Stay Local”, Corner Bakery Cafe is using locally sourced tomatoes in its popular summer item, the BBLT, a double-bacon twist on the classic BLT sandwich dressed with cracked pepper balsamic mayo. From July 1 to September 7, a portion of the proceeds from every BBLT sandwich sold will go toward Corner Bakery Cafe’s newly established Community Garden Grant. At the end of the summer, donations will be made to 15 designated community gardens in Corner Bakery Cafe neighbourhoods for the tools necessary to cultivate not only fresh vegetables, but also a sense of community and accomplishment.
“We’re staying local this summer by celebrating fresh locally-sourced produce with the establishment of Corner Bakery Cafe’s first-ever Community Garden Grant,” said Ric Scicchitano, Senior Vice President of Food and Beverage. “And, as families rediscover how much fun their own communities can be, we’d love to know what our guests are doing to embrace ‘staying local’ in the neighbourhoods we serve.”
"It was such a pleasant surprise to hear that we were selected to receive a grant from the Corner Bakery Cafe,” said Madalene Stevens, President of the Temple Garden in Washington, D.C. “We're so fortunate to be able to garden in the city, and this contribution is especially meaningful because it's from a local business that buys local produce; what a wonderful cause.”
Known for its innovative menu featuring a wide variety of egg Scramblers and oatmeals for breakfast, flavourful sandwiches and signature panini, hot soups, signature salads, fresh baked goods and an extensive catering menu, Corner Bakery Cafe has been delighting guests nationwide with fresh, made-to-order food options in a welcoming and cozy atmosphere for over 17 years. With over 50 handcrafted menu items under $7, Corner Bakery Cafe offers customers both variety and value. Guests can also stay connected with free Wi-Fi.
From a small bread bakery on a corner in downtown Chicago to a national cornerstone of fast-casual dining, Corner Bakery Cafe opened its first location in 1991 and now operates more than 100 locations across the country.
About Corner Bakery Cafe
Corner Bakery Cafe is a fast-casual restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner to guests in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Jackson, Miss., Los Angeles/Orange County, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego and Washington D.C. Established in 1991, Corner Bakery Cafe restaurants are owned and operated by CBC Restaurant Corp. with more than 100 company-owned and franchised locations around the country. Founded on a philosophy of creating a place for people to relax and gather with family and friends, Corner Bakery Cafe offers a casual atmosphere featuring innovative, seasonal menu options ranging from hot breakfasts and signature panini to handcrafted salads, sandwiches and mouthwatering sweets. Recognized by Health Magazine as one of 2009’s healthiest quick-serve chains, and Parents magazine as one of the best fast-casual dining experiences for families with young children, Corner Bakery Cafe offers dine-in, to-go and catering service for any occasion. Corner Bakery Cafe delivers a premier bakery cafe experience in the heart of neighbourhoods everywhere. For more information, visit www.cornerbakerycafe.com. |
| |
|
| 07 July 2009 |
| UK crowned as ‘Best Nation’ at World Coffee Championship |
| |
With the UK winning the World Barista Championship in Atlanta back in April, all eyes turn on the four remaining world coffee championships held in Cologne in June. Once these five events had taken place the country winning the best positions in each competition take the ‘Best Nation’ crown. The UK Chapter of the SCAE hosted the Latte Art, Coffee in Good Spirits and Cup Tasting competitions at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park on Thursday 11th June, and the three winners went on to join with the entrant for the inaugural Cezve/Ibrik competition to see if the UK could not only win these but also scoop the coveted ‘Best Nation’ title.
This year the standard was exceptional and the practice and dedication that all competitors showed in their art was unparalleled. The UK entrance had a highly successful showing: placed 2nd for Coffee in Good Spirits, 3rd for Cezve/Ibrik, 6th for Latte art and 20th for Cup Tasting. Added to the win for the UK in the World Barista Championship, the UK scooped the ‘Best Nation’ title for the first time.
South Korea came second with a score of 39 and Belgium achieved third place with a score of 42.
This year’s winning of both the World Barista Championship and ‘Best Nation’ for the UK means that expectations will be high for the UK team when the 2010 World Coffee and Barista Championships comes to London in June 2010 at the Caffé Culture Show.
World Cezve/Ibrick Championship
Cezve/Ibrik coffee originates in Turkey & Greece, made using a copper pot (or Cezve/Ibrik) using fine ground coffee over a medium heat. The Uk’s entrant; Aysin Aydogdu from Mambochino in Twickenham gained the coveted 3rd place with Greek barista, Christina Koumpouni winning the contest.
Coffee in Good Spirits
The days when simply adding a shot of whisky to a coffee to make an Irish Cream have long gone, and this year’s UK entrant used a range of distinctive shots to produce a perfect coffee. Ed Buston from Clifton Coffee used a mix of Franjelico, Amaretto, Clear Chocolate Liquire and Tuacu to create his signature drink, a Bellisimo Martini which earned him 2nd position. Marta Piigli for Estonia won overall.
World Latte Art Championship
Being able to pour a design onto the top of a latte is a true skill. Add in a time limit and having to pour two lattes to match a photo of the pour you are aiming to replicate and you have a very tough competition! John Gordon from Ristretto completed his two designs to the photographic template (along with two pairs of lattes and macciatto’s) and gained an impressive 6th place ranking. Belgium barista, Peter Hernou took 1st place.
World Cup Taster
One of the most difficult of all the competitions being held at Wonderful Coffee Cologne, competitors are asked to sample 3 different coffees and judge which is the odd one out. While this sounds like it could be a simple task, the differences are all in the very subtle nuances in flavour notes such as hints of blackberries, cinnamon and even raspberry jam. With the UK’s Marie Reier from The Monmouth Coffee Company was placed in a respectable 20th position (out of 34); the winner was Russian barista Valentina Kazachkoua.
To be in with a chance of entering the 2010 World Championships you will first need to enter the UK heats. Taking part is fun, educational and allows you to meet with other barista’s in your area. Barista hopefuls wanting to represent the UK in the 2010 World Championships should email their names and contact details to helen@beyondthebean.com to be kept up to date with the UK heats. Further details will also be available at www.scae.com
About SCAE
The Speciality Coffee Association of Europe is the leading trade body for speciality coffee in Europe, which comprises over 1,200 members in over 75 countries. Its goal is to develop a forum for exchanging information and promotion through education for the participants of the Coffee Industry who have a commitment to quality and sustainable prices for the growers. For further information on the SCAE championship events please contact: John Sherwood, Executive Coordinator UKBC. T: 01258 471 843
E: jscoffeeco@aol.com / jls@bluemountaincoffeejamaica.com. W: www.scaeuk.com |
| |
|
| 07 July 2009 |
| The tea spray that can prevent skin cancer |
| |
A spray made from green tea could protect your skin against cancer. Experiments have shown the spray reduced the damaging effects of the sun's ultraviolet light.
Scientists who tested the solution at University Hospitals Case Medical Centre in Cleveland, Ohio, said the tea spray boosts the skin's in-built immune system and helps it fight off the sun's harmful effects.
Powerful disease-fighting chemicals, called polyphenols, are thought to explain tea's beneficial effects on the skin.
The number of Britons diagnosed with malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has topped 10,000 a year, according to recent figures from Cancer Research UK.
Although sunscreens can protect the skin, scientists now believe that tea could help prevent the cellular damage that leads to cancer.
They extracted polyphenols from green tea and mixed them into a solution containing water and various chemicals.
The mixture was then sprayed onto a tiny patch of skin of ten volunteers, before being exposed to ultraviolet light.
The results, published in the journal Experimental Dermatology, showed that the skin sprayed with tea was better equipped to resist cancer-related damage to cells.
A similar spray made from white tea worked just as well, said researchers.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1197976/The-tea-spray-prevent-skin-cancer.html# |
| |
|
| 07 July 2009 |
| DSC Awarded Tata Tea Group’s US Distribution |
| |
DSC Logistics, an integrated logistics and supply chain management company headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois, has been selected as Lead Logistics Partner in the United States to Tata Tea group, currently the world's second largest tea company with recently unveiled ambitions to become a global leader in good-for-you beverages. DSC will offer supply chain and logistics support for Tata Tea group’s three main products in the US: Tetley Tea, Eight O'Clock Coffee and Good Earth tea and coffee. DSC will also deliver logistics support for Empirical Group LLC which provides tea and coffee to Tata Tea group’s food service customers.
As Tata Tea group’s Lead Logistics Partner in US, DSC is working closely with the company to design and optimise its US supply chain. DSC will provide full Supply Chain Services including: Network Design, Transportation Optimisation, Logistics Center Design, and Transportation and Logistics Execution Services. DSC worked collaboratively with Tata Tea group to design a Supply Chain network that will integrate multiple business units. In addition, DSC built an Optimised Transportation Network by creating consolidation across multiple business units. Finally, DSC identified transportation opportunities for Tata Tea group to leverage the DSC MOST (Multi-Vendor Optimisation Strategy) consolidation service for retailers’ that enabled further cost reduction, and most importantly increased service levels to key customers.
“We are thrilled to welcome our newest partner. Tata Tea group is a recognised global company that is extremely capable of achieving their growth strategy here in the US. We look forward to working with them to accomplish their business goals by providing greater efficiency and flexibility in their supply chain, as well as meeting the challenges of this volatile economy," said Ann Drake, DSC’s CEO.
Chris Robinson, Tata Tea group’s US Global Logistics Manager remarked, “DSC was awarded the Tata Tea group business for a number of reasons: their level of commitment, enthusiasm, professionalism, their consolidation program and design work, which proved to us that DSC sees themselves as a long-term partner and can support us in a new and exciting journey.”
About DSC Logistics
DSC Logistics, an integrated logistics and supply chain management company headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois, focuses on supply chain capabilities that are based on changing customer needs. DSC services include Lead Logistics Partner, logistics center management, transportation management and synchronisation, business process integration, and information technology services. In today’s business environment, filled with rapid and unpredictable change, DSC manages change and information in the supply chain by being ready for anything! To learn more, please visit www.dsclogistics.com.
About Tata – North America
The Tata family of companies is emerging as one of the world’s most trusted and respected corporate names. Combining ethical values with proven business performance and leadership, Tata has a heritage of deep social commitment that has earned the trust and respect of its stakeholders.
Today, the Tata group generates more than $62.5 billion in annual revenue, 61% of which is outside India, and employs approximately 350,000 people across 80 countries and six continents. As the largest India-headquartered multinational in North America, Tata generates $5 billion of revenue in the United States and Canada, encompasses 80 plants, offices and facilities and employs approximately 18,000 people. The Tata group includes such leading companies as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Corus, The Pierre New York, Taj Boston, and the Campton Place hotel in San Francisco, Tata Tea group which houses Tetley Tea, Good Earth Teas, Eight O’Clock Coffee, General Chemical Industrial Products and TBSS. In addition, Tata Motors, India’s largest automobile company and Tata Communications, a global telecommunications provider, are two Tata companies whose shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange. |
| |
|
| 06 July 2009 |
| Coffee Wholesale USA adds Eight O'Clock Coffee |
| |
Coffee Wholesale USA announces the addition of the Eight O'Clock Coffee® brand to its product lineup and expansions of Bunn® and Krups® product lines.
"We are excited to bring another terrific product line to our growing range of coffee brands," said Chris Deel, Managing Director of eBeverage Wholesale, "as we continue to provide our customers the broadest range of premium quality beverage products anywhere on the internet."
"We are equally excited to offer new coffee brewers from the Bunn lineup to better support our commercial customers, providing more options in the gourmet coffee brewing arena. For our small office and home consumers, we have extended the Krups brand to include newly introduced upscale coffee makers and kitchen equipment."
Some of our new product additions include:
* Eight O'Clock Coffee 100% Colombian Beans
* Eight O'Clock Coffee Original Blend Ground
* Krups KM8105 Professional Series Die Cast Coffee Maker
* Krups KT4065 Precision Thermal Coffee Machine
* Bunn Axiom 0/6 Twin Coffee Maker
* Bunn Axiom Twin APS Airpot Brewer
About Eight O'Clock Coffee
Eight O'Clock Coffee offers a full line of premium coffee varieties in ground and whole bean forms. The Eight O'Clock Coffee Co. is headquartered in Montvale, N.J., manufactured in Landover, Md. Eight O'Clock Coffee is owned by the Tata Group, the largest India-headquartered multinational in North America, with more than 80 offices and 20,000 employees in the US and Canada. For more information about Eight O'Clock Coffee, visit www.eightoclock.com.
About Bunn
Founded in 1957 and based in Springfield, Illinois, US, the Bunn-O-Matic Corporation sells its retail and commercial beverage equipment through distributors worldwide. BUNN's quality beverage equipment includes coffee brewers and grinders; liquid coffee dispensers, iced tea brewers; cappuccino, granita, and juice machines; super-automatic espresso systems; precise temperature water systems; water quality systems and paper filters.
About Krups
Krups engineers coffee machines and food preparation appliances that provide functional, rigorous European design at the highest level of technical perfection, performance and quality. Designed and built for those who continuously seek out authentic gourmet experiences and take pleasure in discovering how things are done well. Krups is a subsidiary of Groupe SEB the world leader in small appliances.
About Coffee Wholesale USA
Coffee Wholesale USA is a brand of eBeverage Wholesale LLC, and is a leader in providing both residential and commercial customers an easier, lower cost solution for ordering coffee and coffee equipment, teas, instant mixes, sports drinks, and other related beverage products and supplies. We offer more than 2,000 different beverage products, equipment, and supplies from more than 50 brands and manufacturers, including our own brand - All Day Gourmet. When you want to order some coffee, tea, sports drinks, cappuccino, hot cocoa, or the equipment to make it, make sure you visit us on the web at www.cw-usa.com |
| |
|
| 06 July 2009 |
| The Coffee Club to deploy MICROS Simphony POS to more than 200 stores |
| |
MICROS Systems, Inc., a leading provider of information technology solutions for the hospitality and retail industries, is pleased to announce that The Coffee Club has commenced an enterprise-wide deployment of Simphony, MICROS's next generation point-of-sale (POS) solution. Simphony will be installed in over 200 The Coffee Club stores across Australia and New Zealand over the next six months and will support The Coffee Club's growth in Australia.
With a key focus on providing 'Good food, Great service, and Excellent Coffee', The Coffee Club is renowned for its relaxed atmosphere. When selecting a new POS system, The Coffee Club placed reliability and store-level resilience at the top of its wish list, making Simphony an obvious choice.
Simphony's intuitive next generation technology and service oriented architecture will ensure maximum benefits for The Coffee Club's 200-plus franchisees in a time of economic uncertainty.
"With our store base growing rapidly across Australia and New Zealand, we had to make sure our next generation POS could satisfy our rigorous expansion plans," stated Rod Wakefield, CEO of The Coffee Club. "Simphony gives us strong reporting and control capabilities at the corporate office level, while providing our stores a reliable and easy-to-learn system."
"We are delighted that The Coffee Club selected Simphony after having utilized our MICROS 9700 solution for a number of years," stated Stefan M. Piringer, President of MICROS-Fidelio Asia Pacific. "MICROS enjoys a strong partnership with The Coffee Club and the scalability of the latest generation Simphony POS will provide exciting new opportunities to grow its business at a rapid pace."
About The Coffee Club
Since being founded in Queensland in 1989, a strong and successful franchise model has enabled The Coffee Club to expand its presence in Australia and overseas, and increase its brand awareness as a contemporary, relaxed and stylish place to meet. With more than 200 stores in Australia and New Zealand, The Coffee Club's growth and brand integrity has been backed by best practice franchising systems including outstanding training and operational support set alongside innovative marketing strategies.
The appointment of overseas master Franchisees has seen rapid expansion in New Zealand, a first store for Thailand open in 2009, and a number of opportunities in other markets of the world on the horizon for the group.
The Coffee Club is dedicated to partnering with Franchisees and providing their customers with first class service through adherence to strict, professional service standards.
About MICROS Systems, Inc
MICROS Systems, Inc. provides enterprise applications for the hospitality and retail industries worldwide. Over 310,000 MICROS systems are currently installed in table and quick service restaurants, hotels, motels, casinos, leisure and entertainment, and retail operations in more than 130 countries, and on all seven continents. In addition, MICROS provides property management systems, central reservation and customer information solutions under the brand MICROS-Fidelio for more than 25,000 hotels worldwide, as well as point-of-sale, loss prevention, and cross-channel functionality through its MICROS-Retail division for more than 90,000 retail stores worldwide. MICROS stock is traded through NASDAQ under the symbol MCRS. For more information on MICROS and its advanced information technology solutions for the hospitality industry, contact Louise Casamento, Vice President of Marketing at +1-(443)-285-8144 or +1-(866)-287-4736, or visit www.micros.com. |
| |
|
| 05 July 2009 |
| Coffee 'could cure Alzheimer's' |
| |
Dr Gary Arendash, an American neuroscientist, claims to have uncovered evidence that caffeine not only helps to stave off the disease but can treat it.
A key aspect of Alzheimer's is sticky clumps of an abnormal protein in the brain called beta amyloid plaques. At the end of the two-month study, the caffeine-drinking mice performed far better on tests of memory and thinking than mice given only water. Their memories were as sharp as those of healthy older mice without dementia. Humans receiving an equivalent dose for their body weight would be consuming 500 milligrams of caffeine a day, equivalent to five cups of ordinary coffee.
The same amount of caffeine can be obtained by drinking two cups of strong coffee, 14 cups of tea, or 20 cola drinks.
Dr Arendash, who led the study at the Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Centre (ADRC) in Tampa, said: "The new findings provide evidence that caffeine could be a viable 'treatment' for established Alzheimer's disease, and not simply a protective strategy."
"That's important because caffeine is a safe drug for most people. It easily enters the brain, and it appears to directly affect the disease process."
Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, which affects around 700,000 people in the UK. That figure is expected to double by 2025.
It has been estimated that dementia costs the UK a total of £17 billion a year.
Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "It is too early to say whether drinking coffee or taking caffeine supplements will help people with Alzheimer's."
"With no cure yet, research into treatments that could help people with Alzheimer's is vital."
Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, said: "Much more research is needed to determine whether drinking coffee has the same impact in people."
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/elderhealth/5749060/Coffee-could-cure-Alzheimers.html |
| |
|
| 03 July 2009 |
| Coffee company combats human trafficking, one cup at a time |
| |
Typically, the coffee artisans at the Seattle-based Storyville Coffee Company have one thing on their collective mind - helping people to brew the perfect cup of coffee at home. It's an obsession that borders on fanaticism.
But recently, Storyville made the radical decision to give away everything earned during the month of May - not just profits, but every penny from every sale - to International Justice Mission (IJM), a human rights agency that rescues victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of oppression. Every purchase was effectively a donation to IJM.
The results? During the "Give It All Away in May" campaign, Storyville raised enough money for IJM - which currently operates in 12 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America - to expand its work into Ecuador.
The International Labour Organization estimates that thousands of minors in Ecuador are being exploited in prostitution. Ecuadorian children are also being trafficked to Western Europe, particularly Spain and Italy, and to other countries in Latin America. In partnership with a local human rights agency, Paz y Esperanza, IJM will fight for these young victims.
"It's an honour for us to be a part of this great endeavour, making justice a reality for those who desperately need advocates," says Storyville Co-President Chad Turnbull.
Experts claim there are more slaves in the world today than at any other time in human history. The United Nations estimates that as many as 27 million people are held in slavery, including nearly 2 million children who are exploited in the global commercial sex trade each year.
"We're excited about the difference a six-figure contribution will make in Ecuador, but we're still aware of the magnitude of the problem - a $32 billion dollar human trafficking industry. We want to do more. We will do more," Turnbull adds.
During their May campaign, Storyville also redefined the term "Coffee House" with a series of 17 private concerts held in people's homes across the US to help raise support and awareness for IJM and its fight against human exploitation. More concerts are being planned for the future to benefit IJM.
IJM's Pamela Livingston concludes, "We are so thankful for Storyville Coffee and their partnership in the fight for justice. This radical model of philanthropy is an inspiration to the IJM staff and our supporters."
The Storyville Story
Based in Seattle, Storyville Coffee Company is dedicated to helping people create a true coffee ritual at home ... rather than settling for a quick caffeine fix from Big Coffee. It is a point of pride for Storyville to roast, bag and rush their beans to customers ... all in the same day. To learn more, visit http://www.storyville.com. |
| |
|
| 03 July 2009 |
| Coffee Republic set for administration |
| |
The future of Coffee Republic, the coffee shop chain, was in doubt this evening after it asked for trading in its shares to be suspended ahead of the appointment of administrators to a number of subsidiaries, including its UK offshoot.
The development surprised some observers as in December the company had announced it had cleared all its debts and expected to become cash flow positive and earnings positive by the end of the current financial year for the first time in its history.
At the time, it said that trading in its core UK business had stabilised, although it continued to "proceed warily" on expansion.
The company was founded by brother and sister Bobby and Sahar Hashemi in 1995 but for years struggled to reach profitability amid ambitious expansion. It also failed to keep pace with competitors including Starbucks and Caffe Nero, both of which are now considerably bigger.
Mr Hashemi, who had sought to reinvent the brand as a New York-style deli, was ousted in October 2007 by chairman Peter Breach and chief executive Steven Bartlett, the property developers who built up a significant stake in Coffee Republic before seizing control.
Today, the company has about 200 Coffee Republic outlets worldwide, including 14 overseas, although 57 are franchises and 110 are independent outlets that serve its branded coffee.
Analysts said that weakness of the Coffee Republic brand had almost certainly been exposed by the recessionary trading environment.
Source: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article6632780.ece |
| |
|
| 01 July 2009 |
| Cafe Aid for Dementia Sufferers |
| |
A "memory cafe" for people suffering with forms of dementia is to open in Westbury in Wiltshire.
The cafe, the first in the county, is to be run by Alzheimer's Support and funded by Wiltshire County Council.
Its first session will take place at The Barn at Fulling Bridge Farm, on Thursday, 9 July.
"By talking about the condition, people with dementia and their families can better manage their own situation," a spokesman said.
Wiltshire Council deputy leader John Thomson added: "This new cafe is a great development and is based on what we know works."
"It will offer a friendly and welcoming place where families can go together and find out how others deal with the illness and its consequences."
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/england/wiltshire/8129000.stm |
| |
|
| 01 July 2009 |
| Row Over Beach Cafe Toilet Block |
| |
The manager of a Dorset beach cafe says her customers have to use unsafe public toilets "full of flashers" because she is not allowed to build her own.
Mary Ingram and her partner lease Cafe Riva on the cliff at Southbourne Beach from Bournemouth Borough Council.
They received planning consent to build toilets but the council, as their landlord, has since blocked the move.
The council has said it refused the work to prevent legal challenges due to a 98-year-old covenant on the land.
Ms Ingram said the covenant could be lifted or varied by the council because it was no longer applicable. She said the public toilets were frequented by drug users, prostitutes and flashers.
She said: "I have young boys coming in saying they have been flashed at. I have one young member of staff who won't go to the toilet alone."
She said some residents were using the covenant, put in place by the Portman Estate in 1911, to say their nearby properties must be protected from development.
The council has given Ms Ingram permission to build a smaller development instead.
During the summer months, the public facilities close at 1800 BST but the cafe remains open until 2300 BST.
'Complete farce'
"The council has sided with two locals rather than saying our staff and customers must use safe toilets," she said.
"They live nearly half a kilometre away from the cafe, so the whole thing is a complete farce," she said.
"This is a violation of people's basic human rights."
The council declined to comment but councillors decided at the meeting that the site's expansion "needs to be on a scale ancillary to the open space to minimise the potential for legal challenge because of the covenants applicable to the land".
They said their decision maintained "the current level of provision and enables officers' time to be focused on the priority schemes in the council's Annual Service Plans."
It was decided there would be no further discussions with the tenant on any development proposals during the remaining term of the 16-year lease.
Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/england/dorset/8127212.stm |
| |
|
| 29 June 2009 |
| Peet's Coffee & Tea Introduces Distinctive New Line of Bottled Iced Teas |
| |
Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc., the premier specialty coffee and tea company in the US, today announced the introduction of Peet's Bottled Iced Teas, a line of exceptional ready to drink teas made from Peet's whole tea leaves.
The six new iced tea varieties are crafted from green, oolong, white and black teas. Five of the six are complimented with all natural flavours such as peach, mint, citrus and honey to accentuate the unique flavour characteristics inherent in each tea. The result is very refreshing, true tea flavour, ranging from light and delicate to robust and full-bodied depending on the tea varietal. Peet's Bottled Iced Teas are all natural, very lightly sweetened and include an unsweetened version.
"We've taken everything we know from our 43 years in the tea business and crafted unique recipes that bring out the best flavour in each iced tea," said Eliot Jordan, Peet's Tea Master of nearly 20 years. "It took us about five years to perfect this and get true tea taste into a bottle, but I think we finally got it right."
In the process of developing the exacting recipes, Jordan has cupped countless whole leaf teas from around the world and tinkered endlessly to create just the right tea blends. Unlike most other bottled teas made from powdered tea leaves, Peet's uses only the highest quality whole leaf teas sourced from the top 2% of tea in the world.
According to Chris Lansing, Vice President/General Manager at Peet's, cold tea is the primary way in which people consume tea in the US and over the last several years, the bottled tea market has grown steadily at about 15 percent.
"Our bottled iced teas are everything you'd expect from Peet's - extraordinarily high quality tea brewed so that the real taste of the tea shines through. The refreshing true tea taste stands out among the many 'tea sodas' that are sugary or artificially-flavoured," said Lansing.
"What many people don't know is that Alfred Peet, our founder, started in the tea business before becoming internationally renowned for his coffee," added Lansing. "We are excited to have finally captured the extraordinary quality and taste of our teas, cold in a bottle, for the first time."
Peet's Bottled Iced Tea comes in a distinctively shaped 15 oz glass bottle. The teas are initially available at 25 Peet's retail outlets in Northern California, Raley's, Bel Air, Nob Hill and Nugget Markets grocery stores in California and Nevada as well as select Whole Foods stores. The teas are also available at select Costco stores (all in Northern California).
The six varieties currently available include:
• Jade Green Lime Tea
• Little Dragon Peach Tea
• Moroccan Mint Green Tea
• Snow Leopard Tea with Honey
• Summer House Citrus Tea
• Summer House Classic Tea (unsweetened)
For more information, or to find the outlet nearest you visit www.peetstea.com.
About Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc.
Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc. is the premier specialty coffee and tea company in the United States. Peet's buys the highest quality beans in the world, artisan roasts every bean by hand to order, and delivers all of its coffee quickly for superior freshness no matter where it is sold. Founded in 1966 in Berkeley, California by Alfred Peet, who is widely recognised as the grandfather of specialty coffee in the US, Peet's has a rapidly growing, passionate customer following that seeks out Peet's coffees wherever they go. Peet's is committed to strategically growing its business through many channels without compromising the extraordinary quality of its coffee. For more information about Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc. visit www.peets.com. |
| |
|
| 27 June 2009 |
| Price of Tea Could Rise Due to Supply Shortages |
| |
Kenyan tea costs 21 per cent more than it did this time last year, while Sri Lankan tea is up 25 per cent. Increases are already being felt in supermarkets, but consumers have so far been sheltered from the worst of the hit, according to The Grocer.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation has warned of a significant shortage in supply because of heatwaves and late spring rains.
Some prices are already rising - as are those of milk, sugar, and coffee, the magazine adds.
Promotions involving price cuts have helped keep increases down but they can only go so far, The Grocer notes.
Source:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/5651619/Price-of-tea-could-rise-due-to-supply-shortages.html |
| |
|
| 27 June 2009 |
| Starbucks Coffee Company and Rwandan Government Discuss ongoing Partnership |
| |
Today during his third visit to Rwanda, Starbucks Coffee Company chairman, president and ceo, Howard Schultz, met with Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame to discuss and build on the investments Starbucks has made in East Africa over the past five years as well as future opportunities. Additionally, Schultz will participate in the upcoming grand opening of the Starbucks Farmer Support Center in Kigali.
“Through our commitment to, and partnership with, the Rwandan government, local NGOs and coffee farmers throughout East Africa, Starbucks hopes to participate in a market ecosystem that benefits all partners involved,” Schultz said.
“The partnership between Starbucks and Rwanda is a real example of a country and business coming together for the greater good. This collaboration is in line with Rwanda’s determination to work closely with investors to build and sustain long and mutually beneficial relationships. We look forward to working with Starbucks and strengthening our relationship over the coming years,” said President Paul Kagame.
The Rwandan Farmer Support Center (FSC) will work with East African coffee communities to improve coffee quality and growing practices. The team will work in the region to increase the number of farmers supplying Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ coffee, which is produced according to Starbucks responsibly grown, ethically traded coffee buying guidelines. Since the opening of the company’s Costa Rican FSC, Starbucks has seen improvements in quality evaluation scores, as much as 20 percent increase in yields per hectare, up to an 80 percent reduction in the use of pesticides and a five percent increase in suppliers’ performance scores for participating growers in that region.
Today’s announcements build on the investments Starbucks has made in East Africa over the past five years. These include:
• Doubling the amount of East African coffee purchased from 2006 to 2008.
• More than US$6.4 million to help East African coffee farmers and communities through grants focused on education, health services and capacity building.
• Programs with non-profit organizations such as CARE, AfriCare, African Wildlife Fund and WaterAid to address rural development challenges in the region – such as access to clean water and protecting biodiversity areas.
• An additional US$1 million into a program to provide access to low interest loans to East African coffee farmers through the non-profit lender Root Capital, for a total of US$10 million in loans to coffee farmers worldwide. Starbucks has stated a commitment to provide $20 million in farmer loans by 2015.
About Starbucks
Starbucks Coffee Company provides an uplifting experience that enriches people’s lives one moment, one human being, one extraordinary cup of coffee at a time. To share in the experience, visit www.starbucks.com. |
| |
|
| 25 June 2009 |
| Starbucks Reinvents the Store Experience to Speak to the Heart and Soul of Local Communities |
| |
Starbucks Coffee Company today announced its new global store design strategy, setting the stage for a reinvigorated customer experience. Inspired by Starbucks™ Shared Planet™, the company’s ongoing commitment to ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship and community involvement, the new designs will reflect the character of each store’s surrounding neighbourhood and help to reduce environmental impacts.
As company-operated stores are built and renovated, Starbucks will source materials and employ craftsmen on a localised basis, and will incorporate reused and recycled elements where possible. Starbucks aims to achieve LEED® certification for all new company-operated stores beginning in 2010. In addition, Starbucks will provide licensed stores and other business partners with design plans and guidance on construction.
“We recognise the importance of continuously evolving with our customers’ interests, lifestyles and values in order to stay relevant over the long term,” said Arthur Rubinfeld, president, Starbucks Global Development. “Our new design approach will allow customers to feel truly at home when visiting their local store and give them opportunities for discovery at our other locations around the world.”
While the new store designs are highly interpretive, they share several core characteristics:
• Celebration of local materials and craftsmanship
• Focus on reused and recycled elements
• Exposure of structural integrity and authentic roots
• Elevation of coffee and removal of unnecessary distractions
• Storytelling and customer engagement through all five senses, and
• Flexibility to meet the needs of many customer types – individual readers and computer users, as well as work, study and social groups.
“Ultimately, we hope customers will feel an enhanced sense of community, a deeper connection to our coffee heritage and a greater level of commitment to environmental consciousness,” added Rubinfeld.
Credited for creating the store atmosphere that helped define the Starbucks brand in the early 1990s, Rubinfeld returned to Starbucks in February 2008.
Starbucks new store design strategy aligns with specific long-term goals related to energy and water conservation, recycling and green construction:
• Derive 50 percent of the energy used in company-operated stores from renewable sources by 2010
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by making company-operated stores 25 percent more energy efficient by 2010
• Achieve LEED® certification for all new company-operated stores worldwide by late 2010
• Ensure 100 percent of cup supply will be reusable or recyclable by 2015, and
• Make recycling available in company-operated stores where Starbucks controls waste collection by 2015.
Starbucks recently completed construction on three stores that exhibit the company’s new design strategy:
Opened in March 2009, the 1st Avenue & Pike Street store in Seattle is located near Pike Place Market, just blocks away from the original Starbucks store. Many of the materials used are warm and rustic, reflecting the look and feel of a workmen’s commissary. The columns, floor and ceiling were preserved from existing buildings; the wood in the cabinets was repurposed from fallen trees in the Seattle area; the leather on the face of the bar is scrap leather obtained from shoe and automobile factories; and the community table came from a local restaurant.
The Paris Disney Village store, which opened in mid-June 2009, reflects the rich local culture and takes a playful, storybook approach with educational and large-scale items that encourage parent-child interaction. The wooden cladding on the bulkhead is made from reclaimed Champagne racks; the countertop is made from a material containing recycled mobile phone parts; the walk-off entrance mats were made with recycled rubber from French aircraft tires; and the unique ventilation system utilises natural convection-exhausting heat that rises through a titanium-panelled tower, significantly reducing energy use.
In late June 2009, Starbucks will reopen a renovated store in Seattle’s University Village. This space channels the creative and intellectual pulse of the neighbourhood with features that make it an inviting venue for students and shoppers alike. The countertop bar contains 85 percent recycled content; the Douglas fir in the wall fixtures and cabinets was reclaimed from school bleachers; the information piece on the bar utilises recycled slate from a local school; and the redwood siding on the store’s exterior was reclaimed from hop vine poles in Eastern Washington.
All three stores are currently registered to be LEED® certified. Over the course of the next year, Starbucks will replace incandescent light bulbs inside its stores with LED bulbs as part of a global retrofit program which will result in energy efficiencies and cost savings. The company is also placing plaques throughout its new and renovated stores to explain specific green design and construction elements.
“We hope to not only inform customers about our environmental efforts, but to motivate them to make environmentally responsible choices once they leave our stores,” said Jim Hanna, Starbucks director of Environmental Impact. “Starbucks is a values company and we place a high level of importance on doing business responsibly and conducting ourselves in ways that earn the trust and respect of our customers and neighbours.”
Rubinfeld will deliver several speeches at the Dwell on Design conference in Los Angeles June 26-28 (www.dwellondesign.com), just before debuting the company’s new design strategy with store openings in Seattle and Paris. To learn more about Starbucks Global Store Development and Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ initiatives, visit www.news.starbucks.com and www.starbucks.com/sharedplanet.
About Starbucks Coffee Company
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at www.starbucks.com. |
| |
|
| 24 June 2009 |
| SCAE UK Competition Winners Head to Cologne! |
| |
The UK Chapter of the SCAE hosted the Latte Art, Coffee in Good Spirits and Cup Tasting competitions at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park on Thursday 11th June. The newly crowned champions will go on to compete in the world championships of each competition during the ‘Wonderful Coffee Cologne’ show, June 26-28, 2009. The three new champions will join Aysin Aydogdu who will represent the UK in the Cezve/Ibrik Championship) at the same show.
During the competitions the entrants skills are put to the test, whether it be through their latte art skills, where they have to prepare lattes, macchiato and a ‘free pour’ option (of which they have to provide a photo to the judges to show the pattern they aim to produce on the day; with their keen palettes to find the ‘odd one out’ of three chosen coffees, or with the imaginative drink they have developed for Coffee in Good Spirits.
The newly crowned winners are:
• John Gordon, Ristretto, Latte Art Champion
• Edward Buston, Clifton Coffee, Coffee in Good Spirits Champion
• Maire Reier, The Monmouth Coffee Company, Cup Tasting Champion
The new champs are thrilled with their wins, and made the following comments…
John Gordon – UK Latte Art Champion
I presented 2 single leaf tulips for my macchiato, 2 wave/Rosetta’s leaning into a heart for my cap/lattes, and for my sig drink it was 2 full length rosetta’s in boat shaped platters. I think I was a bit more relaxed then in the UKBC I just wanted to have fun with this and I think that’s a big factor in being able to do these things on stage is just being happy and enjoying what you do.
The coffee I used was an Ethiopian Harrar, it’s an amazing coffee and one of the very first real coffee’s I worked with when I first started in coffee about 4 years ago.
It’s a coffee that works fantastic in a blend but for me it touches my heart with its desert chocolate, blueberry and wine flavours and creates a fantastic crema for latte art and also takes me back to when I first fell in love with being a barista. Steve Leighton has roasted some of the harrar for home and I asked if he could roast me some for the latte art comp, being the amazing person he is, he was more than happy too, it was a medium/dark roast and a beautiful espresso but also a great filter coffee. How do I feel about winning, well I didn’t really expect it at all! Without a doubt entering both the UKBC and latte art comp has improved my barista skills like I would never have imagined. I’m very excited about going to Cologne mainly because I get to meet some great baristas from around the world and I know I will improve even more no matter where I finish!
Maire Reier – UK Cup Tasting Champion
I'm originally from Estonia and my interest in coffee started already back then. I moved to London 3.5 years ago and I've been working in Monmouth Coffee Company for 2.5 years now. I'm really enjoying my job, making coffee and dealing with the beans - it is fabulous to taste and talk with our customers about the beans. I feel extremely lucky that I'm close to so much good coffee! I'm very excited about winning the UK tasting competition! This is the first time I have ever competed, and it is so amazing and unexpected to actually win! I'm looking forward to going to Cologne to represent UK and meeting lots of coffee people who are a friendly bunch!
Ed Buston - UK Coffee in Good Spirits Champion
It felt fantastic to win! I’ve entered the UKBC 4 times, and always done well, just not well enough, so it was great to actually win this one! I’m really looking forward to representing the UK and have put a lot of work into the next round, where I hope to become a world champion!
I used Brazilian Fazenda Cachoeira Canario in the CIGS competition, from Steve Leighton at HasBean. I tried it a while ago and thought it was the best espresso I had ever tasted, such a lovely texture and mouth feel. I’ll be using Steve’s coffee for my signature and Irish coffees in Cologne.
I used a Balancing siphon vacuum brewer for my Irish coffees, which was the first ever automatic coffee machine in the world, developed in Belgium in the 1840’s. I decided on the espresso martini as it was simple and didn’t take too long to prepare – but I’m planning on something else for the world competition!
All eyes are now on our new champions to help the UK become champion country – following Gwilym Davies World Barista Championship win earlier in the year.
Editor notes:
The 2010 WBC will take place in London, UK.
About SCAE
The Speciality Coffee Association of Europe is the leading trade body for speciality coffee in Europe, which comprises over 1,200 members in over 75 countries. Its goal is to develop a forum for exchanging information and promotion through education for the participants of the Coffee Industry who have a commitment to quality and sustainable prices for the growers.
For further information on the SCAE championship events please contact:
John Sherwood, Executive Coordinator UKBC, Tel: +44(0)1258 471 843, E-mail: jscoffeeco@aol.com / jls@bluemountaincoffeejamaica.com, Website: www.scaeuk.com |
| |
|
| 22 June 2009 |
| Dunkin' Donuts Unveils "Dunkin' Run™" Technology to Make Group Orders Faster, Easier and More Fun |
| |
America still runs on Dunkin', but today everything changes for anyone responsible for getting Dunkin' Donuts coffee and baked goods to keep friends or colleagues running. Dunkin' Donuts, America's all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods, today unveiled "Dunkin' Run™", an innovative interactive web site and iPhone application that will enable customers to solicit and place Dunkin' Donuts group orders in just a few clicks with unprecedented ease, speed, accuracy and fun.
Dunkin' Run brings customers a completely new and unique social online group ordering experience and tools. To begin, "Runners" can initiate a group order on www.DunkinRun.com through their computer or mobile device, or via an iPhone application available for free download at the iTunes online store. Immediately, interactive alerts are sent to the Runner's list of friends or co-workers, telling them when a trip to Dunkin' Donuts is planned along with a personal message inviting them to place an order online. Invitees can view the Dunkin' Donuts menu to place their order, and registered users can select from their own personal list of favourites and/or previous orders. All Dunkin' Donuts core foods and beverages are presented using interactive product images to make personalising an order both simple and fun.
All of the orders are integrated onto a single page/screen which the Runner either prints or uses their iPhone or mobile device to bring to any Dunkin' Donuts store. Dunkin' Donuts crew members will use this checklist to fulfill orders quickly and ensure order accuracy. The Runner can also use this page as a checklist to ensure that everyone in the group gets what he or she ordered.
According to Dunkin' Donuts' Brand Marketing Officer, Frances Allen, Dunkin' Run is a powerful example of the company's commitment to bring value to people in new and innovative ways. "People love Dunkin' Donuts because more than any other brand, we're all about offering high-quality, easy-to-order products and getting our customers on their way and back into their busy lives as quickly as possible," she said. "Dunkin' Run extends that same spirit and commitment to the office, the dorm or any group, leveraging fun and exciting online and mobile tools to make it even faster and easier to keep yourself and others running with a great cup of coffee or a breakfast sandwich any time of day."
Dunkin' Run was a joint collaboration between Dunkin' Donuts and its advertising and digital agencies of record, Hill Holliday and Studiocom, respectively.
"We conceived of Dunkin' Run as a social application that helps hard-working Americans stay slightly more productive," said Baba Shetty, Hill Holliday's Chief Media Officer. "It's based on the idea of reciprocity - I'll get your coffee today and hopefully you'll get mine tomorrow - in a way that perfectly complements the 'we're in it together' ethos of the Dunkin' Donuts brand."
"Dunkin' Donuts has always been an innovator, so developing new ways to socially engage with consumers via the mobile web and the iPhone application is an extension of that tradition," said Thomas Spicer, Managing Director of Studiocom. "We created a platform that simplifies and expands upon existing consumer behaviours, making it easier and more convenient for groups to interact and order, whether they are at home, work or on the go."
About Dunkin' Donuts
Founded in 1950, Dunkin' Donuts is America's favourite every day, all-day stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin' Donuts is a market leader in the regular/decaf coffee, iced coffee, hot flavored coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories, and the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world. Dunkin' Donuts has earned the No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for three years running. The company has more than 8,800 restaurants in 31 countries worldwide. In 2008, Dunkin' Donuts' global system-wide sales were $5.5 billion. Based in Canton, Massachusetts, Dunkin' Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin' Brands, Inc. For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com. |
| |
|
| 22 June 2009 |
| SENSEO® Gourmet Coffee Partners With B.R. Guest Restaurants' Mixologist Eben Klemm to Introduce New Drink Recipes |
| |
SENSEO Gourmet Coffee brand, a division of the Sara Lee Corporation, is teaming up with one of New York City's most acclaimed mixologists, Eben Klemm of B.R. Guest Restaurants, to introduce two new signature coffee beverages designed to perk up the average cup of joe. Whether it's entertaining poolside guests, spicing up a romantic dinner or getting the most out of a summer staycation, the new recipes give consumers a budget-conscious way to create restaurant-quality coffee-based cocktails and iced coffee drinks at home with the ease and convenience of the SENSEO Coffee System.
As the Senior Manager of Wine and Spirits at B.R. Guest Restaurants, which includes some of the best known concept restaurants on the New York City culinary scene such as the Blue Water Grill, Blue Fin and Ruby Foo's, Klemm shares his notably daring mixology approach with coffee-lovers by creating exclusive recipes designed to enhance the rich flavours of SENSEO coffee pods, ultimately enlightening taste buds. Whether blending Anejo tequila, chilli powder and hot chocolate powder into a mug of hot SENSEO coffee, or adding maple syrup and cinnamon to coffee and pouring over ice, consumers can easily serve up beverages that rival those at top restaurants and coffee shops.
A former MIT researcher with a degree in molecular biology from Cornell, Klemm brings his methodological training to the world of mixed drinks. Known for his scientific approach, Klemm conceptualises and implements cocktails for all B.R. Guest properties, inventing drinks and cocktails that have become legendary among restaurant patrons and his compatriots.
"We wanted to enlist a mixologist to develop recipes specifically designed to enhance our flavours and mesh with our coffee," said John Risley, director of marketing for SENSEO. "By tapping Eben's expertise in mixology, we are thrilled to give coffee-lovers a new way to enjoy SENSEO and a premium coffee experience."
SENSEO, the global leader in the single-serve coffee segment, uses pre-measured pods to conveniently brew delicious gourmet coffee in under a minute, without the mess and hassle of handling coffee grounds. As the temperature rises, consumers can continue to use their coffee machines to enjoy delicious iced coffee drinks, a seasonal favourite.
For more information on SENSEO, please visit www.SENSEOstore.com.
Recipes:
SENSEO Cocktail (1 serving)
Instructions:
1. Load double pod holder with one pod each of the SENSEO Origins Kenya Blend and the SENSEO Medium Roast.
2. Fill pre-warmed, preferably clay pottery, coffee mug with:
* 1 ounce Anejo tequila
* Small pinch powder ancho chile
* 1 tablespoon heavy cream
* 1 tablespoon good quality hot chocolate powder
* Stir to blend
3. Run machine.
4. Sprinkle surface with powder from unused SENSEO Origins Kenya Blend coffee pod.
SENSEO Iced Beverage (1 serving)
Instructions:
1. Load double pod holder with one pod each of the SENSEO Paris:
French Vanilla and the SENSEO Dark Roast.
2. Stir in:
* 1.5 Ounces of Maple Syrup
* 1 Cinnamon Stick
* One Whole Star Anise (optional)
3. Cool.
4. Pour the mixture over ice and stir with 3 ounces of cold milk.
About SENSEO
The SENSEO® coffee pod system is the result of a dynamic partnership between electronics experts Philips and coffee roasters Douwe Egberts, both world-renowned companies originally from the Netherlands. Working in tandem, the two innovators developed every aspect of the SENSEO® coffee pod system – from its patented brewing process to its one-of-a-kind coffee pods. The end result is a single serving of fresh gourmet coffee at the touch of a button. Please visit www.SENSEO.com for more information.
About Sara Lee Corporation
Each and every day, Sara Lee delights millions of consumers and customers around the world. The company has one of the world's best-loved and leading portfolios with its innovative and trusted food, beverage, household and body care brands, including Ambi Pur, Ball Park, Douwe Egberts, Hillshire Farm, Jimmy Dean, Kiwi, Sanex, Sara Lee and SENSEO. Collectively, these brands generate more than $13 billion in annual net sales covering approximately 200 countries. The Sara Lee community consists of 44,000 employees worldwide. Please visit www.saralee.com for the latest news and in-depth information about Sara Lee and its brands.
About B.R. Guest Restaurants
Since opening its first restaurant in 1987, B.R. Guest founder Stephen Hanson and his team have redefined the restaurant experience through an emphasis on hospitality and quality. Current B.R. Guest properties in New York City include Atlantic Grill, Blue Fin, Blue Water Grill, Dos Caminos Park, Dos Caminos Soho, Dos Caminos Third, Isabella's, Ocean Grill, Primehouse New York, Ruby Foo's Times Square, Vento Trattoria, Wildwood Barbeque, 206 Spring Street Events, and most recently 675 Bar. B.R. Guest locations outside of New York include Fiamma Trattoria in the MGM Grand and Dos Caminos at the Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas. In 2007, B.R. Guest reinforced its commitment to the environment by becoming the first national multi-concept restaurant group to be certified green by the Green Restaurant Association™. B.R. Guest's commitment to service and hospitality is also evident through its dedication of time and resources to community-based organisations including City-Meals-On-Wheels, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Publicolor Board Member, PENCIL, and The James Beard Foundation. |
| |
|
| 22 June 2009 |
| Milo's Tea Company Selects Ryder for Delivery Operations |
| |
Ryder System, Inc., a leader in transportation and supply chain management solutions, today announced it has been awarded a Dedicated Contract Carriage (DCC) contract with Milo's Tea Company, Inc., a leading manufacturer of ready to drink, refrigerated tea products in the southeast region of the US.
"Ryder provided us with an efficient transportation design and competitive pricing that will allow us to enhance our delivery capabilities and quality service to our customers," said Jay Evers, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Milo's Tea Company. "We have confidence in Ryder's transportation and logistics expertise and we look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship."
Under the multi-year contract, Ryder will provide dedicated delivery services of Milo's Tea products from its distribution centre in Bessemer, Alabama, to retail stores throughout the state. Ryder's DCC service is a customised suite of transportation management services that includes vehicles, drivers, fleet management, and preventive and programmed fleet maintenance to optimise the delivery of a customer's product, allowing their management to be more focused on core business issues.
"We look forward to implementing best practices and processes throughout Milo's Tea Company transportation operations to support their industry-leading manufacturing and distribution operations," said John Sonia, Ryder's Vice President of Operations for Dedicated Contract Carriage.
About Milo's Tea Company
Located in Bessemer, Alabama, Milo's Tea was first developed in 1946 when Milo Carlton opened his first Milo's Hamburger Shop in Birmingham, Alabama. Due to the high demand for their sweet tea, Milo's Tea Company began distributing its ready to drink tea to grocery retailers in 1989. The Company sold the restaurant franchise division in 2002 to focus on its tea business. For over sixty years, Milo's Tea Company has perfected the process of making the best freshly brewed tea available. Milo's Tea is sold in convenience stores and grocery stores across Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida panhandle, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina and parts of Virginia, Arkansas, Missouri and Kentucky. Read more about the company and its famous tea at www.milostea.com.
About Ryder
Ryder provides leading-edge transportation, logistics and supply chain management solutions worldwide. Ryder's stock is a component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. Ryder ranks 399th on the Fortune 500. For more information on Ryder System, Inc., visit www.ryder.com. |
| |
|
| 20 June 2009 |
| New Study Finds Drinking Green Tea Promotes Healthy Teeth and Gums |
| |
A healthy and beautiful smile is not just a product of cosmetic dentistry but also of good health and smart nutritional choices.
In recent years, green tea has been validated by multiple research studies for its effect on improving weight loss, and reducing the incidence of heart disease and cancer. New research published in March 2009 suggests a connection between the consumption of green tea and a reduction in the incidence of periodontal disease.
The study was published in the Journal of Periodontology. For the study, 940 men between the ages of 49 and 59 were included and their green tea drinking habits were compared. Those who drank green tea regularly had healthier teeth than those who drank less green tea.
The comparisons in dental health were made using three factors normally associated with periodontal disease, including the bleeding of the gum tissue, the depth of the periodontal pocket, and the loss of attachment of gum tissue. The researchers discovered a correlation per glass of green tea consumed and a reduction in those three indicators.
Researchers believe the connection stems from the presence of catechin in green tea. Catechin is an antioxidant which has been shown to fight inflammation in the body. Periodontal disease is a condition marked by ongoing inflammation of the gums which causes the deterioration of gum tissue and supporting bones. By reducing this inflammation, the catechin from the tea may be promoting healthier teeth and gums.
Although not documented in the study, green tea is known to provide other dental benefits. Polyphenols in the tea stop plaque from sticking to the enamel of the teeth thus reducing the risk of cavity development. Green tea can also prevent the growth of bacteria in the mouth which cause bad breath. Some green teas also include fluoride which strengthens teeth.
The American Academy of Periodontology has endorsed many studies suggesting that maintaining healthy gums is critical to the overall health of the body. “The mouth is a mirror providing a reflection of conditions affecting the entire body,” says Dr. Farnoosh. “While green tea is not a replacement for regular brushing and dental care, it can serve as a supplement to promoting proper periodontal health.”
Dr. Farnoosh is a leader in the field of cosmetic dentistry and aesthetic periodontal surgery. In addition to his 25 years of experience in private dental practice he has been teaching for more than two decades at the University of Southern California. Because of his credentials, he is considered by the Consumer Research Council (CRC), an independent research organization, to be one of “America’s Top Dentists”. His innovative research and pioneering procedures have earned him the recognition of the International Association of Dental Research and the American Academy of Periodontology.
About The Total Smile
Located in Los Angeles, California, The Total Smile is a full-service dental office specializing in advanced cosmetic dentistry including dental implants, lip lowering surgery for correcting gummy smiles, gum lightening for the treatment of discoloured gums, bone grafting, gum grafting, and the conservative treatment of periodontal disease. Fly-in services are also available for out-of-town patients.
www.thetotalsmile.com |
| |
|
| 19 June 2009 |
| Shamrock Cereal Café & Creamery Takes New Approach to Selling Ice Cream |
| |
Shamrock Café, which is located in Redding, California, USA, has designed an innovative approach for getting through the slow winter months in the ice cream market. With ice cream sales falling up to 40% in the cold winter months, owners of Shamrock Cereal Café & Creamery, Daniel and Lori Cheatham, decided to try a new approach. The couple introduced a cereal bar in the Northern California ice cream market, and quickly experienced a positive response from customers.
In addition to offering delicious ice cream flavours, like best-seller Death by Chocolate, the company offers 40 major brand breakfast cereals. Their most popular cereals are Fiber 1 Honey, Natural Granola and Trix. In addition, customers often sprinkle the cereals, like cocoa pebbles, on their Cascade Glacier Ice Cream.
Cheatham, the co-founder of Shamrock Cereal Café & Creamery, later learned that "cereal cafes" are gaining momentum around the country, especially in college towns. Customers can try new cereal flavours, like Banana Nut Cheerios, while they're on the go.
The company has also announced their plans to build the largest banana split in the entire state of California in the month of July.
About Shamrock Cereal Café & Creamery
Shamrock Cereal Café & Creamery is the only ice cream and cereal bar in the entire state of California. The company was founded by Daniel and Lori Cheatham. The pair opened the company on St. Patrick's Day, and have quickly built a strong business by diversifying the choices available to customers. The company has just announced they'll be building the largest banana split in the entire state of California in the month of July. |
| |
|
| 18 June 2009 |
| Lipton® Tea Continues Major Expansion of Sustainability Initiative: Rainforest Alliance Certified™ Tea Products Become Available to U.S. Consumers |
| |
Lipton Tea, an industry pioneer in sustainable agriculture practices and social responsibility, is undertaking a major expansion of its long term commitment to sustainability. Starting this spring, select Lipton Tea products bearing the Rainforest Alliance-certified seal will be available on grocery store shelves across the United States. The brand is also launching an integrated partnership with National Geographic Global Media to highlight the social, economic and environmental benefits of Lipton's sustainability practices.
"Lipton has long been dedicated to bringing the sustainable sourcing of tea into the global mainstream," said Christine Durkin, Brand Director, Lipton Tea. "As the world's biggest and best known tea brand, we've had a strong commitment to the tea products we make, the tea growers we rely on, and the tea drinkers we serve. All three are set to benefit greatly by this industry-changing work we're doing in sustainability. We wanted to share this important initiative in a compelling and unique way, and have found the ideal partner in National Geographic."
In 2007 Lipton set out to lead the industry by committing to purchase all of its tea from sustainable, ethical sources. Since then, the company has worked closely with the Rainforest Alliance, a non-profit conservation organization that works around the world to develop and promote sustainable standards in farming, forestry and travel, to certify as sustainable all of the tea estates that supply its tea. Lipton products bearing the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal will soon be available on store shelves nationwide, including select bagged tea products, as well as Lipton PureLeaf ready-to-drink tea. The majority of Lipton's tea bag packages sold in the US will carry the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal by the end of 2010. The brand's long-term goal is to have all of the tea for its tea bags – globally – sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified estates by 2015. Although Lipton expects to pay a higher price for tea from Rainforest Alliance Certified estates, the price will not change for consumers as a result of the certification, thus reflecting the brand's belief that all products should be made sustainable.
To mark the launch of Rainforest Alliance-certified products in the United States, Lipton is also partnering with National Geographic to create custom content documenting the brand's journey and commitment to sustainability. The content, created by National Geographic, includes still photography as well as four videos produced by National Geographic Digital Media featuring National Geographic Television journalist Boyd Matson, who travelled to Kenya this spring to document the sustainability practices of the Lipton Tea Estate in Kericho.
The custom content will be included in a National Geographic online community at www.nationalgeographic.com/lipton. It also will be distributed on a number of National Geographic platforms, such as the National Geographic Channel, Facebook, Twitter, print, direct marketing and customized Nat Geo Mobile iPhone game applications, along with liptont.com.
"Lipton's commitment to sustainability is impressive," said Shannon Hebert, vice president, Integrated Marketing, National Geographic Global Media. National Geographic Global Media. "We are pleased to leverage the strength of National Geographic's integrated multimedia platforms to extend Lipton's message to our audience in engaging and relevant ways."
About Lipton Tea
Lipton Tea, the world's leading tea brand, is available in more than 180 countries worldwide. With more than 100 years of tasting, buying and blending expertise, Lipton Tea provides today's health-conscious consumer with a variety of convenient, great-tasting, healthy tea products – from hot tea to ready-to-drink to ice tea mixes. Lipton Tea is owned by Unilever, one of the world's largest consumer products companies. For more information, visit liptont.com.
About Unilever
Unilever's mission is to add vitality to life. We meet everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Each day, around the world, consumers make 160 million decisions to purchase Unilever products.
In the United States, the portfolio includes major brand icons such as: Axe, Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Klondike, Knorr, Lipton, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Suave, Sunsilk and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever employs nearly 12,000 people in both the United States and Puerto Rico – generating nearly $10 billion in sales in 2008. For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com.
About The National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 360 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.
About The Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance is a nonprofit conservation organization that works to conserve biodiversity and protect the rights and welfare of workers, their families and communities. Farms that meet comprehensive standards for sustainability earn the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal. These standards conserve biodiversity, ensure that soils, waterways and wildlife habitat is protected and that farm workers enjoy decent housing, access to medical care and schools for their children. Farms must commit to a process of continuous improvement in order to maintain their certification and are audited each year to ensure progress is being made. By shopping for products bearing the seal, consumers can support a healthy planet and help to improve the quality of life for farm families.
To learn more about the Rainforest Alliance, visit their Web site at www.rainforest-alliance.org. |
| |
|
| 16 June 2009 |
| Diedrich Coffee to Increase K-Cup Production Capacity by More Than 40% |
| |
Diedrich Coffee, Inc., a leading roaster and wholesaler of the world's finest coffees, is expanding Keurig K-Cup® production capacity at the company's roasting and packaging facility in Castroville, California.
The company will be adding equipment for a sixth K-Cup production line and upgrading the equipment of an existing line, which together will increase the facility's K-Cup output capacity by more than 40%. The upgrade and new installation is expected to cost approximately $3.1 million and come on line by this fall.
"We're adding this K-Cup packaging capacity in order to address projected increases in demand," said J. Russell Phillips, president and CEO of Diedrich Coffee. "The K-Cup market continues to grow and we intend to stay ahead of the anticipated demand as consumers increasingly move to the Keurig brewers, especially in the at-home market."
Diedrich Coffee is one of only four roasters under license to produce K-Cups for Keurig's top-selling single-cup brewing system. The award-winning design of Keurig's single-cup brewing system combines a pressurised hot water brewer with its patented K-Cups, which feature a design that preserves the freshness of specialty coffees and teas. System wide, more than 2 billion cups of Keurig Brewed® coffee and tea have been enjoyed since 1998.
About Diedrich Coffee
With headquarters in Irvine, California, Diedrich Coffee specialises in sourcing, roasting and selling the world's highest quality coffees. The company markets its three leading brands of specialty coffees, Diedrich Coffee, Coffee People and Gloria Jean's Coffees, through office coffee service distributors, restaurants and specialty retailers, and via the company's web stores. Diedrich Coffee is one of only four roasters under license to produce K-Cups for Keurig Incorporated's top-selling single-cup brewing system. For more information about Diedrich Coffee, call 800-354-5282 or go to: www.diedrich.com, www.coffeepeople.com or www.coffeeteastore.com |
| |
|
| 16 June 2009 |
| Laceration Hazard Prompts Recall by Starbucks of Coffee Grinders |
| |
Starbucks Corporation said today it was recalling about 530,000 coffee grinders because they either can turn on unexpectedly or fail to turn off, posing a risk of injury. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Starbucks Coffee Company, today announced a voluntary recall of the Starbucks Barista® Blade Grinder and Seattle’s Best Coffee® Blade Grinder. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
The Starbucks Barista® Blade Grinders and Seattle's Best Coffee® Blade Grinders that are being recalled were sold in Starbucks and Seattle's Best Coffee stores between March 2002 and March 2009.
The Seattle-based coffee company said it had received 176 reports of the grinders malfunctioning, including three reports of hand lacerations because the grinders turned on unexpectedly during cleaning.
The coffee grinders cost about $30 and were manufactured in China by Tsann Kuen (Zhangzhou) Enterprise Co. Ltd.
Starbucks said customers should stop using the grinders immediately and contact Starbucks for a free replacement grinder.
For more information, contact Starbucks toll free at +1-(866)-276-2950, or visit the company’s web site at www.starbucks.com |
| |
|
| 16 June 2009 |
| New Sun Shower™ Organic Chai Tea Latte |
| |
There is a new healthy and delicious alternative to the same-old coffee and tea beverages. Sun Shower's™ new organic Chai Tea Latte is sure to capture your attention with its great taste, lower calorie profile and fortified Lifeguard™ nutritional package of vitamins and nutrients.
"Our new Sun Shower™ organic Chai Tea Latte is a truly unique product in the marketplace that consumers will love. Its deliciously indulgent taste, fortified nutritional profile, and lower calorie content versus other leading branded Lattes drove our purchase intent through the roof with consumers," said Chris New, founder, chairman and CEO of NBI Juiceworks, producers and distributors of Drenchers™ and Sun Shower™ brand products. "Sun Shower™ organic Chai Tea Latte is a great alternative to run-of-the-mill, high calorie, poor nutrition organic and non organic coffee and tea drinks that are offered in stores today."
Organic Chai Tea Latte is part of the Sun Shower™ Super Blends line of fortified coffee and tea beverages. Each 9.5 ounce bottle contains only 170 calories (25 percent less than leading brands) and features the Lifeguard™ Protection nutritional package which includes:
Protein - Fuels and repairs muscles and builds strength.
Vitamin A (antioxidant) - Helps protect your cells by neutralizing free radicals
Vitamin E (antioxidant) - Aids your immune system and helps with the formation of red blood cells
Zinc (antioxidant) - Helps strengthen immune system and aids in bone and teeth development
Organic Non-Fat Milk - Contains no cholesterol, saturated fat or trans-fat
Calcium (electrolyte) - Builds strong bones and aids in muscle action
Magnesium (electrolyte) - Maintains fluid and acid-base balance in the body and aids in muscle action
No added sugar, no preservatives and low in sodium
The entire Sun Shower™ product line offers consumers customized nutrition along with great taste, plus the Lifeguard™ Protection nutritional package. In addition to organic Super Blends, the line consists of premium 100 percent pure pressed, all natural nectarine juices; all natural 100 percent juice superfood smoothies; all natural 100 percent super juices; and Light'N Healthy super juice beverages with only 10 calories per serving. Sun Shower™ products can be found in the produce and chilled dairy/juice section of major retailers.
About NBI Juiceworks
NBI Juiceworks™ (New Beverage Insights Juiceworks™, LLLP), produces and distributes Drenchers™ and Sun Shower™ brand products. Using its exclusive (method of use patent pending) juice extracting and bottle filling process, NBI Juiceworks captures the full flavor, colour, and nutrient value of fresh California-grown nectarines in its products. NBI Juiceworks was founded in Orlando, Fla. in 2005 and its executive team has over 150 years of combined management experience in the juice and beverage industry. For more information, visit www.nbijuiceworks.com |
| |
|
| 16 June 2009 |
| Cool New Organic Intro's From Bigelow Tea and AriZona Beverage |
| |
Bigelow Tea® and AriZona Beverage® are bringing a delicious new line of organic green teas to the RTD marketplace. These new entries build on the strengths of their partnership: Bigelow Tea Company is a leading innovator in the specialty tea industry, and AriZona Beverage Company is a powerhouse in RTD.
Their new offerings in partnership are:
* Organic Green Tea Acai White Cranberry: Regarded as a miracle fruit by many, the acai berry's tantalising tropical flavour blends exquisitely with white cranberry to create a uniquely flavorful green tea.
* Organic Green Tea Original Green: The pure, clean flavour of perfectly brewed, all natural green tea... light, refreshing and rich in nutritional benefits.
* Organic Green Tea Lemon Ginger: Delightfully subtle yet tart, its delicate, lemony flavour is balanced with the gentle spice of ginger.
* Organic Green Tea Mango Lychee: Fantastically fruity! Juicy mango and exotic lychee combine for a unique and delectable taste of refreshment.
Specialty Green Hot Tea has grown 36% over the past 5 years; with Bigelow being the top selling green tea brand in the US. Bigelow has been a key force in the explosive growth of green tea consumption, with ongoing entries and exciting new flavour blends that keep the category fresh and appealing.
Cindi Bigelow, President,adds, "AriZona is the perfect partner for our family company, which has been passionate about creating perfect tea products for more than 60 years!"
About Bigelow Tea Company
100% family owned Fairfield, Connecticut-based Bigelow Tea pioneered the specialty tea category more than 60 years ago. Bigelow takes pride in its heritage and successful growth from a one-product, entrepreneurial venture into America's leading specialty tea company. The Bigelow Tea line includes more than 80 varieties of flavoured, traditional, green, organic, herbal, decaffeinated teas and iced teas - including America's number one specialty tea flavour, 'Constant Comment®'. Also, enjoy the Charleston Tea Plantation located on Wadmalaw Island just south of Charleston, South Carolina which is owned and operated by Bigelow Tea and produces American Classic Tea and products.
Bigelow Tea products are available nationwide and every variety can be found on the company website (www.bigelowtea.com). Tea lovers will also enjoy the company's blog (www.bigelowteablog.com) |
| |
|
| 15 June 2009 |
| Dunkin’ Brands Celebrates the Opening of its 15,000th Store |
| |
Today Dunkin' Brands officially opens its 15,000th store worldwide in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, and to honour this important milestone the company is making this an especially sweet day for customers around the globe. Dunkin' Brands, the parent company of two of the world’s most recognised and loved brands – Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins – is thanking customers for more than 60 years of support with special celebrations in select cities throughout the world.
To commemorate the opening of the 15,000th store, a Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins Express located at 8710 Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh, Dunkin' Brands CEO Nigel Travis, Dunkin' Donuts President and Chief Brand Officer Will Kussell and Baskin-Robbins Chief Brand Officer Srinivas Kumar will serve customers donuts, coffee and soft-serve ice cream for the special price of 15 cents. At a special ceremony today at 1500 hours (3:00 p.m. ET), the company will also announce a donation to support Homes for Our Troops, a national, non-profit organisation that is building a specially adapted home for a severely injured veteran in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Dunkin' Brands will also donate 1,500 pounds of Dunkin' Donuts coffee to Give2TheTroops, a national non-profit organisation that sends care packages to deployed troops. The coffee will help North Carolinians serving abroad enjoy a taste of home.
As part of the ceremony at the 15,000th store, NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Greg Biffle and NC State head football coach Tom O'Brien will also be on hand to personally serve customers, beginning at approximately 1515 hours (3:15 p.m. ET.) Greg Biffle will surprise two lucky customers – one each at the counter and drive-thru – with 15 months' worth of coffee and ice cream.
In a nod to both Dunkin' Donuts' and Baskin-Robbins' roots and future, the very first US Dunkin' Donuts store at 543 Southern Artery in Quincy, Massachusetts will commemorate this occasion by selling coffee and donuts for 15 cents from 3 to 5 p.m. At the same time, the new Baskin-Robbins Café 31 at Patriot Place in Foxborough, Massachusetts will offer soft-serve ice cream cones for 15 cents from 3 to 5 p.m. A total of 15 Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins stores opening on June 15 in eight countries will celebrate this milestone with special offers beginning at 1500 hours local time.
In addition to the Raleigh store, other stores include:
• Dunkin' Donuts at 19 Hickey Drive in Stonington, CT, USA
• Dunkin' Donuts at 371 East Butler Pike in Ambler, PA, USA
• Baskin-Robbins at Westfield Main Place in Santa Ana, CA, USA
• Dunkin' Donuts at 5051 Wissahickon Avenue in Philadelphia, PA, USA
• Dunkin' Donuts at 1403 Cedar Crest Boulevard in Allentown, PA, USA
• Dunkin' Donuts at Bawadi Mall in Al Ain City, UAE
• Dunkin' Donuts at Rawdhah, Khurais Road in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Dunkin' Donuts at Seeb Cornich in Oman
• Baskin-Robbins Express at Centro Comercial Imperial in Bogota, Columbia
• Baskin-Robbins at Baskin-Robbins Mall Ciputra Jakarta, Gedung Mall in Jakarta, Indonesia
• Baskin-Robbins at Menara Batavia Jakarta, Jln, KH. Mas Mansyur Kav. 125-126 Jakarta Pusat 10220 in Jakarta, Indonesia
• Baskin-Robbins at Tian Yao Qiao Road, No. 218-222, 1/F in Shanghai, China
• Baskin-Robbins at Murmanskoe sh. 12km-MEGA-DIBENKO in St. Petersburg, Russia
The 15,000 store milestone and today's worldwide celebrations represent the deep connection and affinity both Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins share with people throughout the world. "With more than 120 years of combined history, Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins have been part of our customers' daily lives, and they know they can count on us for quality foods, beverages and ice cream served in a fun and welcoming environment at affordable prices," said Dunkin' Brands CEO Nigel Travis. "Today, we honour the customers, franchisees and employees responsible for our success, and look towards a future of continued growth and commitment to serving both our new and existing communities."
Dunkin' Brands' steady and strategic growth strategy includes expanding in existing markets while entering new cities throughout the world.
About Dunkin' Brands, Inc.
With more than 15,000 points of distribution in 44 countries worldwide, Dunkin' Brands, Inc. is renowned for its leadership in the quick quality category. At the end of 2008, there were 8,835 Dunkin' Donuts franchised restaurants and 6,013 Baskin-Robbins franchised restaurants and the company had system-wide sales of approximately $6.9 billion. Dunkin' Brands, Inc. is headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.dunkinbrands.com |
| |
|
| 09 June 2009 |
| Café Essentials Naturals up for Taste Testing at the Coffee Fest Show In Las Vegas USA |
| |
Café Essentials® new natural Frappe and hot beverage line, Naturals™, will be up for tasting at Coffee Fest in Las Vegas June 12-14, 2009. This is the second Coffee Fest event for 2009 that Café Essentials® has shown at. One additional show in September is being hosted in Seattle, Washington.
Naturals™ by Café Essentials® have been receiving rave reviews nationwide for its great taste, quality and natural ingredients. This new all natural line features no artificial flavours, no trans fat or hydrogenated oil, no artificial sweeteners and no artificial colours.
Attendees at Coffee Fest will have the opportunity to take the “Taste Test” trying the Naturals™ with water first and then with milk. Attendees will place their vote for which version they like the best. With five delicious flavours to choose from, Naturals™ will please and satisfy any palate. With consumers and shop owners looking to save money, Café Essentials® Naturals™ are the perfect fit.
Café Essentials® Naturals™ are designed to be made with water, but can be made with milk. This gives shop owners the ability to offer Naturals™ more than one way, giving several taste profiles from each base flavour, and best of all increase their bottom line profits.
Dr. Smoothie® 100% Crushed™ whole fruit smoothies will also be available for sampling at Coffee Fest. Every delicious flavour is fortified with vitamins and minerals and contains over 3 servings of fruit in each 16 oz serving. All Dr. Smoothie smoothies are “all natural”, using only the highest quality natural ingredients.
Smoothie-Ceuticals™ will be available and on display at Coffee Fest. Smoothie-Ceuticals is a brand new line of “nutritional supplements” or ”boosts” that can be added to any smoothie or specialty beverage to help increase energy, health, weight loss and exercise recovery.
About Dr. Smoothie Brands
Dr. Smoothie Brands, the leader in health and nutrition develops products that exceed expectations with higher levels of quality that are evident in all products manufactured and distributed on a national and international level. Product lines include 100% Crushed™ whole fruit smoothie purees, coffee house style healthy specialty beverages as well as whole food and vegan nutrition bars and meal supplements, SmoothieCeuticals™ nutritional supplements, Amino Hydrate® sports hydration, Amino Repair® collagen for sports injury healing and Fresh Face™ collagen skin, hair and nail treatment.
www.cafeessentials.com / www.drsmoothiebrands.com |
| |
|
| 09 June 2009 |
| Arette Foods Introduces Line of 100% Organic Tea Seed Oils to Health Conscious Consumers |
| |
Arette Foods, Inc. introduced a line of cold press organic tea seed oils targeted to health conscious consumers. Used for healthy cooking and in salad dressings, the tea seed oils are made from the seed of the Camellia oefiera plant and its cousin, Camellia sinensis. Arette Foods is offering a full line of 100% organic flavoured and natural tea seed oils in two sizes: 148 and 500 ML.
In addition to the nutrition content of the oil, smoke point is just as important when it comes to selecting oils. Says Madeleine Lee, Arette Foods’ Marketing Director, "Tea seed oil has significant health benefits; The oil content of the tea seed consists of approximately 90 percent unsaturated fat, within which 79.55 percent is monounsaturated fat (omega-9), and zero trans fats. In addition, tea seed oil boasts impressive amounts of tea polyphenols (an antioxidant also found in green and white tea) and vitamin E, and is low in cholesterol and high in oleic acid."
"In addition to the nutrition content of the oil, smoke point is just as important when it comes to selecting oils," explains Lee. "Smoke point is the temperature at which an oil begins to smoke and break down, releasing carcinogens into the air and free radicals into the oil. At this point, the oil is no longer usable. The tea seed oil's high smoke point of 485 degrees Fahrenheit, coupled up with an up to 50 percent longer fry life than other commonly used oils, such as partially hydrogenated soybean oil, makes it a beneficial addition to the healthy kitchen." The tea oils also have a longer shelf life than alternatives such as canola and olive oils.
Arette Foods new tea seed oils are available in six flavours: Tea Seed Oil-original; Green Tea Seed Oil with Steamed Tea flavour; Tea Seed Oil with natural flavour; Tea Seed Oil with garlic flavour; Green Tea Seed Oil Infused with Rosemary and Sencha Green Tea; and Tea Seed Oil infused with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Chilli Pepper.
About Arette Foods, Inc.
Music was the inspiration for Arette Food's line of products for the health conscious consumer. A group of good friends shared love for music and its therapeutic benefits to mind and spirit led to the company's founding principal: the body too, needs music. Since 2006, Arette Foods has dedicated itself to the creation of unique health food products that give similar therapeutic benefits and pleasure to the body. Their line of organic Tea Seed Oils is the first manifestation of the founding principal.
www.aretteorganic.com |
| |
|
| 09 June 2009 |
| Could Green Tea Help you Live Longer? |
| |
Last week the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned a TV advert for Tetley Green Tea. Perhaps you remember it – it was the one where the girl gets ready to go out for a jog, only to realise it's raining - so she sits down and has a cup of green tea instead. The ad was judged to be misleading because Tetley suggested that green tea is 'full of antioxidants' and drinking it is 'an easy way to help you look after yourself'. The ASA, however, claims that it hasn't seen any evidence that green tea, or the antioxidants in it, have health benefits.
Tetley's promotion for green tea was pulled because it should not have implied the drink had any health benefits beyond hydration. Indeed, it says that Tetley should not have implied that the green tea had any general health benefits beyond hydration.
So is the ASA right? Have we all been conned? Is our 'healthy', 'antioxidant-packed' green tea really no better for us than a glass of water? If the health benefits really are a myth, there are going to be a lot of disappointed consumers.
A recent report by market analysts Mintel suggests that the UK green tea market is worth more than £17million – with sales having grown by a massive 21.4 per cent in the past two years. And, according to research by the Clipper Tea Company, which produces 16 different varieties of green tea, most of it is being bought – and drunk – by women in the 25–34 age bracket who buy it for its perceived health benefits. From helping to lower cholesterol and boosting metabolism – even to reducing the chance of heart disease – barely a month seems to have passed over the past few years, without there being yet another study published about the amazing health benefits of the green cuppa.
In March this year, a study of 2,000 Chinese women, published in the International Journal of Cancer, even suggested that a diet rich in fresh green tea and mushrooms may help slash the risk of cancer by up to 90 per cent.
And this month, an American trial suggested that high doses of green tea supplement could significantly improve the condition of leukaemia patients. But, the key words here are 'may' and 'could'...
Green tea comes from the same leaf as the more familiar black tea, but unlike black tea, it is not fermented before it is dried. This less aggressive processing appears to preserve high levels of flavonoids in green tea – one cup can contain the equivalent antioxidant activity of a serving of fresh spinach or a bowl of strawberries – which is where much of green tea's healthy reputation stems from.
Flavonoids are beneficial antioxidants, thought to help protect the body from free-radical damage. Free radicals are a natural byproduct of healthy cell metabolism, which cause cell disruption and ageing if left to their own devices. Antioxidants, like the flavonoids found in green tea, can mop-up and neutralise these damaging free radicals – but whether drinking a couple of cups of green tea a day can improve heart health, boost weight loss or ward off cancer is debatable.
Jodie Moffat, Cancer Research UK senior science information officer, says: “Scientists have looked at whether green tea could help to reduce the risk of developing cancer, and the evidence is mixed. It's really important to remember that no one particular ‘super’ food or drink will do much to protect you from cancer on its own.”
“We know from large scientific studies that eating a healthy balanced diet high in fibre, fruit and vegetables and low in red and processed meat, saturated fat and salt can help to reduce your risk of several different types of cancer.”
Lisa Miles, a senior nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation, says: “Some studies have suggested that health benefits can be gained from green tea due to its antioxidant activity, but these effects tend to be exaggerated as a lot of the research is based on carefully controlled laboratory studies. Unfortunately, we cannot be sure that the effects seen in the lab will also take place in people when they simply consume green tea as a drink. Green tea can definitely make a useful contribution to our daily fluid intake, however (we need about 1.5 to 2 litres of fluid a day). It's worth remembering that just like black tea, green tea contains 30–40mg caffeine per cup; a can of cola contains 34mg. (Caffeine can cause mild dehydration and has been linked to problems such as cellulite.) Bear this in mind if you are looking to reduce your caffeine intake.”
Perhaps green tea's greatest virtues have nothing to do with health. Gill Hesketh, head of marketing at the Clipper Tea Company says most of the women they surveyed said they keep a box of it in their desk drawer to provide a more palatable alternative to the revolting concoctions dispensed by the office coffee machine.
Source: Daily Mail
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1191660/Could-green-tea-help-live-longer.html# |
| |
|
| 08 June 2009 |
| Green Mountain Coffee Says Give Peach A Chance! |
| |
Peach coffee? It’s not exactly an obvious choice for a new brew, but the flavour mavens at Green Mountain Coffee® say one sip of The Perfect Peach™ will convince even the biggest sceptics.
Bursting with the flavours of a ripe, juicy peach, this new Limited Edition Seasonal coffee is surprisingly refreshing and especially nice on ice. Its light fragrance and sweet fruit notes make it perfect for warmer weather.
“This is going to be big,” predicted Patty Vincent, Coffee Product and Certification Manager at Green Mountain Coffee. Patty helped create the recipe for The Perfect Peach and says initial reactions are similar to those she heard when the coffee department introduced Wild Mountain Blueberry several years ago. “People thought we were crazy,” she says. “Until they tried it.”
Green Mountain Coffee has also unveiled Summer Safari™ Blend as a new, Limited Edition Seasonal coffee for summer. Described as a spirited blend of South American and East African coffees, it is a medium roast with a full body and bright finish. “It makes me want to go exploring!” Patty says.
Both coffees are Fair Trade Certified™, which means the coffee farmers were paid a fair price for their excellent beans. They are packaged in ground form in 10-oz. bags, in fractional packs, and in K-Cup portion packs, which are single servings of ground coffee designed for Keurig® Single-Cup Brewers. Summer Seasonals are available through August 21, 2009.
Perfect Peach Iced Coffee
Brew a double-strength pot of The Perfect Peach (regular amount of water, twice the amount of coffee).
Pour hot coffee into a pitcher of ice.
Chill until ice melts.
Add more ice, half & half, and sweetener to taste.
About Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc
As a leader in the specialty coffee industry, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. is recognised for its award-winning coffees, innovative brewing technology, and socially responsible business practices. GMCR’s operations are managed through two business units. The Specialty Coffee business unit produces coffee, tea and hot cocoa from its family of brands, including Tully’s Coffee®, Green Mountain Coffee® and Newman’s Own® Organics coffee. The Keurig business unit is a pioneer and leading manufacturer of gourmet single-cup brewing systems. K-Cup® portion packs for Keurig® Single-Cup Brewers are produced by a variety of licensed roasters, including Green Mountain Coffee and Tully’s Coffee. GMCR supports local and global communities by offsetting 100% of its direct greenhouse gas emissions, investing in Fair Trade Certified™ coffee, and donating at least five percent of its pre-tax profits to social and environmental projects.
www.GreenMountainCoffee.com / www.Keurig.com |
| |
|
| 28 May 2009 |
| New Impulse Twin Pack from Lotus |
| |
This summer sees an exciting new product launch into the café industry.
Lotus Bakeries are leveraging their café heritage and established credentials as the perfect coffee accompaniment, by launching a new premium twin pack aimed at attracting consumers to impulse purchase in their local coffee shop.
Crafted using only the finest ingredients and same great recipe found in the famous Lotus Original Caramelised Biscuit, the new pack is forecast to increase consumers dwell times and overall coffee consumption per visit.
Displayed in an attractive counter display the new designed packs will visually impress your customers and clearly demonstrate that Lotus intention to lead the way in developing a coffee accompaniment category that the industry deserves.
Consumer responses and wider Industry feedback has been universally positive. So to take advantage of this exciting new opportunity for your business, please call 0800 834050 or email enquiries@lotusbakeries.com |
| |
|
| 26 May 2009 |
| Green Tea Extract Shows Promise in Leukaemia Trials |
| |
Mayo Clinic researchers are reporting positive results in early leukaemia clinical trials using the chemical epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an active ingredient in green tea. The trial determined that patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) can tolerate the chemical fairly well when high doses are administered in capsule form and that lymphocyte count was reduced in one-third of participants. The findings appear today online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
“We found not only that patients tolerated the green tea extract at very high doses, but that many of them saw regression to some degree of their chronic lymphocytic leukaemia,” says Tait Shanafelt, M.D., Mayo Clinic haematologist and lead author of the study. “The majority of individuals who entered the study with enlarged lymph nodes saw a 50 percent or greater decline in their lymph node size.”
CLL is the most common subtype of leukaemia in the United States. Currently it has no cure. Blood tests have enabled early diagnosis in many instances; however, treatment consists of watchful waiting until the disease progresses. Statistics show that about half of patients with early stage diseases have an aggressive form of CLL that leads to early death. Researchers hope that EGCG can stabilise CLL for early stage patients or perhaps improve the effectiveness of treatment when combined with other therapies.
The research has moved to the second phase of clinical testing in a follow-up trial — already fully enrolled — involving roughly the same number of patients. All will receive the highest dose administered from the previous trial.
These clinical studies are the latest steps in a multiyear bench-to-bedside project that began with tests of the green tea extract on cancer cells in the laboratory of Mayo haematologist Neil Kay, M.D., a co-author on this article. After laboratory research showed dramatic effectiveness in killing leukaemia cells, the findings were applied to studies on animal tissues and then on human cells in the lab.
In the first clinical trial, 33 patients received variations of eight different oral doses of Polyphenon E, a proprietary compound whose primary active ingredient is EGCG. Doses ranged from 400 milligrams (mg) to 2,000 mg administered twice a day. Researchers determined that they had not reached a maximum tolerated dose, even at 2,000 mg twice per day.
The study was sponsored by Mayo Clinic, the CLL Global Research Foundation, CLL Topics (including contributions by individual CLL patients) and the Commonwealth Foundation for Cancer Research. Medication for the study was provided by Polyphenon E International. Others on the research team were Timothy Call, M.D.; Clive Zent, M.D.; Betsy LaPlant; Deborah Bowen; Michelle Roos; Charla Secreto; Asish Ghosh, Ph.D.; Brian Kabat; Diane Jelinek, Ph.D.; and Charles Erlichman, M.D., all of Mayo Clinic; and Mao-Jung Lee, Ph.D., and Chung Yang, Ph.D., both of Rutgers University.
About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is the first and largest integrated, not-for-profit group practice in the world. Doctors from every medical specialty work together to care for patients, joined by common systems and a philosophy of “the needs of the patient come first.” More than 3,300 physicians, scientists and researchers and 46,000 allied health staff work at Mayo Clinic, which has sites in Rochester, Minn., Jacksonville, Fla., and Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz. Collectively, the three locations treat more than half a million people each year. |
| |
|
| 23 May 2009 |
| Calzaghe Promotes the Perfect Place to Enjoy a Cup of Coffee |
| |
It’s strong, dark and packs quite a punch – so it’s little wonder a new blend of coffee has been named after undefeated boxing champion Joe Calzaghe.
The Welsh-Italian fighter was in Cardiff’s Cafe Quarter to launch the new blend, which will feature in today’s first ever Cardiff Coffee Festival.
The celebration of all things coffee, in Mill Lane, runs from 10am to 6pm, with many cafes selling their blends for £1 a cup.
There will also be tasting sessions for the world’s rarest and most expensive blend, coffee masterclasses, street entertainment and face painting.
Coffee fan Calzaghe said it was an honour to have the new blend name after him.
“It smells pretty good,” said the celebrated boxer, who admits to drinking a coffee first thing in the morning to get through the day. “I enjoy all sorts – espresso, cappuccino – but the Colombian beans in this one make it dark and strong; traits I can relate to.”
A friend of Giovanni Malacrino, chairman of the Cafe Quarter, Calzaghe said he hoped the festival would help change attitudes towards the area. “All the development around the coffee shops has been hard on this area, but hopefully the festival will attract a good crowd and people will see how nice the place is to chill out,” the champion said. “Giovanni is trying to make this part of Cardiff have a more continental feel. It’s a vibrant city that’s expanding all the time.”
The now retired boxer was due to head to London this weekend to film a Nintendo Wii advert for his video game, Punch Out.
He was joined in Mill Lane by girlfriend Jo-Emma Larvin, who ran the London Marathon last month. The model and actress said: “We come to Cardiff every week and enjoy a meal and a coffee here. I’m an espresso fan myself but I’m looking forward to the experience of trying Joe’s blend next time we stop for a break.”
Giovanni Malacrino, who helped to create the Cafe Quarter 15 years ago, wants to create more of a coffee culture in Cardiff.
“The Cafe Quarter is a place where people can enjoy a coffee instead of too much to drink. Mill Lane has gone through three years of redevelopment, but I am confident that we have a cafe quarter as good as anywhere in the UK. I feel very proud and privileged to have helped in creating the Calzaghe blend. He is a true champion.”
Gareth Wainwright, technical officer for Cardiff Institute for the Blind, welcomed the Cafe Quarter’s decision to donate all proceeds from the festival to the charity. He said: “It’s great that Joe is involved with the Coffee Festival and putting his name to such a great cause at the same time.”
Source: www.walesonline.co.uk |
| |
|
| 22 May 2009 |
| Three Cups of Tea a Day 'Can Cut Heart Attack Risk by 70%’ |
| |
Drinking three cups of tea a day can ward off heart attacks, a dietician has claimed.
The beverage could even have anti-cancer properties, a review of previous research suggests.
The link between coronary heart disease and tea has been the subject of a large number of studies. Dr Carrie Ruxton, a member of the Tea Advisory Panel, analysed some of these, which highlighted the effectiveness of naturally occurring compounds called flavonoids in combating heart attacks.
One Finnish study found men who drank more than two cups of tea a day had a 21 per cent reduced chance of stroke.
French research showed that women who drank more than three cups a day had a 32 per cent lower risk of blocked arteries.
Dr Ruxton said the research showed at least three cups of tea a day can lower the risk of a heart attack by up to 70 per cent.
She said: "We are not sure of the exact mechanism, but it is thought that tea flavonoids could be involved in controlling inflammation, reducing thrombosis, promoting blood vessel function and helping to limit furring up of the arteries."
The studies found tea may be 'a useful addition to an anti-cancer diet', she added, but further research was needed.
Dr Ruxton said: "Tea may be a national favourite but it also has health benefits thanks to its high flavonoid content. My research shows there is a growing amount of evidence which indicates tea can play a role in helping to combat cardiovascular problems such as heart disease and stroke. This area of research is very exciting for the future. We also found solid evidence of tea helping to boost cognitive function and reduce stress, probably related to tea's modest caffeine content. Some interesting research on the role of tea flavonoids in helping to combat certain neurological conditions is emerging."
She added: "Research shows you do not need to drink gallons of tea to get real improvements just three or four cups of tea a day are enough."
Dr Catherine Hood, another Tea Advisory Panel member, said: "The scientific community is learning more and more about tea and its health properties. Studies show that there are some very powerful ingredients in tea that can play a hugely important role in protecting the body from some serious and potentially fatal conditions. A cuppa is a great way to relax or unwind but could also give your health a crucial boost. Just a few cups a day have been shown to help and drinking more isn't a problem either as up to eight cups a day have been shown to be fine."
Tea is the most consumed drink after water with 131,150 tons of tea consumed in the UK in 2006/07.
Nearly eight in ten adults drink an average of 2.3 mugs a day.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk |
| |
|
| 21 May 2009 |
| Travelodge to Launch 99p Cream Tea |
| |
Forget West Country farmhouses, the budget hotel chain Travelodge is launching a 99p cream tea.
Guests at its top holiday spots will receive an extra large scone, a pot of Cornish clotted cream, a choice of strawberry or raspberry jam and a collection of teas.
According to a Travelodge poll of 6,000 adults, 64 per cent of Britons enjoy afternoon tea. Half the respondents associated having an afternoon tea with a UK holiday or short break. One in seven scoffed one when they were feeling 'down in the dumps.'
“Our seaside and tourism locations are booming and we know that these customers want to enjoy our culture’s great traditions including the cream tea," said Guy Parsons, Travelodge UK's managing director.
Nicholas Rodda, managing director of Cornwall's most famous clotted cream company Rodda, said a cream tea was "an affordable way to indulge yourself."
Source: www.independent.co.uk |
| |
|
| 19 May 2009 |
| Storm in a Tea Cup: Tea Prices are Set to Rise by 10–15% |
| |
The cost of a cuppa is set to rise next month after droughts and the falling pound pushed up the price of tea.
Unilever, which makes PG Tips and Scottish Blend tea, said it would be raising the price it charges retailers by between 10% and 15% in June in a move that will see up to 50p added to the price of a box of 160 tea bags.
A combination of factors have driven up auction prices for tea over the past year: droughts in India, Kenya and Sri Lanka have caused crop failures, with production in East Africa falling by 10%, according to the United Kingdom Tea Council. Increased demand from India and China has also pushed up prices, while the collapse in sterling has made tea much more expensive for British importers who buy tea in dollars.
A spokesman for Unilever said: "We have tried to keep the impact to a minimum, but due to the rising cost of commodities and a negative currency swing we have had to put prices up."
The increase is bad news for British tea drinkers who consume approximately 165,000,000 cups each day, but Bill Gorman, executive chairman of the tea council, said tea still represented good value and claimed the increase was no bad thing.
"If you look back to 1999, 80 tea bags were £1.89. In February this year it was up to £1.97 – in 10 years the price of a box of tea bags has risen by just 8p," he said.
"If prices go up it is a good thing because the farmers who produce tea have actually been experiencing a drop in profits over the past 10 years ... a modest increase is actually good for the farmers."
Tea lovers are already paying more for a brew than they were this time last year, according to figures published today by price comparison website mySupermarket.
Although April's fall in the headline rate of inflation is partly down to decreasing food prices, mySupermarket's figures show the price of some of the vital ingredients for a good tea break have increased over the past 12 months.
The figures, which are based on analysis of prices in Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's, show that over the past year the price of four pints of semi-skimmed milk has risen by 14% from £1.34 to £1.53. Over the same period the cost of a 1kg bag of Silver Spoon sugar is up 18% from £0.79 to £0.93.
Some of the price rises could be offset for anyone deciding to treat themselves to a Jaffa Cake to go with their cuppa. A packet of 12 biscuits (or rather cakes) now costs an average of 82p – 3% less than in May last year.
Source: www.guardian.co.uk |
| |
|
| 14 May 2009 |
| Diedrich Coffee Completes Transition to Premier Roaster and Wholesaler |
| |
Diedrich Coffee, Inc. has completed its planned transition to a premier roaster and wholesaler of its Diedrich Coffee, Gloria Jean's Coffee and Coffee People brands.
In the fall of 2007, the company announced its intention to divest its retail and distribution operations in order to focus exclusively on roasting and wholesale sales. During 2008, the company exited from all company-owned retail operations, including Diedrich Coffee coffeehouses and Coffee People coffeehouses, selling the sites to a major chain of coffee houses. In March 2009, the company announced the sale of its domestic Gloria Jean's retail franchise company, retaining the rights to Gloria Jean's branded K-Cups(R) for the Keurig Single-Cup Brewing System.
As a final step in the transition, Diedrich Coffee has appointed major beverage specialist, Quick Dispense, Inc., as a Master Distributor in foodservice. Quick Dispense offers total market support (sales, service, equipment and product distribution) in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. In addition to servicing the more than 300 existing Diedrich Coffee foodservice accounts in Southern California, the distribution agreement offers Diedrich Coffee access to more than 7,000 QDI accounts across these seven western states.
"Quick Dispense enhances the services offered to our current local foodservice customers," said J. Russell Phillips, president and CEO of Diedrich Coffee, "as well as immediately expands our brand reach to new foodservice customers outside the Southern California market."
According to Paul Heeschen, Diedrich Coffee's chairman of the board: "Signing QDI also represents a milestone in the implementation of our strategy to capitalize on the strong growth of the wholesale specialty coffee market, and particularly in the single-serve premium coffee market with our three brands of fine specialty coffees - Diedrich Coffee, Gloria Jean's Coffees and Teas, and Coffee People."
"As an outcome of this strategy," continued Heeschen, "we have been realizing dramatic growth in this more profitable wholesale business as our renewed focus meets the increasing demand for specialty coffees in homes, restaurants, and offices. These markets are being addressed by online, big box retail and foodservice channels, with the demand for K-Cups especially on the rise." Diedrich Coffee is one of only four roasters under license to produce K-Cups for Keurig's increasingly popular single-cup brewing system.
About Quick Dispense
Family owned and operated since 1957, QuickDispense, Inc. (QDI) services office coffee and foodservice customers across several western states. QDI offers a wide variety of beverage products including coffees, ice teas, hot chocolate and juices, as well as related equipment supply, support and maintenance.
About Keurig
Keurig, Incorporated, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (NASDAQ: GMCR), is a pioneer and leading manufacturer of single-cup brewing systems. Keurig's proprietary brewing system combines a pressurized hot water brewer with multiple varieties of K-Cups, which feature a patented design that preserves the freshness of gourmet coffee and tea. Through licensing agreements, Keurig offers more than 100 varieties of premium branded coffees and teas in K-Cups. More than 2 billion cups of Keurig Brewed(R) coffee and tea have been enjoyed since 1998. For more information, please visit www.keurig.com or call 888-CUP-BREW.
About Diedrich Coffee
With headquarters in Irvine, California, Diedrich Coffee specializes in sourcing, roasting and selling the world's highest quality coffees. The company's three brands are Diedrich Coffee, Gloria Jean's Coffees and Coffee People. Diedrich Coffee sells its coffees through office coffee service distributors, restaurants and specialty retailers, and via the company's Web stores. For more information about Diedrich Coffee, call 800-354-5282 or go to: www.diedrich.com, www.gloriajeans.com, www.coffeepeople.com or www.coffeeteastore.com |
| |
|
| 11 May 2009 |
| Starbucks Brings Thought Leaders Together to Develop a Comprehensive Recyclable Cup Solution |
| |
Starbucks Coffee Company today announced plans to host a summit comprised of representatives from all facets of its paper and plastic cup value chain at the Starbucks Support Center in Seattle on Tuesday, May 12, 2009. With the goal of prioritization and agreement on criteria for a comprehensive recyclable cup solution, discussions will address obstacles and opportunities. This effort is an extension of Starbucks long-term commitment to reducing the environmental impact of its cups.
Currently, Starbucks is working to ensure all of its single-use cups will be recyclable by 2012 in communities where its stores are located.
The summit will be moderated by Peter Senge, Ph.D., senior lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and founding chair of the Society for Organizational Learning (SoL). Senge is best known as the pioneer of systems thinking – a problem-solving approach that analyzes how the various segments of a system are interconnected, with a focus on dynamic wholes rather than static parts.
“The development of recyclable and compostable materials is one of many factors in this complex equation. You have to consider the entire life span of the cup – including what happens after it leaves the consumer’s hands,” said Senge. “Starbucks holistic approach has the potential to make a significant impact on not only its company operations, but on the entire foodservice industry.”
Summit delegates will include raw materials suppliers, cup manufacturers and converters, peer retail and beverage partners, recyclers, local municipal governments, Starbucks partners (employees), environmental NGOs, and other experts from the academic sector.
“We are taking this step to drive meaningful dialogue with an unprecedented cross-section of stakeholders who have the expertise and infrastructure to create a fundamental shift in the entire packaging industry,” said Ben Packard, Starbucks vice president of Global Responsibility. “With this initial meeting, we hope to foster collaboration and define the specific actions that will allow us to achieve our goal of 100 percent recyclable cups.”
Starbucks commitment to reducing the environmental impact of its cups dates back to the late 1990s, when the company established a relationship with the Environmental Defense Fund. In 1997, Starbucks introduced the recycled-content cup sleeve as a way to reduce “double cupping.” After five years of supplier engagement and efforts to secure government approval, in 2006 Starbucks launched the industry’s first paper beverage cup containing post-consumer recycled fiber (PCF). Since that time, the switch to PCF cups at Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada has saved more than 44,000 tons of virgin wood fiber, the equivalent of more than 300,000 trees. Currently, paper beverage cups cannot be recycled in many recycling systems.
Last year, Starbucks replaced its industry-standard polyethylene terephthalate (PET) cold cup with a polypropylene (PP) alternative in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. This change was the result of a study by external lifecycle scientists who calculated that PP cups use 15 percent less plastic than PET cups and emit 45 percent fewer greenhouse gases during their production. Unlike PET cups, PP cups do not contaminate other PP containers when co-mingled for recycling. While PET bottles are widely recyclable, PET cups are difficult to recycle in most communities.
In addition to implementing a recyclable cup strategy, Starbucks is simultaneously encouraging reusable options. Since 1985, the company has rewarded customers in participating stores who bring in their own travel tumblers with a $0.10 discount off the price of their beverages. Starbucks also provides ceramic mugs at participating stores for customers who opt to enjoy their beverages inside the coffeehouse.
To learn more about Starbucks™ Shared Planet™, the company’s commitment to ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship and community involvement, visit starbucks.com/sharedplanet |
| |
|
| 07 May 2009 |
| Honest Tea is First to Adopt Graham Packaging's New Lightweight Hot-fill PET Escape Bottle |
| |
Graham Packaging Company, L.P., has introduced the new lightweight champion – the lightest-weight bottle in the smooth-walled, hot-fill category, the perfect match for teas, juices, and isotonic drinks.
The new bottle is called the EscapeTM and represents a giant step forward in invertible-base technology.
Honest Tea, the nation's top-selling organic bottled tea company, based in Bethesda, Maryland, is the first customer to adopt the EscapeTM bottle.
“As a company, we have a very high commitment to minimizing our environmental footprint,” Seth Goldman, president and TeaEO of Honest Tea, Inc., said. “Our packaging has always been our biggest challenge in that regard. This is the single largest improvement we've ever taken in terms of reducing our environmental impact.”
Paul Kelley, senior engineering manager for PET (polyethylene terephthalate) research and development at Graham Packaging, said, “We're taking about 20 percent of the weight out of the container.”
The EscapeTM is 6.5 grams lighter than the PET bottle Honest Tea was previously using.
“It takes fewer resources to make the bottle and fewer resources to transport the bottle,” Kelley said. The EscapeTM is also fully recyclable.
Several other customers are finalizing designs for their versions of the EscapeTM. Each design will be proprietary to the specific customer.
While the bottle initially will be used for teas, juices, and isotonic drinks, it is also suitable for jellies, jams, and salsas.
After the bottle is filled and capped, it goes through a CMA, a “continuous motion activator,” a machine that inverts the base, which takes up the vacuum in the bottle and creates a slight overpressure.
“This process gives the bottle a rigid feel, like glass, but it's lighter,” said Phillip Sheets, senior project manager for Graham Packaging. “There's no structural waste-no hoop rings or backing panels,” Kelley added.
The patented CMA represents a major technology advance over the active transverse panel (ATP) technology, which Graham Packaging introduced in 2004 to produce the first panel-free hot-fill bottle. The old inverse-base process required a complex bottle-handling system during manufacturing. The CMA eliminates that and fits into the filling line.
“The CMA is inexpensive, easy to install, and doesn't require an operator,” said Mark Leiden, Graham Packaging's vice president of global marketing and PET business manager. “It's the equivalent of putting a labeling machine in a bottling line.”
Bowman Apple Products in Mt. Jackson, Virginia, and J. Lieb Foods, Inc., in Forest Grove, Oregon, are the first two locations to install Graham's CMA. Jim Lieb, president and chief executive officer of J. Lieb Foods, said adding the CMA to the filling line was as simple as adding another conveyor. “It had no negative impact,” he said. “We anticipate several other locations will install CMAs this year,” Leiden said. “We are getting a big push by our customers to continue our lightweighting and sustainability efforts, and EscapeTM plays a big part in our whole SustainerTM family. We now have the G-LiteTM series for those who use traditional vacuum panels and EscapeTM for those who want smooth walls.”
Graham Packaging, based in York, Pennsylvania, is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture, and sale of technology-based, customized blow-molded plastic containers for the branded food and beverage, household, personal care/specialty, and automotive lubricants product categories. The company has an extensive blue-chip customer base that includes many of the world's largest branded consumer products companies. It produces more than 20 billion container units annually at 82 plants in North America, Europe, and South America, and had sales of $2.58 billion in 2008.
About Graham Packaging
Graham Packaging is a leading U.S. supplier of plastic containers for hot-fill juice and juice drinks, sports drinks, drinkable yogurt and smoothies, nutritional supplements, wide-mouth food, dressings, condiments, and beers; the leading global supplier of plastic containers for yogurt drinks; a leading supplier of plastic containers for liquid fabric care products, dish care products, and hard-surface cleaners; the leading supplier in the U.S., Canada, and Brazil of one-quart/one-liter plastic motor oil containers; and a leading supplier of bottles for personal care products.
The Blackstone Group of New York is the majority owner of Graham Packaging
About Honest Tea
Honest Tea is the nation's top-selling organic bottled tea company with a mission to make great-tasting, truly healthy organic beverages sweetened with less sugar and fewer calories than most bottled beverages. Honest Tea's product lines include: Honest Tea ready-to-drink bottled teas in glass and PET No. 1 bottles, Honest Ade organic thirst quenchers and Honest Kids drink pouches. All varieties are USDA-certified organic and many teas are Fair Trade CertifiedTM.
Honest Tea was founded in Bethesda, Maryland in 1998. The company has been continuously recognized for its impressive growth and mission-driven business practices. Honest Tea has sustained an annual compound growth rate of 66 percent. In addition to being named one of The Better World Shopping Guide's “10 best companies on the planet based on their overall social and environmental record,” Honest Tea recently received Greenopia.com's coveted 4-Leaf Rating as “the greenest beverage company.” |
| |
|
| 05 May 2009 |
| McDonald’s McCafé Perks Up Coffee Lovers Coast-To-Coast |
| |
McDonald’s new McCafé coffees are launched nationwide today [U.S.], bringing a variety of customizable beverages to its national menu, including lattes, cappuccinos and mochas.
“This is an exciting day for McDonald’s and our customers,” said Don Thompson, president of McDonald’s USA. “Our customers can now enjoy a premium quality espresso-based coffee with their favorite McDonald’s breakfast or at any time when they want to treat themselves to a great-tasting beverage at a tremendous value. For McDonald’s, today marks our largest product launch in 30 years and just the beginning of many McCafé experiences to come.”
How Would You Like Your McCafé?
McDonald's McCafé beverages include espresso-based coffees such as cappuccinos, lattes, mochas, iced lattes and iced mochas, as well as hot and iced Premium Roast brewed coffees and hot chocolate. All McCafé Coffees start with fully-ripened Arabica coffee beans from Central and South America and Indonesia. From there, each drink is made to order with quality ingredients like flavored syrups, including caramel, hazelnut, vanilla and sugar-free vanilla, rich chocolate, frothy steamed milk and whipped cream.
Lattes, cappuccinos, mochas and hot chocolates are available in small (12 ounces), medium (16 ounces) and large (22 ounces). All iced coffees are available in medium.
McCafé Coffees are available at more than 11,000 McDonald’s restaurants in the U.S. Prices for McCafé Coffees vary by restaurant and can be purchased with cash, McDonald’s Arch Cards® or other forms of cashless payment options at the drive-thru or in restaurant.
McDonald's Coffees: A Dedication to Innovation
In 2006, McDonald’s successfully introduced Premium Roast drip coffee. In 2007, the company introduced Iced Coffees to the menu and began testing the full-line of espresso-based specialty coffees in select U.S. markets. The national introduction of McCafé marks McDonald's largest product launch in 30 years, since the introduction of the Egg McMuffin® sandwich to its national breakfast menu in 1977.
About McDonald's
McDonald's USA, LLC, is the leading foodservice provider in the United States serving a variety of wholesome foods made from quality ingredient to millions of customers every day. More than 80 percent of McDonald's 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local franchisees. For more information on McDonald's visit www.mcdonalds.com or log on at any of the 10,000 Wi-Fi enabled McDonald's U.S.
restaurants. |
| |
|
| 04 May 2009 |
| Tea for the Treatment of Type-2 Diabetes |
| |
Researchers at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, are attempting, with the help of a special African tea, to develop a new treatment for type-2 diabetics. The tea is used as a treatment in traditional Nigerian medicine and is produced from the extract of Rauvolfia vomitoria leaves and the fruit of Citrus aurantium. The scientists have recently tested the tea on patients with type-2 diabetes and the results are promising.
The researchers have harvested the ingredients for the tea in Africa, totalling approximately fifty kilos of leaves and three hundred kilos of fruit from the wild nature of Nigeria. Afterwards the tea has been produced exactly as local healers would do so. The recipe is quite simple: boil the leaves, young stalks and fruit and filter the liquid.
First mice, then humans
Associate professor Per Mølgaard and postdoc Joan Campbell-Tofte from the Department of Medicinal Chemistry have previously tested the tea on genetically diabetic mice. The results of the tests showed that after six weeks of daily treatment with the African tea, combined with a low-fat diet, resulted in changes in the combination and amount of fat in the animals' eyes and protection of the fragile pancreas of the mice.
The researchers have recently completed a four month long clinical test on 23 patients with type-2 diabetes and are more than satisfied with the result.
'The research subjects drank 750ml of tea each day. The cure appears to differentiate itself from other current type-2 diabetes treatments because the tea does not initially affect the sugar content of the blood. But after four months of treatment with tea we can, however, see a significant increase in glucose tolerance,' said postdoc Joan Campbell-Tofte from the University of Copenhagen.
Changes in fatty acid composition
The clinical tests show another pattern in the changes in fatty acid composition with the patients treated in comparison with the placebo group.
'In the patient group who drank the tea, the number of polyunsaturated fatty acids increased. That is good for the body’s cells because the polyunsaturated fat causes the cell membranes to be more permeable, which results in the cells absorbing glucose better from the blood,' said Joan Campbell-Tofte.
The researchers hope that new clinical tests and scientific experiments in the future will result in a new treatment for type-2 diabetics. |
| |
|
| 04 May 2009 |
| BoNa Coffee Holdings Corp. Introduces BoNa Coffee Company Products to West Coast Markets |
| |
BoNa Coffee Holdings Corp. Chief Financial Officer, Robert Mesa flies to Los Angeles and San Francisco tomorrow to introduce BoNa Coffee Company products to a major chain of supermarkets. Discussions have been ongoing regarding BoNa Coffee Company's presence in the United States Markets, beginning with major cities on the West Coast.
Mr. Mesa says, "With the interest in BoNa Coffee Company growing, we are confident that our coffee blends will receive significant attention from coffee drinkers in Carson City, Cerritos, Panorama, Eagle Rock, West Covena, North Hills, Chula Vista, Mira Mesa, National, Sacramento, San Jose, Vallejo, Union and Las Vegas."
Mr. Mesa is confident that BoNa Coffee Company Products will be on the shelves within the 3rd Quarter of this year. In taste tests conducted with focus groups in the US, BoNa Coffee House Blend rated top in comparison to competing coffee brands currently available in the market.
About BoNa Coffee Holdings Corporation
BoNa Coffee Holdings Corporation is a diversified holdings company incorporated in the state of New York. Its acquisitions include BoNa Coffee Company, a Gourmet Coffee House Brand; Bohemian Nation Trading Corporation, an import/export furniture and jewellery retail company; and Serenity Land Development and Property Management Corporation. |
| |
|
| 04 May 2009 |
| Southwest Airlines Gives Its Onboard Coffee a LIFT™ |
| |
Beginning today, Southwest Airlines will serve a new coffee onboard its aircraft called LIFT™. LIFT is a rich, dark-roasted, 100-percent Arabica blend of South and Central American coffees. In an effort to enhance its Customer Experience, the airline will serve the upgraded coffee blend in new, 8 oz. eco-friendly paper cups. The cups are made from 12 percent post-consumer recycled materials with built-in sleeves made of 99 percent post-consumer recycled material. In addition to new coffee and cups, the airline will serve individual Coffee-Mate liquid creamers instead of powdered creamer. The best part of all is that Southwest Customers are getting these upgrades for FREE!
Check out Southwest Airlines' company blog, Nuts About Southwest, to view a video on the new coffee and the first blog post written by Herb Kelleher, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Southwest Airlines.
Southwest Airlines has the opportunity to extend its Servant's Heart and participate in a worthy cause through the new coffee initiative. Southwest will donate money based on the amount of LIFT coffee Customers consume to a charity called the Guatemala Light Project. The Guatemala Light Project brings light to isolated villages in the coffee-growing regions of Guatemala. Many of these villages are in complete darkness when the sun goes down, yet light is an essential part of community and social development. Southwest's donations will help support a self-sustaining co-operative that supplies homes with solar-powered LED light systems and trains villagers how to install them. So the more coffee that Customers drink, the more Southwest Airlines will donate!
After almost 38 years of service, Southwest Airlines, the nation's leading low-fare carrier, continues to differentiate itself from other airlines--offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. At Southwest Airlines, there are no hidden fees. Customers can check their first two bags for free (size and weight limits apply), there are no fees for a window or aisle seat, and, as always, snacks, sodas, smiles, and coffee are all complimentary!
About Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience. Southwest offers all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom with a young all-Boeing 737 fleet. Southwest Airlines currently serves 65 cities in 33 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,300 flights a day and has more than 35,000 Employees systemwide. www.southwest.com |
| |
|
| 07 April 2009 |
| Starbucks Announces the Opening of its First Store in Poland |
| |
Starbucks Coffee International, Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary of Starbucks Coffee Company, and American Restaurants Sp. z o.o.,
a wholly-owned subsidiary of AmRest Holdings N.V, through the joint-venture company, AmRest Coffee, Sp. z o. o. will celebrate the opening of the first Starbucks coffeehouse in Poland on Wednesday, April 8 in Warsaw at Nowy Swiat 62.
“It is with great pride that we welcome customers to our first store in Poland to discover our world of high-quality arabica coffees and the unique Starbucks Experience,” said Drew O’Malley, managing director – AmRest Coffee Sp. z o. o. “Starbucks waited a long time to find the right opportunity to enter Poland, a country that has enthusiastically embraced the coffeehouse culture. We are excited to become a part of this growing tradition and a part of the community,” continued O’Malley.
The coffeehouse segment is the fastest-growing of the dynamic culinary sector in Poland. According to horecanet.pl, a restaurant industry report, average annual revenue growth of the Polish coffeehouse market between 1997 and 2007 was estimated to be approximately 40 percent. Another report published by BROG Media Biznesu showed a 30 percent growth in the Polish coffeehouse segment in 2007 alone.
“Poland, as well as the rest of Central and Eastern Europe, represents significant growth areas for Starbucks,” said Buck Hendrix, president of Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa. “To leverage existing strategic business partnerships to accelerate our growth outside the US, it is essential that we enter Poland with a strong and trusted partner like AmRest, who understands the market and shares our values and passion for people, quality and service.”
In 2008, AmRest opened the first Starbucks store in the Czech Republic and operates nine locations in the country. AmRest is also Starbucks' joint-venture partner for the Hungarian market. There are more than 1,550 Starbucks locations in 27 countries throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa, as of the end of Starbucks fiscal first quarter. |
| |
|
| 06 April 2009 |
| Uganda March Coffee Exports Down 8% On Year |
| |
Uganda's March coffee exports for the 2008-09 season dropped by 8% on year due to the tapering off of the main harvest in the central and eastern region as well as unfavorable weather in the west and southern coffee regions, the state-run Uganda Coffee Development Authority said Monday.
Preliminary data indicate that Uganda exported a total of 256,579 60-kilogram bags of coffee in March, down from 279,248 bags in the same month last year, UCDA said. Trade officials also blame the low farm gate prices for the dwindling exports as farmers hoard stocks and wait for better prices.
March coffee exports were less than the 270,000 bags projected earlier by UCDA due to heavy rains in the west and southern regions which are reducing the ongoing harvest. Rains hamper coffee bean ripening and drying. Coffee from the region accounts for around 45% of Uganda's total coffee output.
UCDA data indicate that March coffee exports also fell 20% from the 321,355 bags exported in February.
Uganda's coffee farm gate prices averaged around 1,300 Ugandan shillings ($0.62) per kilogram of dry robusta beans for most of last year but have now dropped by around 30%, mainly because of the effects of the global economic turmoil.
Uganda's March coffee exports brought the cumulative coffee exports since the start of the season to 1.7 million bags.
UCDA has revised the 2008-09 coffee production figure down to 3.3 million bags from the earlier forecast of 3.5 million bags due to drought and low farm gate prices.
Dow Jones Newswires |
| |
|
| 06 April 2009 |
| Paris restricts pavement cafes |
| |
They have the sun, the scarves and the cigarettes - but, for the residents of one of the French capital's most popular neighbourhoods, one element of the Parisian springtime is under threat as never before.
Local authorities in central Paris are preparing to crackdown on the pavement cafes of the historic rue Montorgueil, insisting their outside "terrasses" are too large and are a hazard for cars and passersby.
The plans to downsize, which will strictly limit the extent to which chairs and tables can spread into the road, have sparked rage among the cafe owners of the busy market thoroughfare, which has attracted even the Queen to its world-famous Stohrer bakery.
Hamdi Adel, one of many owners to have put up a placard in his window reading "Neighbourhood endangered. Shopkeepers enraged", said the removal of his third row of tables could cause his profits to fall by up to 50%.
"If this happens there will be fewer people, less work, less money. We'll be screwed," said Adel, who runs a creperie and an adjoining cafe.
Jacques Boutault, the local Green party mayor, said the restrictions, due to be implemented this week, are merely in keeping with the law. Despite being the fifth most visited street in Paris, the rue Montorgueil is only semi-pedestrianised and must allow certain vehicles to pass through.
"Our eco-mayor has decided to give priority to traffic over people," said Mathieu Manzoni, joint owner of restaurant Drole d'endroit pour une rencontre.
Boutault defended his decision to demarcate the pavements, saying residents felt uneasy about the terrasses.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/06/paris-pavement-cafes-montorgueil
|
| |
|
| 06 April 2009 |
| Financial Crisis Takes a Toll on Darjeeling Tea |
| |
The global economic crisis has affected the Darjeeling tea industry. The premium first flush teas, which become available in the market from March, have fetched 25% lesser price in the European markets this year. In 2008, the same type of tea had fetched Rs 1,250 per kg but this year it has gone down to Rs 937.50 per kg.
Talking to Economic Times, Sanjay Bansal, chairman of Darjeeling Tea Association said: “Nearly 85% of high quality first flush tea is exported to European nations. Germany is one of the biggest buyers of Darjeeling tea. Since there is a liquidity crunch in the European countries, the buyers are not keen to pay last year’s prices.” Incidentally, the premium first flush and second flush teas are major revenue earners for Darjeeling tea industry.
India produces about 9-10 million kg of Darjeeling tea annually. Of this nearly 50% of the production is rain’s tea, which do not fetch higher prices and are mostly sold in the domestic markets. Darjeeling tea planters depend on the first flush and second flush teas for their profitability.
While Darjeeling planters are busy in hard bargaining with overseas buyers, the Tea Board along with the UK Tea Council, is in the final stages of discussing an appropriate system that will define Darjeeling tea and the mechanism to ensure that the Darjeeling tea planters get the right price in the European markets.
For the last few years, tea planters through the board have been seeking a conclusive definition of Darjeeling tea in the global market. The most recent proposal from the board to its European counterparts has suggested the blend must consist at least 90% of Darjeeling tea to qualify to be called so.
Though the UK Tea Council and the EU Tea Committee are not opposed to the idea of finding a clear definition of Darjeeling tea, there has been some apprehension on the implementation of such a definition. The UK Tea Council has been vested with the task of representing the 27 EU trading partners on this subject. The trading rules not just in the UK but in other European countries are being considered.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Markets/Commodities/Financial-crisis-takes-a-toll-on-Darjeeling-tea/articleshow/4363618.cms |
| |
|
| 05 April 2009 |
| Cancer Risks Lurk in Popular Yerba Mate Te |
| |
Teas from across the globe are becoming more popular in the US. One relative newcomer, yerba mate, is attracting fans for its allegedly jitter-free caffeine boost and high antioxidant content.
Lab research suggests some potential health benefits of drinking yerba mate, but studies of lifelong yerba mate drinkers in the tea's native South America suggest the brew increases the risk of some cancers, a fact most marketing campaigns omit.
Yerba mate, from leaves of the Ilex paraguariensis tree, is traditionally brewed and served in a dried-out gourd and sipped through a metal straw with a filter on one end to prevent drinkers from getting a mouthful of leaves.
In the US, the tea is rarely served in gourds. A small but growing number of companies, however, sell the loose or bagged leaves, and some are offering cold bottled blends of the tea.
Yerba mate contains about 80 milligrams of caffeine per cup — almost twice the amount in black tea but less than half that of coffee, which usually contains from 100 milligrams to more than 200 milligrams per cup.
But scientists disagree about the bottom line on yerba mate, says K. Simon Yeung, clinical coordinator and research pharmacist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. The tea does contain a long list of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, including B vitamins and vitamin C; manganese, potassium, and zinc; and the beneficial plant compounds quercetin, theobromine and theophylline.
Because of yerba mate's high antioxidant content, comparisons with green tea are common. But that is slightly misleading, says Elvira de Mejia, associate professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The two teas have very different arrays of antioxidants: Green tea is rich in epigallocatechin gallate compounds, while yerba mate's main antioxidant is chlorogenic acid. Studies have suggested that both sets of plant compounds have the potential to reduce risk for heart disease and cancer, but the research on both is far from conclusive.
Lab tests have suggested a host of benefits from yerba mate. In test tubes, the herb and its components reduce oxidative stress on heart and liver cells, protect DNA from damage in yeast cells and kill human liver cancer cells. In lab rats, the tea improves the flow of blood through blood vessels and reduces fat accumulation.
But Yeung cautions against drawing conclusions from such studies. For one thing, he says, "high antioxidant content doesn't always translate into a health benefit."
Studies so far have sounded a note of caution for avid mate drinkers. A 2003 review of all existing studies on yerba mate, published in the journal Head and Neck, confirmed that people who regularly drink large amounts of the tea — as much as a liter or more each day — had significantly increased risk of cancers of the esophagus, lungs, mouth, pharynx and larynx.
One study of roughly 1,000 adults in Uruguay, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention in 1996, found the risk of lung cancer to be 60 percent higher among mate drinkers. Another Uruguayan study, published in the same journal in 2003, found that in a group of about 800 adults, mate drinking tripled the risk of esophageal cancer.
A study published in the journal Epidemiology in 1994 found that drinking mate regularly increased a person's risk of respiratory or digestive cancers by 60 percent.
De Mejia says that not all the studies were well designed, and did not rule out the possibility that contaminants introduced during processing — not yerba mate — were behind the apparent increase in cancer risk.
Yeung says that the amount of mate consumed also appears to plays a role. "In South America, people tend to consume large amounts," he said.
In the US, he advises, "people don't need to stop drinking it, but they do need to know something about it ... and drink in moderation."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-tc-health-nutri-lab-0325-032apr05,0,6965183.story |
| |
|
| 02 April 2009 |
| Starbucks to Sell Instant Coffee at Costco, Target, and Barnes & Noble Stores |
| |
In hopes of taking its newest product mainstream, Starbucks Corp. this week expanded its instant coffee trial to include sales in certain Costco, Target and Barnes & Noble stores.
Starbucks unveiled its VIA instant coffee in February and started selling it in Chicago and Seattle cafes in March.
Costco and Target locations in the Seattle region and Illinois will sell the packets. Barnes & Noble will sell Starbucks VIA instant coffee in Illinois only.
At Costco, a bundle of 24 packets costs $15.98 – which translates to a 67 cent cup of coffee.
Issaquah-based Costco Wholesale Corp. and Starbucks have partnered since before the coffee giant was a public company. Costco sells 2.5-pound bags of Starbucks coffee, as well as Starbucks whole beans, gift baskets and gift cards.
Barnes & Noble has a food service account with Starbucks to operate mini-cafes. (Borders has a partnership with Seattle's Best Coffee, which is a Starbucks-owned brand.)
And Starbucks already sells packaged coffee and bottled Frappuccino at Target, via the company's consumer products group.
Starbucks first offered VIA in cafes only so that baristas could explain the product and offer free samples, a spokeswoman said. It also sells VIA online.
Last week, the company began selling VIA in London cafes. The Seattle-based coffee company says that the value of the global instant coffee market is $17 billion.
http://www.seattlepi.com/business/404556_starbucks2.html
|
| |
|
| 26 March 2009 |
| Ethiopia Halts Coffee Exports after Forcing Coffee Buyers to Purchase Beans Through its Commodity Exchange |
| |
Ethiopia closed the warehouses of its six largest coffee exporters, accusing them of hoarding the crop as they wait for prices to rise, Bloomberg reported.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi warned last week that the government would "seize the coffee if it wasn't sold immediately," Bloomberg's Jason McLure reported.
Coffee is Ethiopia's biggest export, making it key to the country's struggling economy. Its coffee exports declined more than 10 percent in the first eight months of the country's fiscal year, which began July 8.
"We haven't hoarded anything," Yismashewa Seyoum, the commercial manager of Seid Yassin Pvt. Ltd., told Bloomberg. "We have proof that we haven't been hoarding so we are confident that the ban will be lifted."
The New York Times elaborated on the problem, saying that in December, the Ethiopian government "mandated that all coffee growers sell their crops through the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange, to insure that all beans fetched an adequate price. Some antipoverty groups thought this would help all Ethiopiain coffee growers."
It also means that US importers can't buy directly from the growers they prefer. That could be a big deal to Starbucks, which has delayed the opening of its farmer support center in Ethiopia. |
| |
|
| 25 March 2009 |
| Give Me A Break - ‘Elevenses’ Tops London Poll |
| |
Starbucks today celebrates the launch of Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew into select London Starbucks coffeehouses. New research commissioned reveals that Londoners unanimously cite ‘elevenses’ as their favourite coffee moment, with 60% of the capital craving a mid-morning coffee.
Indeed, this much-loved break is stimulating a sense of community spirit as over a million Londoners* will buoy their mood in 2009 by enjoying ‘elevenses’ and coffee mornings with friends and neighbours.
Futurologist and food expert Kevin Gould comments: “It’s great to see that ‘elevenses’ are back and booming in the capital, which could define a real change in London society. It appears that, in these uncertain times, we are lifting our mood by reconnecting with the people that really matter over a cup of coffee”.
The research also reveals that Londoners are an extremely discerning bunch. A third of the capital craves better quality instant coffee when away from home, and therefore the pressure is on hosts to provide neighbours, family and friends with a great cup of coffee.
Unlike traditional instant coffee, which lacks the essential oils that give coffee its flavour and aroma, Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew is 100% naturally roasted coffee, made with the highest quality arabica coffee beans finely ground to release their fullest flavour. In developing Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew, Starbucks created a proprietary, patent-pending micro-grinding technology to guarantee the quality, freshness and superior taste of Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew.
Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew is Shared Planet™ certified - Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ is Starbucks commitment to doing business responsibly. In fact, it has always been dedicated to doing business the right way: it does not buy coffee on the commodity market because Starbucks works with farmers and suppliers directly to ensure its coffee is ethically traded and responsibly grown. Furthermore, it works directly with 185,000 farmers in 18 countries to ensure they receive an equitable price for their coffee, enabling them to strengthen their farms for the future. Starbucks is proud of its role to raise standards in the coffee industry, and looks forward to expanding its work with farmers to enhance coffee quality and the lives of their families and society. Therefore Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew customers can be confident that they too are helping to make a positive difference to coffee growing communities.
Darcy Willson-Rymer, managing director, Starbucks UK & Ireland commented: “The arrival of Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew to London is extremely exciting. It took time, effort and dedication to develop the Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew flavour and we believe we’ve created a way to enjoy the quality and great taste of a freshly brewed Starbucks coffee, in an instant. Consumers have increasingly sophisticated tastes when it comes to coffee and Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew is uncompromising as it delivers the filter coffee taste in an instant format”.
The Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew ritual is simple. Tear the sachet. Add the contents to a cup, and then add hot (or cold) water. Stir and Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew is ready in an instant. The perfect choice for an impromptu catch up with friends and neighbours.
Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew will be available in 32 Starbucks coffeehouses in West London from Wednesday, 25th March. Portioned into single-serve packets, Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew will be packaged in packs of three or twelve and is available in two flavours – bold, nutty Columbia and smooth, rich Italian Roast. The suggested retail price for the UK will be £1.20 for three and £3.95 for twelve, making a great cup of Starbucks coffee for 40 pence or less.
*About the survey
Survey conducted through YouGov plc. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2075 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 13th-16th February 2009. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+). |
| |
|
| 24 March 2009 |
| Signature Starbucks® Beverages Inspire New Super-Premium Ice Cream Line |
| |
Starbucks Coffee Company and Unilever today unveiled a new super-premium ice cream line inspired by some of consumers’ favorite Starbucks® beverages. Created by culinary experts and food developers from both companies, Starbucks® ice cream is made with high-quality, all-natural ingredients, including milk and cream supplied by farmers who pledge not to treat their cows with rBGH.*
The line is now rolling into grocers across the U.S., and will be widely available by early spring. Imaginative ingredient combinations are sure to satisfy every palate:
• For the caramel lover – Caramel Macchiato – swirled Coffee and Vanilla ice creams with ribbons of golden caramel
• For the chocolate connoisseur – Mocha Frappuccino® – swirled Coffee and Chocolate ice creams
• For the Starbucks aficionado – Java Chip Frappuccino® – Coffee ice cream with dark chocolaty chunks
• For the purist-at-heart – Coffee – swirled Coffee and Espresso ice creams
“Our new ice cream line is an artful adaptation of some of our most popular hand-crafted beverages,” said Mary Theisen, director, business development, Starbucks Global Consumer Products. “We’re pleased to offer consumers a delicious and indulgent ice cream experience that is unmistakably Starbucks.”
Consumers can easily recognize Starbucks® ice cream in the freezer aisle, thanks to a clean packaging design that mirrors the iconic white Starbucks® cup. Pints are available at grocers and mass retailers for a suggested retail price (SRP) of $3.99. Java Chip Frappuccino® is also offered in a 3.6 fl. oz. single-serve cup for $1.29 (SRP).
Additionally, individually packaged Mocha and Coffee novelty bars are available at convenience stores for $2.49 (SRP). Both flavors feature decadent ice cream inside a luscious coat of milk chocolate.
“Starbucks complex coffeehouse flavors are the perfect complement to the rich, high-quality ingredients we use in our super-premium ice cream,” said Andy Sztehlo, research & development director, Unilever Ice Cream North America. “We’re thrilled to introduce a fresh interpretation of a classic product.”
Starbucks® ice cream was first introduced in 1996. The new Starbucks® ice cream line is manufactured, marketed and distributed through an exclusive licensing agreement between Starbucks and Unilever, which was announced in September 2008. Unilever also manufactures, markets and distributes Ben & Jerry’s®, Breyers®, Good Humor® and other ice cream brands.
For further details about Starbucks® ice cream, please visit www.starbucksicecream.com.
* The FDA has said no significant difference has been shown and no test can now distinguish between milk from rBGH-treated and untreated cows. Not all of the suppliers of our other ingredients can promise the milk they use comes from untreated cows.
About Starbucks
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at www.starbucks.com.
About Unilever
Unilever’s mission is to add vitality to life. We meet everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Each day, around the world, consumers make 160 million decisions to purchase Unilever products.
In the United States, the portfolio includes major brand icons such as: Axe, Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Klondike, Knorr, Lipton, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Suave, Sunsilk and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever employs nearly 12,000 people in both the United States and Puerto Rico – generating nearly $10 billion in sales in 2008. For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com. |
| |
|
| 23 March 2009 |
| Hourglass Coffee introduces brewing system made with Eastman Tritan™ copolyester |
| |
Eastman Chemical Company announced today that Hourglass Coffee, based in Portland, Ore., will use Eastman Tritan™ copolyester in its Hourglass® Cold Brew Coffee System. Eastman Tritan™ offers toughness, dishwasher durability, high-heat and chemical resistance and ease of processing. Tritan™ is also manufactured without bisphenol-A (BPA).
The cold brew coffee system is composed of a clear extract and brew chambers that will be made of Eastman Tritan™ copolyester, allowing users to see their coffee brewing. The product is shaped like an hourglass and includes a stainless steel filter between the two plastic chambers.
Using no heat in the coffee preparation, the slow cold water extraction process results in a raw coffee extract that is naturally low in bitter acids and unhealthy oils. The extract is then blended with hot water according to individual taste. Remaining extract remains fresh in the refrigerator in Hourglass’ Bean Kanteen™, which will also be made with Eastman Tritan™ copolyester.
“We have always been committed to providing our customers with a quality product that promotes health. Our goal was to find a material that would allow us to deliver the best possible product to consumers,” said Kim Kapp, director of marketing for Hourglass Coffee. “Using Eastman Tritan™ copolyester will help us meet our goal and provide a product that makes coffee with 69.6 percent less acid, making it the healthiest choice in coffee today.”
The new coffee system does not require electricity, and when selecting a material, durability was important for making the system easily portable and shatterproof. To add to the product’s ease of use, the coffee system’s components will be dishwasher-safe.
“We’re pleased that by using Eastman Tritan™ copolyester, we can achieve our vision of developing a product that has the stylish look of glass, but offers the safety and practicality of plastic,” Kapp said.
The Hourglass Cold Brew Coffee System is being launched at the International Home and Housewares Show in March 2009 and is available in select stores, such as Kitchen Kaboodle, in Portland, Ore.; Whole Foods; Solutions catalog; Hammacher Schlemmer catalog; and online at www.hourglasscoffee.com.
To help increase awareness about the use of Eastman Tritan™ copolyester in products, Hourglass Coffee joined Eastman’s new ingredient branding program. The program helps Hourglass Coffee and other Eastman customers showcase the competitive advantage of using Tritan™ in their products. Eastman’s program provides clients with marketing materials and language to enhance the brand impression and brand attributes of the end product, ultimately adding to the product’s value in the marketplace.
For more information about Eastman Tritan™ copolyester, visit www.eastman.com/tritan.
For more information about Hourglass Coffee, visit www.hourglasscoffee.com.
About Eastman Chemical Company
Eastman manufactures and markets chemicals, fibers and plastics worldwide. It provides key differentiated coatings, adhesives and specialty plastics products; is a major supplier of cellulose acetate fibers; and produces PET polymers for packaging. As a Responsible Care® company, Eastman is committed to achieving the highest standards of health, safety, environmental and security performance. Founded in 1920 and headquartered in Kingsport, Tenn., Eastman is a FORTUNE 500 company with 2008 sales of $6.7 billion and approximately 10,500 employees.
About Hourglass Coffee
Hourglass Coffee was founded in 2004 and is located in Portland, Ore. The Hourglass Coffee Maker is the world’s first cold brew coffee maker designed specifically for health-conscious coffee drinkers with sensitive stomachs. For more information about Hourglass Coffee, visit www.hourglasscoffee.com. |
| |
|
| 21 March 2009 |
| US: National coffee drinking trends 2009 |
| |
In an economically challenging year, the coffee industry has proved resilient, as evidenced by new data from the NCA’s 2009 National Coffee Drinking Trends (NCDT) market-research survey. Daily consumption of coffee beverages among consumers remained consistent in 2009 with 54% of the overall adult population partaking. This is statistically on par with the 2008 figure. Additionally, cups-per-drinker and cups-per-capita, which includes drinkers and non-drinkers, continue to hold at the level from 2008 and the previous four years, but are up slightly versus 2003.
“Consumers still see coffee as an integral part of their everyday lives,” said Robert F. Nelson, President and CEO of the National Coffee Association. “Even if economic conditions cause some to alter their coffee choices, they are nonetheless continuing to enjoy coffee at levels very much on par with recent years.”
Overall Penetration
While daily penetration of coffee among American adults held steady, the data for past-week and past-year penetration of coffee are down from 2008, indicating that a small number of less frequent coffee drinkers might have moved away from the coffee category. Weekly and yearly consumption each fell by three percentage points to 63% and 77%, respectively.
Location Matters
Even as coffee retains its resiliency among consumers, coffee preparation at home is up 5 percentage points with 83% of past-day coffee drinkers reporting that they made coffee at home the day before, and 80% of past-week coffee drinkers doing so during the previous week. Out-of-home coffee preparation is down 6 percentage points for each of the same time frames.
Similar trends are seen with regard to where consumers are drinking coffee. At-home consumption rose five percentage points – now 80% of past-day coffee consumers drink coffee at home. This is the highest level since 2003. Consumers may also be taking that home-brewed coffee to go, as 10% of past-day coffee drinkers now report having coffee during their morning commute, continuing growth begun in 2007 and again matching a high set in 2006. At the same time, the number of consumers who report drinking coffee at work remained consistent at 18%, but fewer are partaking in restaurants (5%) than in 2008 (8%).
Age Breakouts
After a quick drop at the start of the recession, the pendulum steadied for young adult coffee consumers age 18-24 in 2009 with 29% now partaking in any one day; an indication that recent lifestyle changes have become ingrained enough to be maintained, even in a difficult economy. Although slightly up from 2008’s level, the current percentage of 18-24’s who drink coffee is still significantly lower than 2007’s high of 37% that was attained after several years of steady growth.
In daily consumption, coffee drinking by adults age 25+ also shows stability, continuing for the most part to maintain 2008 levels, with those in the 40-59 age group essentially on par with the 61% high set in 2007 and 2008. Modest movement continued in the 25-39 age group, returning to 2007’s 44%, which has alternated with 47% highs in 2006 and 2008.
Traditional coffee has retained its footing with consumers age 25+, showing no significant changes. Gourmet coffee consumption among older consumers has returned to levels typically seen over the past 8 years, following an exceptionally strong year in 2008.
National Coffee Drinking Trends
The "gold standard" of U.S. coffee consumption tracking for over 50 years, the NCDT offers a wide array of data capturing coffee drinkers' behaviors, habits and attitudes. The study combines a solid core of timeless questions to measure changes over time, as well as new questions and analysis techniques designed each year to assess new trends and developments.
NCA
The National Coffee Association of U.S.A., Inc. (NCA), established in 1911, is the leading trade organization for the coffee industry in the United States. NCA is the only trade association that serves all segments of the U.S. coffee industry, including traditional and specialty companies. A majority of NCA membership, which accounts for over 90% of U.S. coffee commerce, are small and mid-sized companies and includes growers, roasters, retailers, importer/exporters, wholesaler/suppliers and allied industry businesses.
The NCA provides a wide array of services, focusing on market and scientific research, domestic and international government relations, issues management and public relations, and education. The NCA’s core purpose is to champion the well-being of the U.S. coffee industry within the context of the world coffee community. |
| |
|
| 09 March 2009 |
| World's most valuable tongue insured for £10 million |
| |
Gennaro Pelliccia, the man responsible for the taste of the 108 million cups of Costa Coffee enjoyed in Britain and around the world each year, has had his tongue insured by the company for £10 million at Lloyd's of London.
Costa has taken the exceptional step of insuring arguably the world's most valuable tongue because of new research, published today, that undisputedly proves that Costa serves the nation's preferred cappuccino in head-to-head comparison tests with rivals Starbucks and Nero.
The research proved Costa had a record margin of victory, with 7 out of 10 coffee lovers preferring its cappuccino.
The average tongue has approximately 10,000 taste buds which means Costa has in effect insured each of Pelliccia's taste buds for £1,000.
Pelliccia, Costa's Italian Master of Coffee, personally tastes every single batch of raw coffee beans at the company's roastery in Lambeth, London, before they are roasted and shipped to its stores.
Speaking for the first time about the huge insurance policy that has been taken out on his tongue, Pelliccia said:
"In my profession, my tastebuds and sensory skills are crucial. My 18 years of experience enable me to distinguish between thousands of flavours. My tastebuds also allow me to distinguish any defects, which enable me to protect and guarantee Costa's unique Mocha Italia blend."
John Derkach, Managing Director of Costa Coffee, said: "Gennaro is responsible for making sure that we maintain the highest quality of coffee. His ability to determine what tastes best enables us to serve great tasting, superior quality coffee, and we've taken out the £10 million insurance policy to protect such a vital element of the business."
Coverage was placed through Lloyd's Broker Glencairn Limited with certain Underwriters at Lloyd's of London.
A spokesman for Glencairn said:
"The tastebuds of a Master of Coffee are as important as the vocal chords of a singer or the legs of a top model, and this is one of the biggest single insurance policies taken out for one person. It shows how valuable Gennaro's tongue is to the Costa brand and everything it stands for." |
| |
|
| 06 March 2009 |
| Coffee Shop and Sandwich Chains Serve Up Healthier Eating Commitments |
| |
Seven of the UK's largest coffee and sandwich shop chains have joined the growing number of companies working with the Agency to make healthier eating commitments.
BB's Coffee and Muffins, Caffè Nero, Costa, EAT, Greggs, Pret A Manger and Starbucks Coffee Company UK have today announced their commitments to make changes to the food and drinks they serve, which will give their 11 million customers a week more opportunity to choose healthier options.
Although the commitments are different for each company, they share the aim of helping their customers enjoy a healthier, more balanced diet.
The companies identify specific projects which take into account procurement, menu planning, kitchen practice and consumer information. The companies will give the Agency a six month progress update.
Examples include:
* setting targets for the amount of salt and saturated fat that their products will contain - and working towards meeting them for all products
* using low salt stock for all soups
* offering a range of four pieces of fresh fruit, salads and healthier snacks
* offering smaller portions for exactly half the price of the standard size
* reviewing the nutritional content of all sandwiches and where possible relaunching replacements which are lower in salt and saturated fat
* gradually reducing the amount of sugar in sweet products
Tim Smith, Chief Executive at the Agency, said: 'We now eat one in every six meals out of our homes. On average we are taking only 29 minutes for our lunch break at work, so that often means grabbing a snack or sandwich with a hot drink to eat at our desks, or to eat on the move, rather than sitting down for a meal.
'That is why we particularly welcome these commitments making it easier to choose healthier options when eating out, no matter where that is. We are very pleased to see the progress these companies have made over the last few years. We look forward to accelerating the pace, and seeing the impact, of these changes in our choice of these important foods.'
Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said: 'Tastes are changing and people want to eat more healthily. These commitments will help people make healthier choices and will go some way towards our aim to make healthy food the norm.
'I'd like to see businesses go further and make nutritional information available on their menus to further help people make informed choices about what they eat.'
The Agency is now working with more than 30 of the biggest companies in the catering sector including workplace caterers, quick service restaurants and pub chains. Between them these companies have the potential to positively influence more than 50 million customers they serve each week. The next stage of this activity will be publishing similar commitments from some of the country's largest family restaurant chains, which are due to be announced in the spring. |
| |
|
| 05 March 2009 |
| Starbucks® coffee to consumers in France and Germany |
| |
Following the expansion of their relationship in Europe and the launch of packaged Starbucks® coffee in Switzerland in September 2008, Starbucks Corporation today announced they will launch packaged Starbucks® coffee in select supermarkets in France and Germany. These countries will benefit from the companies' ongoing relationship as they continue to work together to bring super-premium Starbucks® coffee to home-brewing consumers in Europe.
"Europe has a strong, vibrant coffee culture and we're proud to contribute to its richness by offering consumers super-premium Starbucks® coffee for at-home brewing," said Rich DePencier, vice president, Starbucks Global Consumer Products, International. "Our Consumer Products business is important to the overall success of the company, and we are committed to bringing the Starbucks Experience to consumers throughout Europe at our retail stores and in supermarkets."
Fueled by Europe's deeply rooted coffee tradition, the growing popularity of modern coffeehouses and at-home automated brewing systems has increased consumer demand for high-quality coffee in recent years. According to Datamonitor, total revenues from Roast and Ground Coffee in Western Europe in 2007 totaled EUR 7.1 billion (US$8.9 billion) and are expected to rise to approximately EUR 8 billion (US$10 billion) by the end of 2012.
"Starbucks high-quality products and brand-building expertise combined with Kraft Foods business acumen in marketing, sales and distribution have put us in a prime position to create further growth in the packaged coffee category in Europe," said Stephanie Wilkes, Vice President, Tassimo Global and Starbucks International Partnership, Kraft Foods. "This launch builds upon our 10-year relationship, allowing us to deliver an exceptional and super-premium in-home coffee experience."
Beginning in March 2009, French consumers will be able to purchase a selection of ground Starbucks® coffee and Tassimo® T-Discs at select Monoprix supermarkets, mainly in and around Paris, and in other key cities in France. Starbucks currently has 48 coffeehouses in France. By April 2009, German consumers will find ground and whole bean Starbucks® coffee at select supermarkets, while Tassimo® T-Discs will be sold nationwide. Starbucks currently has 140 coffeehouses in Germany.
Starbucks and Kraft Foods joined forces in 1998 with a marketing and distribution agreement under which Starbucks® coffee was launched in US supermarkets, driving growth of the specialty coffee category in this channel. Today, the companies bring consumers Starbucks® whole bean and ground coffees and Tassimo® T-Discs in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, France and Germany.
About Starbucks Corporation
Since 1971, Starbucks Corporation has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. In addition to its Starbucks retail stores, the company produces a wide range of branded consumer products globally, including ready-to-drink beverages, packaged coffees, premium ice creams, chocolates and liqueurs. The company's brand portfolio features Tazo Tea, Seattle's Best Coffee and Torrefazione Italia Coffee, enabling Starbucks to appeal to a broad consumer base. For more information, please visit us online at www.starbucks.com, www.starbucks.fr or www.starbucks.de.
About Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods is a global leader in the food and beverage industry, with more than 100,000 employees generating revenues of over $42 billion in 2008. Kraft Foods' broad range of products has successfully met consumer needs for more than 100 years. More than 150 countries are supplied with iconic brands such as Toblerone, Suchard, Milka chocolates, Carte Noire coffee, Jacobs coffees, the Tassimo hot beverage system and Philadelphia cream cheese, all produced at the highest quality in more than 180 manufacturing facilities. Kraft Foods Inc. is listed in the Standard & Poor's 100 Index, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and the Ethibel Sustainability Index.
For more information, visit the company's website at www.kraftfoodscompany.com, www.kraftfoods.fr or www.kraftfoods.de. |
| |
|
| 02 March 2009 |
| Dunkin' Donuts number one in customer loyalty |
| |
Dunkin' Donuts has brewed a Brand Keys "three-peat." For the third year in a row, Dunkin' Donuts, America's all day, every day stop for coffee and baked goods, ranked number one in customer loyalty in the coffee category by the Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index. Brand Keys, Inc., a research consultancy considered the world leader in customer loyalty and engagement metrics, conducted the national survey. According to the survey, Dunkin' Donuts was the leading brand for consistently meeting or exceeding customer expectations.
"We are extremely excited and grateful to have earned the top ranking for customer loyalty three years running," said Frances Allen, Dunkin' Donuts Brand Marketing Officer. "This great honor is a testament to our franchisees, who strive every day to deliver high-quality coffee and baked goods with fast and friendly service. As a result of their efforts, Dunkin' Donuts has become a daily ritual in millions of our customers' lives."
"Dunkin' Donuts' third Customer Loyalty and Engagement award is a tribute to the brand's ability to provide customers with more than just high-quality coffee and baked goods," said Robert Passikoff, founder of Brand Keys. "Today, value matters more than ever to consumers, and in terms of service and quality and variety, Dunkin' has been able to meet consumers' very high expectations in a tough marketplace. We applaud their success."
The Brand Keys recognition follows the recent launch of Dunkin' Donuts' "You Kin' Do It" advertising and marketing campaign, for which the company has implemented several programs to make life a little brighter and more affordable for consumers. To help Arizona football fans get over their championship loss, Dunkin' Donuts offered a free donut to customers in all of the company's Phoenix-area stores. Tampa Bay customers were treated to a free cup of coffee every Wednesday in February. And, to help encourage people to keep America running during these challenging times, Dunkin' Donuts distributed tens of thousands of free subway tokens to commuters in Boston and New York, and paid for parking in select areas of Buffalo, NY.
Dunkin' Donuts has set the standard for offering a superior grade of coffee, and the company sells more than one billion cups of hot and iced coffee every year. In 2008, an independent taste test showed that Americans preferred Dunkin' Donuts coffee over Starbucks.
Founded in 1950, Dunkin' Donuts is America's favorite everyday, all-day stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin' Donuts is the #1 retailer of hot and iced regular coffee-by-the-cup in America, and the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world. Dunkin' Donuts has earned the #1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for three years running. The company has more than 8,800 restaurants in 31 countries worldwide. In 2008, Dunkin' Donuts' global system-wide sales were $5.5 billion. Based in Canton, Massachusetts, Dunkin' Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin' Brands, Inc. For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com. |
| |
|
| 23 February 2009 |
| Clinical trial to study effects of green tea extract on cervical cancer prevention |
| |
TUCSON, Ariz. – The Arizona Cancer Center is currently conducting a clinical investigation on the effects of Polyphenon E (a green tea extract) on cervical cancer prevention. The study will determine whether Polyphenon E affects cancer-related biomarkers in blood and/or cervical tissue in women with persistent CIN1 or LSIL, or who test positive for oncogenic HPV (Human papillomavirus). These are various types of cervical infections. Tea (Camellia sinensis) is one of the world’s most consumed beverages. Polyphenon E is a chemically defined, decaffeinated, catechin-enriched green tea extract. Catechins are plant chemicals that are considered powerful antioxidants and have multiple beneficial biological effects that could lead to cancer prevention. Approximately 20 million Americans are currently infected with HPV, and another 6.2 million become newly infected each year. Some types of HPV can cause cervical cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about 11,070 women diagnosed with cervical cancer in the United States in 2008. Rigorous clinical investigations are needed to determine whether green tea extracts such as Polyphenon E are effective reducing or preventing cervical cancer. The study will recruit women who have had a diagnosis of persistent CIN1/HPV/LSIL for at least 6-12 months. Eligible participants will take either 800 mg. capsules of Polyphenon E (green tea extract) or a matched placebo for four months. Monthly clinic visits will include review of compliance and any side effects, and blood testing for liver function. The final clinic evaluation will additionally include a directed biopsy of the cervix and cervical curettage (a tissue sample of the cervix). All qualified participants will be compensated for their role in this study. This study is sponsored by the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Prevention. The principal investigators are Francisco Garcia, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and Arizona Cancer Center member, and David Greenspan, MD, a specialist in anatomic pathology and obstetrics and gynecology, Maricopa Integrated Health System. For additional study-related information, please contact: • Tucson: Dr. Garcia at (520) 626-8539 or Bonnie Weible at (520) 318-7178. • Maricopa County: Blanca Flor Jimenez at (602) 344-5439. • Scottsdale: Wendy Thomas at (480) 355-8127.
The Arizona Cancer Center is the state’s premier National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. With primary locations a The University of Arizona in Tucson and in Scottsdale, the Center has more than a dozen research and education offices throughout the state and 300 physician and scientist members working to prevent and cure cancer. For more information, go to www.azcc.arizona.edu |
| |
|
| 17 February 2009 |
| Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew: A breakthrough in instant coffee |
| |
| SEATTLE & NEW YORK, February 17, 2009 - Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) today announ | | | |
