EIN Presswire: Starbucks Live Feed Press Releases

Starbucks to Open its First Store in Norway

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:12:54 +0000

Norway, Oslo: February 7, 2012 – Starbucks Coffee Company (Nasdaq: SBUX) and its licensed partner, SSP, the leading dedicated operator of food and beverage brands in travel locations worldwide, will open Norway’s first Starbucks Coffeehouse at Oslo Airport, arrivals this Thursday, February 9th.

“SSP Norway has looked forward to this day for a long time,” says Morten Solberg Nilsen, Managing Director SSP Norway. “With a spacious and comfortable seating area, the new Starbucks coffeehouse will undoubtedly be a popular place for travelers to relax while enjoying their favorite coffee. SSP and Starbucks have a shared passion for making customers feel at home. We are thrilled that with Starbucks we can bring another world-class brand to the airport which further strengthens our position as the food travel experts, offering an unrivaled portfolio of leading brands.”

The long awaited store will be located in arrivals at Oslo Airport and will be accessible to everyone going to the airport. It will offer customers the legendary Starbucks Experience, high-quality arabica coffee, and innovative products in an inviting and relaxed atmosphere.

“Starbucks is thrilled to open our first store in Norway, a country with a long and rich coffeehouse culture and a great appreciation for coffee,” said Arjan Oudejans, Director of Licensed Stores, Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa. “We look forward to extending our long term partnership with our trusted partner SSP into Norway. This strategic relationship aligns with Starbucks strategy to open stores where customers expect them to be and meets the growing demand for high quality coffee and service in the travel channel,” continued Oudejans.

Starbucks and SSP announced their strategic partnership in June, 2008 and have since opened stores in the UK, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland and Sweden.

“Oslo Airport is Norways’s principal international airport, and in the food & beverage facilities we strive to combine the best from Norway with the best from the rest of the world. As a leading international brand, Starbucks fits seamlessly into that strategy. The fact that Starbucks opens its first store in Norway at Oslo Airport gives credit to the special and innovative character of this marketplace, but most importantly we are sure that our passengers will greatly enjoy the fact that they can now have a Starbucks coffee at Oslo Airport,” says Nic Nilsen, Managing Director of Oslo Airport.

Starbucks® Ready-to-Drink Coffee
The opening of the first Starbucks retail location in Norway comes one year after the launch of its line of premium ready-to-drink beverages, Starbucks Discoveries® Iced Lattes, and Starbucks® bottled Frappuccino® which are available on grocery shelves and in convenience stores in Norway.

‘We are astounded with the first year performance of the Starbucks® Ready-to-Drink Coffee beverages in Norway, and grateful for the warm embrace from our Norwegian customers. It gives us great confidence in the success of Starbucks retail stores in Norway,” said Oudejans.

Starbucks® Iced Latte coffee drinks were launched in February last year and per capita sales performance is the highest in Europe at almost 4 million units sold.

Short facts on Starbucks at Oslo airport
Address: Oslo Airport, 2060 Gardermoen
Seats: 75 Interior and 28 Outside (weather permitting)
Size of store: 210 m2 + 100 m2 outside in summer

Fact Sheet: Starbucks Cup Magic App – Valentine’s Day 2012

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:10:00 +0000

Starting February 6 for a limited time, Starbucks customers can experience the latest version of the Starbucks Cup Magic app just in time for Valentine’s Day. Originally launched during our holiday campaign, the Valentine’s Day-themed interactive app brings limited-edition Valentine’s Day Starbucks® hot cups to life with augmented reality technology. Connecting the digital world with the Starbucks store experience, users can download and enjoy the app to Celebrate everylove in their life. Customers simply download the app to create and send a personalized Valentine’s Day message or Starbucks Card eGift to brighten someone’s day! Share the love with this fun and festive app this Valentine’s Day at Starbucks.

Experience Augmented Reality

Starbucks Cup Magic app for Valentine’s Day incorporates the latest in augmented reality technology to offer an animated visual experience. Download the app to create your own personalized augmented reality valentine to send to someone special in your life. You can also send a personalized valentine with a Starbucks Card eGift!

Starting February 6-16, the Valentine’s Day version of the Starbucks Cup Magic app will be available for download in the U.S. To learn more and/or download the Valentine’s Day Starbucks Cup Magic app, visit www.Starbucks.com/everylove.

Additional Features
Valentine Experience: Tap the “Experience Your Valentine” button and scan a Valentine’s Day cup to see your cup come to life through 3D augmented reality.

Send a Virtual Valentine: Tap the “Send a Virtual Valentine” button to send your everylove an augmented reality Valentine! The lucky recipient of your Valentine will be able to scan a limited-edition Valentine’s Day Starbucks cup to reveal your Valentine message. The augmented reality experience allows you to interact with the app in multiple ways including blowing into your phone to create a pinwheel of hearts and tapping the screen to reveal your message!

eGifting: The Starbucks Cup Magic app is equipped with an eGift feature, allowing users to send Starbucks Card eGifts to friends and loved ones from their smartphone device in the U.S. Whether you need to send a last-minute Valentine or just want to let someone know you are thinking about them, a delicious beverage is sure to brighten anyone’s day. You can even schedule your delivery – send an eGift Valentine today and have it delivered on February 14.

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For More Information
If you have questions or need more information, please contact (206) 318-7100 or press@starbucks.com.
© 2012 Starbucks Coffee Company. All rights reserved.

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Concordia Coffee Systems Closes Over $6 Million Financing

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Concordia Coffee Systems Closes Over $6 Million Financing

New Investment Brews International Expansion for Seattle Area Automated Beverage Machine Manufacturer

PR Newswire

BELLEVUE, Wash., Feb. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Concordia Coffee Systems, the world's leading manufacturer of self-serve commercial espresso systems, announced it has raised $6.5 million in new financing led by Marker Hill Capital. Previous investors Fluke Capital Partners, Swiftsure Capital and several high-profile Seattle angel investors also participated in this round.

Concordia Coffee System's CEO and Chairman of the Board, David Isett said, "This capital will be used to ramp up our international business and to fund the market roll out of our new line of coffee systems globally so we can now bring our outstanding coffee to the whole world."

Concordia Coffee Systems was the first in the world to develop and patent a fully automatic espresso delivery system that combines milk steaming, coffee grinding and brewing. The process is completed in one single step without the user having to move the cup. Everything needed to make the highest quality espresso beverage (fresh milk, fresh coffee beans, and premium sauces and syrups) is integrated in a single system.

Marker Hill Capital's Chairman, Robert Fanch will join the company's board of directors. Fanch, renowned for having founded and managed several highly successful telecommunications enterprises, commented, "Concordia Coffee Systems has the winning combination that Marker Hill values in our investments: patented disruptive technology, a strong operational team, and strong business expansion opportunities both domestically and internationally."

The company's key partners include coffee roasters such as Starbucks, Seattle's Best and Caribou Coffee. Concordia's customers include Hilton, MIT, Crave America!, Tesco, Costco, Google, Compass, Aramark, Sodexho, Stanford University, and United Airlines.

Seattle, WA-based First Hill Partners served as sole financial advisor to Concordia in connection with this round of financing.

Concordia Coffee Systems is the world's leading manufacturer of self-serve commercial coffee systems for coffee roasters and the retail, corporate, travel/hospitality, food service, convenience and specialty businesses. All Concordia machines are manufactured at its Bellevue, WA headquarters and shipped to customers all over the world. The company's patented processes deliver an amazing cup of coffee every time for the thousands of customers pouring millions of drinks every day. The company is located at 1287 120th Ave. N.E., Bellevue, Wash. 98005. Web site: www.concordiacoffee.com.

Marker Hill Capital, a private equity fund, formed in March of 2011. Led by Robert Fanch, Robert Cyman, Suzanne Fanch and Tom Juracek, the organization's focused on partnering with management teams in a variety of business sectors that are seeking capital for growth, particularly organizations looking for expansion capital. Having backgrounds in Finance, Strategic Planning, Operations and Marketing, as well as capital markets, Marker Hill's background provides a broad range of expertise not typically found in private equity funds. Current investment commitments include a broad range of sectors from energy and technology to real estate and hospitality.

Fluke Venture Partners has invested in emerging growth businesses located in the Pacific Northwest for over 30 years. Fluke's investments include companies providing unique solutions in technology, healthcare and consumer markets as well as manufacturing and business service enterprises. Fluke's Managing Directors are Kevin Gabelein and Dennis Weston.

Swiftsure Capital is a Seattle-based merchant bank that arranges investments by high net worth individuals, family holding companies and institutional investors. Since 2004, Swiftsure has been helping entrepreneurs in Northwest-based emerging growth companies raise capital and build shareholder value.

First Hill Partners is a regionally focused, middle market investment bank dedicated to providing high-end, high-touch, investment banking services to entrepreneurial companies and investors. We pride ourselves on offering our clients access to our deep rolodex of relationships, in-depth industry knowledge and financial expertise. First Hill provides capital raising, mergers & acquisitions, and advisory board services. All securities transactions are offered through Phillips Capital, Inc., a member of FINRA and SIPC. First Hill's principals and advisors have deep transaction expertise, having completed over 150 transactions in key industries including: Software, Internet & Communications, Technology Enabled Business & Healthcare Services, Commercial & Consumer Products and Clean Technology. For more information, visit www.firsthillpartners.com.

SOURCE Concordia Coffee Systems

Coffee and Tea Foodservice Trends in the U.S.

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:12:17 +0000

Coffee and Tea Foodservice Trends in the U.S.

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Feb. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Coffee and Tea Foodservice Trends in the U.S.

http://www.reportlinker.com/p0769021/Coffee-and-Tea-Foodservice-Trends-in-the-US- .html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Hot_Drink

Coffee and Tea Foodservice Trends in the U.S. provides industry participants with essential guidance on trends including menu pricing and discounting; coffee commodity pricing trends; promotional activity & strategy; flavor innovation; coffee and tea foodservice health trends; and retail coffee and tea brands used in foodservice.

Coffee and tea remains a key foodservice industry growth driver, buoyed by aggressive menu innovation and platform expansion, a strong foothold in the breakfast daypart, consumer lifestyle needs, and some of the lowest price points in an industry battling a down economy.Led by Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts, coffee and tea players continue to outperform restaurant industry growth, with revenue growth extending across restaurant segments.

Coffee and Tea Foodservice Trends in the U.S.

tracks coffee and tea growth not only among specialists but among restaurant brands pursuing incremental profits through improvements in coffee and tea quality and variety.This report will help industry participants:

Stay on trend, with menu analysis that includes trending of coffee & tea varieties, flavors and types by restaurant segment.

Learn from innovation and category leaders via coffee and tea foodservice innovator case studies on the following brands: Argo Tea, Café Luxxe, Camille's Sidewalk Café, Caribou, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Dunkin' Donuts, Intelligensia Coffee & Tea, Java Dave's, La Madeleine, Peet's, Starbucks, Tea Station, Tim Hortons and Tully's. Coverage also includes major QSR brands, such as McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's.

Gauge coffee-centric restaurants' brand performance against their strategy decisions via trending of guest traffic, same-store sales, and guest check averages among leading brands.

Keep ahead of consumer coffee and tea foodservice drinking trends, with analysis by flavor and type of coffee and tea, daypart usage, and penetration by segment.

Get direction on industry revenue growth, with a foodservice market size and forecast for coffee and tea, including context for selected foodservice segments (including convenience stores, snack and beverage concepts, and fast food/QSR restaurants).

Chapter 1: Executive Summary

Scope and Methodology

Scope of coverage

Methodology

Consumer survey methodology

Market size and forecast

Consumer restaurant spend trending

Menu item trend analysis

Other sources

Restaurant categories

Limited-service restaurant definitions

Full-service restaurant definitions

Other definitions

Share of Stomach: Coffee and Tea Foodservice Sales Analysis

Coffee and Tea Foodservice Macroeconomic Drivers

Insight Capsule

Coffee and Tea Foodservice Trends

Insight capsule

Coffee and Tea Foodservice Menu Trends

Insight Capsule

Consumer Coffee and Tea Foodservice Usage & Preferences

Insight Capsule

Coffee and Tea Foodservice Brand Analysis

Chapter 2: Share of Stomach: Coffee and Tea Foodservice Sales Analysis

Overview

Market size and forecast summary

Restaurant industry market and forecast

Nonalcoholic beverage sales summary

Graph 2-1: Restaurant & Drinking Places Sales, Non-Alcoholic Beverage Share, 2006-14

Coffee and tea grow shares of nonalcoholic beverages sales

Graph 2-2: Non-Alcoholic Sales at Restaurant & Drinking Places: Coffee, Tea and Other, 2006-14

$18.7 billion in forecasted 2012 sales

Graph 2-3: Coffee and Tea Sales at Restaurants & Drinking Places, 2006-14

2011 sales spike; moderated growth ahead

Graph 2-4: Coffee and Tea Sales at Restaurants & Drinking Places, % Change, 2006-14

Coffee to continue contributing higher dollar share

But siphoning at-home and office sales is central to occasion-based growth

Graph 2-5: Coffee and Tea Sales at Restaurants & Drinking Places, Dollar Share, 2006-14

Coffee and tea per capita and population use

Graph 2-6: Coffee and Tea Volume, U.S. Per Capita, 2000-2009

Graph 2-7: Coffee and Tea Volume, U.S. Population, 2000-2009

Quarterly same-store sales comparisons, by brand and restaurant segment

Reading the graphs

One-year and multi-year comparisons

Performance & outlook: coffeehouses and donut shops

Coffeehouses ride positive sales wave

Graph 2-8: Coffeehouse and Donut Shop Restaurant Annual Same-Store Sales Index:

2005-10, 2006-10, 2007-10 & 2008-2010

Positive segment momentum through 2011

Graph 2-9: Coffeehouse and Donut Shop Restaurant Quarterly Same-Store Sales Index:

2008-11, 2009-11 & 2010-11

Performance & outlook: QSR coffee players

Outlook

QSR: the behemoth grows while others falter

Graph 2-10: QSR Coffee-Centric Restaurant Annual Same-Store Sales Index:

2005-10, 2006-10, 2007-10 & 2008-2010

Mixed momentum through 2011

Graph 2-11: QSR Coffee-Centric Restaurant Quarterly Same-Store Sales Index:

2005-10, 2006-10, 2007-10 & 2008-2010

Competitive capsule: Burger King

Menu initiatives

Breakfast menu trends

Competitive capsule: McDonald's

Breakfast: a quarter of sales, with unit volumes on the upswing

Beverage sales are booming

Coffee lays the foundation for broadening McCafé platform

Competitive capsule: Wendy's

Wendy's reenters breakfast wars with premium QSR differentiation

Redhead Roasters

Tweaking menu strategy by moving away from extreme affordability

Fast casual coffee players

Panera Bread, Einstein Noah and Cosi

Graph 2-12: Fast Casual Coffee-Centric Restaurant Annual Same-Store Sales Index:

2005-10, 2006-10, 2007-10 & 2008-2010

Positive momentum

Graph 2-13: Fast Casual Coffee-Centric Restaurant Quarterly Same-Store Sales Index:

2008-11, 2009-11 & 2010-11

Food away from home spending share declines, but 2010 growth is stable

Graph 2-14: Food Away from Home vs. Food at Home, 2001-2010

Restaurant Performance Index exhibits moderate strength during 2011

Graph 2-15: Restaurant Performance Index, 2007-2011

Consumer spending trends

Daypart analysis

Hispanics driving growth in food spending

Driving dayparts

Table 2-1: Restaurant Share of Spend, by Daypart: Hispanic v. Non-Hispanic, 2007-10

Spending trends by age

Table 2-2: Restaurant Share of Spend, by Daypart, by Age, 2007-10

Spending trends by HH income

Daypart trends

Table 2-3: Restaurant Share of Spend, by Daypart, by HH Income, 2007-10

Chapter 3: Coffee and Tea Foodservice Macroeconomic Drivers

Overview

Our take: muted optimism

Economic forecast through 2014

GDP: A long time getting back, but finally passes pre-recession levels

Forecast factors

Graph 3-1: Unemployment, GDP & Inflation Forecast, 2011-2014

Analysis: consumer confidence & foodservice

Consumer confidence remains abysmal but is rising from bottom

Present Situation Index increases business condition perceptions & job prospects brighten

Expectations Index rises on business conditions & job prospect optimism

Graph 3-2: Unemployment Rate, Savings Rate & Consumer Confidence, 2007-2011

Foodservice application and analysis

Strong correlations to LSR family, snack and beverage & high-frequency limited-service usage

Table 3-1: Degree of Consumer Confidence, Limited-Service Restaurant Use & Usage Frequency

Weaker correlation to full-service usage

Analysis: employment & foodservice

Unemployment remains high but is tapering downward

Demographic analysis

Trouble areas

Restaurant industry ramifications

Bright spots

Restaurant industry ramifications

Table 3-2: Unemployment Trends, by Demographic, October 2009 to December 2011

Analysis: consumer spending trends

Consumer spending ticks upward

Inflation-adjusted foodservice & accommodations consumer spending up 4% since 2005

Graph 3-3: Real Personal Consumption Expenditures by Type of Product,

Indexes, 2007-2011

Lower energy prices free up discretionary income for foodservice spending

Graph 3-4: U.S. Regular Gasoline Prices, 2007-2011

Analysis: coffee and tea price outlook

Commodity coffee prices coming back down to earth?

Graph 3-5: Consumer Debt Ratios: 2007-2011

In face of rising coffee commodity prices, tea remains stable

Tea pricing stability delivers growth potential

Graph 3-6: Producer Price Index, Coffee and Tea, 2007-2011

PPI industry index follows commodity trends

Graph 3-7: Producer Price Index, Coffee and Tea Manufacturing, 2007-2011

Translation: higher coffee and coffee drink menu prices

Table 3-3: Average Increase in Price of Coffee and Drinks, by Beverage Type, 2007-2011

Retail price trends

Graph 3-8: Consumer Price Index, Coffee and Tea, 2007-2011

Summarized pricing analysis

Table 3-4: Commodity and Industry PPI & CPI: Coffee & Tea Percent Change, 2007

Coffee and tea imports: volume and value

Increase in coffee sales highly influenced by cost per ton, not volume increases

Table 3-5: Coffee Imports, by Product Type Value, 2006-2010

Table 3-6: Coffee Imports, by Product Type Volume, 2006-2010

Table 3-7: Coffee Imports, U.S. Dollars per Ton, by Product Type, 2006-2010

Tea import value increases, based on price and volume increases

Table 3-8: Tea Imports, by Product Type Value, 2006-2010

Table 3-9: Tea Imports, by Product Type Volume, 2006-2010

Table 3-10: Tea Imports, U.S. Dollars per Ton, by Product Type, 2006-2010

Chapter 4: Coffee and Tea Foodservice Trends

Overview

Specialty coffee & tea growth

Specialty coffee

Specialty tea

And the winner is . . .

Mainstreaming is at hand

Shift away from carbonated beverages

Iced tea and specialty coffee benefit

Multi-channel distribution model increasingly the rule, not the exception

Green Mountain: a new multi-channel model

Coffeehouses increasingly retail, foodservice and commercial participants

Coffeehouse brands increasingly retail powerhouses

Ushering in Age of the K-Cup

Dunkin' Donuts

Starbucks

Tripling household penetration within 5 years?

Not just a coffee thing; a beverage thing

Hain Celestial

Food platforms now the rule; continued expansion expected

Expanding beyond coffee . . .

Coffee: Revitalizing instant

VIA raises instant coffee quality bar

The Via Effect

Coffee: Lightening up

Tea: Growing consumer awareness

Tea: Consumer focus on health and wellness

Tea's healthful properties a hit with consumers

Table 4-1: Consumer Beverages Purchased for Nutritional Benefits, 2011

Table 4-2: Tea Types Purchased in Last 12 months: Health Significance, 2011

Overview

Chapter 5: Coffee and Tea Foodservice Menu Trends

Datassential

What's hot?

The "hottest"? Specialty tea

Table 5-1: Top 10 Nonalcoholic Beverage Menu Trends, 2011

Coffee varieties

Table 5-2: Top Coffee Varieties, Restaurant Penetration, by Segment, 2011

Restaurant penetration increases

Table 5-3: Top Coffee Varieties, Restaurant Penetration, by Segment, 2007-2011

Coffee flavors and types

Table 5-4: Top Coffee Flavors/Types, Restaurant Incidence, by Segment, 2011

Tea flavor & variety trends

Table 5-5: Top Hot Tea Flavors, Restaurant Penetration, by Segment, 2011

Iced tea

Table 5-6: Top Iced Tea Varieties, Restaurant Penetration, by Segment, 2011

Retail branded teas: menu presence and introductions

Seattle's Best gets the ball rolling

But Starbucks brand can play a role

Other players also plan to grow foodservice presence

Taco Bell parlays retail brand equity into large-scale daypart expansion

Retail branded tea on the menu more common

Snapple, Lipton, Nestea and AriZona lead the way

Tazo, Gold Peak, Mighty Leaf and Fuze breaking onto the menu

Mighty Leaf on the move

Jamba Juice

Atlanta Bread

DrinkWorks cracks 7-Eleven

Selected restaurant brand coffee and tea menu introductions

Krispy Kreme

Jack in the Box

Other menu introductions

Overview

Chapter 6: Consumer Coffee and Tea Foodservice Usage & Preferences

Summary analysis

Guiding Industry Guest Traffic Trends

Guest traffic remains an issue

Snack and beverage trouble spots: Generations Y and X

Adjusting to downward HH income shifts

Cater to diversity

Breakfast growth; breakfast opportunity

Follow Boomers

Guiding coffee and tea trends

Mature usage dictates need for expanding varieties, usage occasions & distributions channels

Summary Analysis: Tea

Foodservice upside

Moving tea-centricity into under-tapped areas

Specialty tea—or specialty tea mainstreaming?

Room for additional tea variety at restaurants

Target young and old

The ethnic tea connection

Summary Analysis: Coffee

The Via Effect

Ground/whole bean coffee suffering at the hands of single-brew/instant innovation?

Conversion opportunities

143 million opportunities to sell coffee every morning

Drive-thru, anyone?

Restaurant Segment Guest Traffic Count and Frequency Comparisons, 2008-11

Visit frequency definitions

Population growth saves industry

Table 6-1: Restaurant Usage by Major Segment, 3-Year Growth Index, 2008-11

Age restaurant usage trends

Snack and beverage usage declines

Table 6-2: Restaurant Segment Usage & Growth, by Generation, 2008-11

Table 6-3: Limited-Service Restaurant Guest Traffic Trending, by Age/Generation, 2008-2011

HH income restaurant usage trends

Downward migration in HH income has serious ramifications for restaurant industry

Table 6-4: Restaurant Segment Usage & Growth, by HH Income, 2008-11

Race/ethnicity restaurant usage trends

Table 6-5: Restaurant Segment Usage & Growth, by Race/Ethnicity, 2008-11

Daypart guest visit frequency

Summary analysis

Dinner remains biggest draw

Breakfast and snack growth

LSR breakfast, LSR dinner and FSR snack outpace other daypart segments

Table 6-6: Restaurant Use, by Daypart and Restaurant Segment, 2008-11

Daypart restaurant usage, by age

Table 6-7: 2011 Daypart Use, by Restaurant Segment: Age

Daypart restaurant usage growth, by age

Percentage breakfast use among 35-44s grows over time

Percentage snacking use among 25-34s on the upswing

Table 6-8: 2008-2011 Daypart Usage Growth, by Restaurant Segment: Age

Daypart restaurant usage, by HH income

Table 6-9: 2011 Daypart Use, by Restaurant Segment: HH Income

Daypart restaurant usage growth, by HH income

Table 6-10: 2008-2011 Daypart Usage Growth, by Restaurant Segment: HH Income

Coffee and Tea

Coffee and tea usage holds steady through recession

Table 6-11: Coffee and Tea Usage Trending, 2008-2011

Bagged/packaged tea, RTD iced tea & instant iced tea

Table 6-12: Bagged/Packaged Tea, RTD Iced Tea & Instant Iced Tea Usage Trending, 2008-2011

Bagged/packaged hot & iced tea

Table 6-13: Regular Hot & Iced Tea Usage Trending, 2008-2011

Regular loose & bagged tea

Table 6-14: Regular Loose & Bagged Tea Usage Trending, 2008-2011

Framing foodservice tea drinking trends: tea drinkers

Usage baseline: 173.5 million adult tea consumers

Table 6-15: Tea Drinkers, Selected Demographics, 2011

Leaf tea, instant tea, RTD tea and tea ordered at restaurants

Leaf tea the usage leader by wide margin

Restaurant opportunity

Table 6-16: Teas Purchased/Ordered in Last 12 months, 2007-11

Generational differences

Table 6-17: Teas Purchased/Ordered in Last 12 months, by Generation, 2007-11

Instant/mixed tea usage results yield HH income surprise

Table 6-18: Teas Purchased/Ordered in Last 12 months, by HH Income, 2007-11

Cultural heritage informs Asians' tea use

Table 6-19: Teas Purchased/Ordered in Last 12 months, by Race/Ethnicity, 2007-11

Regional differences

Table 6-20: Teas Purchased/Ordered in Last 12 months, by Region, 2007-11

Urban restaurant tea ordering higher than average

Table 6-21: Teas Purchased/Ordered in Last 12 months, by Region, 2007-11

Leaf, instant, and RTD tea & tea ordered at restaurants: flavor & variety analysis

Black tea leads tea leads consumer tea purchases

Specialty teas reaching wide audience

Form and purchase method create significant distinctions

Table 6-22: Leaf Teas Purchased in Last 12 months, by Flavor/Variety, 2007-11

Visualizing the results

Graph 6-1: Leaf, Instant & RTD Tea Purchasing; Restaurant Tea Ordering:

Population Analysis, 2011

Leaf tea

Black and green teas dominate

Table 6-23: Leaf Teas Purchased in Last 12 months,

by Flavor/Variety, 2007-11

Instant/mix teas

Higher penetration rates among niche teas

Table 6-24: Instant/Mix Teas Purchased in Last 12 months,

by Flavor/Variety, 2007-11

RTD teas

Table 6-25: RTD Teas Purchased in Last 12 months,

by Flavor/Variety, 2007-11

Tea flavor/varieties ordered from restaurants

Room for additional variety at restaurants

Table 6-26: Teas Ordered from Restaurants in Last 12 months,

by Flavor/Variety, 2007-11

Gender and generation: Gen Y and X driving need; Baby Boomers present opportunity

Table 6-27: Tea Flavor/Varieties Ordered at Restaurants: Gender and Generation, 2011

HH income and race/ethnicity: minority groups bring tea opportunity

Table 6-28: Tea Flavor/Varieties Ordered at Restaurants: HH Income and Race/Ethnicity, 2011

Population density and region: moving tea-centricity into under-tapped areas

Table 6-29: Tea Flavor/Varieties Ordered at Restaurants: Population Density and Region, 2011

Coffee drinks, espresso/cappuccino and instant coffee

Note on reading charts on this section

Instant coffee gaining traction among higher-income households

Espresso/cappuccino an important racial/ethnic distinction; usage trends are afoot

Table 6-30: Coffee Drinks, Espresso/Cappuccino and Instant Coffee Usage Trending, 2008-2011

Instant coffee & instant flavored coffee

Usage upswing among black consumers

Table 6-31: Instant Coffee & Instant Flavored Coffee Usage Trending, 2008-2011

Ground and whole bean coffee: suffering at the hands of single-brew?

Table 6-32: Ground and Whole Bean Coffee Usage Trending, 2008-2011

Framing foodservice coffee drinking trends: coffee drinkers

Usage baseline: 173.5 million adult tea consumers

Age gap exists—but is gap narrower?

Relevance to Hispanic and Asian consumers

Table 6-33: Coffee Drinkers, Selected Demographics, 2011

Daily coffee consumption frequency

At least 240 million opportunities to sell coffee per day

Table 6-34: Daily Coffee Consumption Frequency, Selected Demographics, 2011

Coffee drinking by daypart

142 million opportunities to sell coffee every morning

Table 6-35: Coffee Drinking by Daypart, 2011

Coffee Procurement in Past 7 Days, by Method/Location

Before work or during work?

On-the-go importance

Table 6-36: Coffee Procurement in Past 7 Days, by Method/Location, 2011

Coffee Procurement: Method/Location

Drive thru: generational and employment-driven differences

RTD coffee and women

Table 6-37: Coffee Procurement in Past 7 Days, by Method/Location,

Selected Demographics, 2011

Chapter 7: Coffee- and Tea-Based Restaurant Brand Analysis

Overview

Dunkin' Donuts

Marketing initiatives - Creating a Fan

2009-11 menu strategy

Beverages

K-cups a hit

No cannibalization

Table 7-1: Dunkin Donuts: 2011 New Coffee & Tea Items & LTOs

Food

Hitting the right notes with breakfast and snacking

Sandwiches, wraps and dollar menu fill out breakfast menu

Big 'N Toasty offers premium alternative

Incremental health innovation

Hearty Snacks

2008-2011 demographic trend analysis: Dunkin Donuts

Strong usage growth across demographics

Graph 7-1: 2008-2011 Demographic Usage Frequency Trending: Dunkin' Donuts

Sales performance

Expansion plans and unit growth

Same-store sales improve

Table 7-2: Dunkin's Donuts, Selected Metrics, 2007-11

Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc.

Growth strategy

"A beverage for every occasion"—pushing beyond coffee

Penetrating away-from-home venues

K-Cup branding reach

Expanding its own foodservice & retail coffee brands

Tully's

Timothy's Coffees of the World

Diedrich Coffee Roasters

Tea branding

Other beverages

Table 7-3: Green Mountain Coffee, Tea and Other K-Cup Brands, 2011

Coffee makers & accessories leader

Significant business relationships with coffeehouse giants

Dunkin Donuts

Starbucks

Lavazza

Filtered coffee machine in the works

Operating segments

Sales performance

Segment sales

Table 7-4: Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Selected Metrics, 2007-11

McDonald's

Tiered menu approach

Dollar Menu to remain a fixture

No trading down to Value Menu

Breakfast: a quarter of sales, with unit volumes on the upswing

Beverage sales are booming

Coffee lays the foundation for broadening McCafé platform

Sales performance

Table 7-5: McDonald's, Selected Metrics, 2007-11

Starbucks Corporation

Beverages comprise three-quarters of retail sales

Table 7-6: Starbucks, Revenue Mix by Product Type, 2009-2011

Recession response

Menu pricing strategies and customer incentives

Social media and technology innovation

A holistic approach firing on all cylinders

Driving toward a strong, unified emotional connection

Beverage innovation

Customizable Frappuccinos

Coffee and tea initiatives & innovation

Starbucks Reserve

Blonde Roast

VIA

Growing—and bringing new customers into the fold

Seattle's Best: leveraging a mid-tier brand

K-Cups: 50 million shipped

Seasonal promotions

Retail development innovation

Starbucks juice bar concept

Foodservice

2008-2011 guest traffic frequency analysis: Starbuck's

General use on decline; higher-frequency use increases

Trouble spots: females, high-income individuals and black consumers

Graph 7-2: 2008-2011 Guest Traffic Frequency Analysis: Starbuck's

Sales performance: 2011 builds on 2010 turnaround

Same-store sales momentum strengthens

Traffic and guest ticket rises

Table 7-8: Starbucks, Selected Metrics, 2007-11

Argo Tea Café

On the menu

Table 7-9: Argo Tea: Selected Seasonal and Signature Drinks

Marketing & promotional activity

Health focus

Chart 7-3: Argo Tea Health Positioning: Product Example

Sales performance

Au Bon Pain

On the menu

Table 7-10: Au Bon Pain, Selected Food Menu Items, 2011

Table 7-11: Au Bon Pain, Selected Coffee and Tea Menu Items, 2011

Marketing & promotional activity

Sales performance

Caffe Luxxe

On the menu

High price points; breadth and variety

Marketing & promotional activity

Camille's Sidewalk Cafe

On the menu

Table 7-12: Camille's Sidewalk Café, Selected Food Menu Items, 2011

Marketing & promotional activity

Sales performance

Caribou Coffee Company

Competitive differentiation

Growth strategy

New food and drink initiatives

Commercial foodservice initiatives

K-Cups

Tying coffee purchases to social cause

Sales performance

Table 7-13: Caribou Coffee Company, Selected Metrics, 2007-11

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Inside the store

Tea overwhelmed by coffee?

A single-serve participant

Quality as differentiator

On the menu

Marketing & promotional activity

Sales performance

Java Dave's Coffee

On the menu

Table 7-15: Java Dave's, Selected Coffee Menu Items, 2011

Marketing & promotional activity

La Madeleine Country French Cafe

On the menu

Table 7-16: La Madeleine Country French Café, Selected Menu Items

Marketing & promotional activity

Peet's Coffee and Tea

Coffee types and blends

Tiered pricing model

New coffee products

Tea, food and merchandise

Distribution channels

Retail stores

Grocery

Grocery revenue pops 24%

Home delivery

Foodservice and office

Growth strategy

California base

Geographic expansion

Diedrich loss; Starbucks' gain?

Sales performance

Business segments

Business categories

Historical summary

Q3 2011

Table 7-17: Peet's Coffee and Tea, Selected Metrics, 2007-11

Tazo Tea

Specialty tea pedigree

A single-serve player

Tully's Coffee

A look inside the store

On the menu

Table 7-18: Tully's Coffee, Selected Coffee and Tea Menu Items, 2011

Marketing & promotional activity

Foodservice suppliers

Coffee

Tea

J. M. Smucker

Growing the foodservice angle

Sara Lee acquisition ramifications

Sales performance

To order this report:Hot Drink Industry: Coffee and Tea Foodservice Trends in the U.S.

More Market Research Report

Check our Industry Analysis and Insights

Nicolas Bombourg
Reportlinker
Email: nbo@reportlinker.com
US: (805)652-2626
Intl: +1 805-652-2626

SOURCE Reportlinker

Alaska Airlines and Starbucks Team Up to Serve Freshly Brewed Coffee Onboard

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Alaska Airlines and Starbucks Team Up to Serve Freshly Brewed Coffee Onboard

Iconic Pacific Northwest companies celebrate with 'Travel Tuesday' ticket giveaway during February

PR Newswire

SEATTLE, Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines begins serving freshly brewed Starbucks® coffee today to customers onboard all flights.

"We're proud to offer customers premium coffee from the world's most well-known coffee brand and are thrilled to team up with another hometown company from Seattle," said Joe Sprague, Alaska Airlines' vice president of marketing. "We strive to provide our customers with high-quality food and beverages from local companies and are excited to add Starbucks coffee onboard our flights."

This collaboration reflects Alaska Airlines' longstanding commitment to offer customers high-quality, locally produced food and beverages, including well-known favorites such as Beecher's cheese, Tim's Cascade potato chips and Alaskan Amber beer.

"Starbucks is passionate about providing customers with the unique Starbucks Experience wherever they are, including onboard Alaska Airlines flights," said Doug Satzman, vice president, Channel Development – Branded Solutions for Starbucks. "We are delighted to forge this relationship with Alaska Airlines and to serve Starbucks-brewed coffee to their travelers."

With today's announcement, Alaska joins its sister carrier, Horizon Air, in offering customers complimentary freshly brewed Starbucks® coffee onboard all its flights. Horizon Air became the first airline in the world to serve Starbucks® coffee onboard its flights 22 years ago today on Feb. 1, 1990. Alaska and Horizon together serve more than 5 million cups of freshly brewed coffee on their flights each year.

"Travel Tuesday" free* ticket giveaway

To celebrate this collaboration, Alaska Airlines will host a sponsored event in the afternoon at select West Coast Starbucks stores each Tuesday in February. For one hour, customers at each store can text-to-win* one of five pairs of roundtrip tickets anywhere the carrier flies and enjoy a tall drip coffee, compliments of Alaska Airlines. Store locations and time will be announced to customers on Alaska Airlines' Facebook page and Twitter profile as part of #TravelTuesday, the day of the week thousands of people trade travel tips and stories over social media channels. One store location and the time will be revealed on Twitter and Facebook every Tuesday at 8 a.m. Pacific standard time in the following cities:

Feb. 7 in Seattle
Feb. 14 in Portland, Ore.
Feb. 21 in San Diego
Feb. 28 in San Jose, Calif.

Note to media: A high resolution photograph of the Starbuck's® coffee cup that will be served onboard Alaska Airlines' flights is available for download from the airline's online newsroom image gallery at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

About Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together serve 90 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 North America Airline Satisfaction Studies(SM). For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

About Starbucks Corporation

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.

* "Travel Tuesday" text-to-win offer restrictions: The contest is open to all legal U.S. residents, 18 years of age and older, who hold a valid driver's license. Entry instructions will be provided at each store location by an Alaska Airlines representative. Cellular text message and data rates apply. Winners will be notified by phone and text message within 24 hours of each store event. Void where prohibited by law. One entry per person. Employees or agents of (a) Alaska Airlines and affiliated companies, (b) Hipcricket, (c) Starbucks Coffee Company, any entity associated with the sponsorship or conduct of the contest, as well as members of the same household of any such employee or agent, may not participate in the contest. Travel is good for one year from the time the prize letter is issued. Travel is valid solely on Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air flights. Changes to itinerary cannot be made without authorization from issuer and without service fees. Passengers are responsible for baggage fees. Mileage Plan accrual not allowed. First class paid upgrades are allowed. Prize is void if bartered or sold. For complete rules including blackout dates and baggage fees, visit http://bit.ly/TravelTuesday.

SOURCE Alaska Airlines

Fan Fervor Catapults Diet Mountain Dew® to Billion Dollar Brand Status

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:30:00 +0000

Fan Fervor Catapults Diet Mountain Dew® to Billion Dollar Brand Status

Passionate consumers and innovative marketing help Diet DEW® sales surpass billion dollar mark in 2011

PR Newswire

PURCHASE, N.Y., Jan. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Diet Mountain Dew^® (Diet DEW) has grown to more than $1 billion in annual retail sales, solidifying its position as one of the world's favorite beverages in the growing Diet category.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120131/NY43746)

The milestone makes Diet DEW PepsiCo's (NYSE: PEP) 20^th billion dollar brand and the eighth carbonated soft drink brand to reach the billion dollar brand landmark. Diet DEW joins fellow beverage brands Brisk^® and Starbucks^®, which also passed the $1 billion mark in 2011, increasing PepsiCo's portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands to 22.

In the tradition of the Mountain Dew^® trademark, growth of the passionate Diet Mountain Dew fan base along with the brand's distinctive marketing initiatives have helped volume to more than double in the past 10 years, propelling Diet DEW to this milestone.

First introduced in 1988, Diet Mountain Dew has provided the devoted fan base of DEW drinkers who crave the one-of-a-kind citrus taste of Mountain Dew with a low-calorie alternative. While the DEW trademark has further expanded its flavor portfolio, Diet DEW has followed suit by offering fans new permanent and limited time only diet flavors over the years, such as Diet Mtn Dew Code Red^®.

The brand has also stayed true to the DEW tradition of fan-focused marketing with programs such as last year's FanDEWmonium Diet DEW Challenge, which engaged fans to sample eight new flavors in a bracket-style showdown and select their favorite flavor of Diet DEW. Fans will see Diet Mtn Dew Supernova^® – the winner of the competition – return to store shelves for a limited time early this year.

Having passed the billion dollar mark, Diet DEW plans to continue its route to the top in 2012, kicking-off with exciting partnerships with ESPN personalities through its "Fuel the Frenzy" program, as well as primary sponsorship of Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s No. 88 car. Earnhardt will be showcasing his love for Diet DEW while driving his branded car at the Daytona 500 this February.

"Diet DEW surpassing the billion dollar mark is really a nod to the unparalleled passion and support of our fan base," said Brett O'Brien, vice president marketing, Mountain Dew. "We have some super cool marketing programs planned for this year. We're excited to continue to work with our loyal fans and see even more Diet DEW growth on the horizon."

Watch the brand celebrate this milestone by taking an epic spin in Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s No. 88 car: http://youtu.be/vZgIbWTEoMA

About Diet Mountain Dew

Diet Mountain Dew shows fans offers consumers the one-of-a-kind citrus taste of Mountain Dew without the calories. In addition to original Mountain Dew^® and Diet Mountain Dew^®, the permanent DEW product line includes Mountain Dew Code Red^®, Mountain Dew Livewire^®, Mountain Dew Throwback^®, Mountain Dew Voltage^® and Mountain Dew White Out^®.

For more information, check out www.mountaindew.com or www.facebook.com/DietDew or on twitter @mtn_dew.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 22 different product lines that generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales each. Our main businesses -- Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay, and Pepsi Cola -- also make hundreds of other enjoyable foods and beverages that are respected household names throughout the world. With net revenues of approximately $60 billion, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment, including by conserving energy and water usage, and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support, and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

Follow PepsiCo:

CONTACT:

Andrea Foote
PepsiCo Beverages Americas
(914) 253-2628
andrea.foote@pepsico.com

Andrea Kurtz
Ruder Finn, Inc.
(212) 583-2725
kurtza@ruderfinn.com

SOURCE PepsiCo

Brisk® Iced Tea's Bold Approach to Flavor and Consumer Engagement Drives it to Billion Dollar Brand Status

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:25:39 +0000

Brisk® Iced Tea's Bold Approach to Flavor and Consumer Engagement Drives it to Billion Dollar Brand Status

Brisk entertains fans with cutting-edge digital activations and creative partnerships

PR Newswire

PURCHASE, N.Y., Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- PepsiCo (NYSE:PEP) today announced that Brisk Iced Tea has seized the timing of the surging ready-to-drink iced tea category to double its volume in just two years and reach more than $1 billion in annual retail sales in 2011. Now "That's Brisk, Baby!™"

Brisk Iced Tea, which is part of the Pepsi Lipton Tea Partnership, joins fellow beverage brands Diet Mountain Dew® and Starbucks, which also passed the $1 billion mark in 2011. This brings PepsiCo's portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands to 22.

"Creativity and authenticity are central to all that we do at Brisk," says Mary Barnard, Vice President, Pepsi Lipton Tea Partnership. "These core values have driven innovative marketing programs that have allowed us to share inventive content with our growing community."

Brisk, known for its bold flavors and its "That's Brisk, Baby" tagline, began reinvigorating iced tea drinkers in 2010 with colorful emerging artist-designed cans, partnerships with Foursquare and Stickybits and the revitalization of its next-generation stop-motion animation via cheeky web films staring a few noteworthy characters. In 2011, Brisk went big with a stop-motion animated Super Bowl ad featuring a Detroit-based rap superstar, which was recently named one of the "The 20 Most-Shared Super Bowl Spots of All Time" by ADWEEK, and partnerships with Instagram, Tongal and Warner Bros. Pictures' Green Lantern.

Building off the momentum of 2011, Brisk leveraged the force of the 3-D theatrical release of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace to kick off 2012 and debut a :30-second stop-motion animated TV spot that features a never-before-seen epic battle between the iconic Star Wars characters Darth Maul and Yoda. Brisk has also brought lightsaber battles to smart phones via the Brisksaber mobile game, an application that features a progression of content that allows fans to incrementally unlock new characters, lightsabers and more based on the nationwide redemption of codes found on specially marked packages of one-liter Brisk Iced Tea.

"We will continue to invigorate our fans' creative mojo in 2012 and beyond in unexpected ways," says Barnard, noting that Brisk met another major milestone this month when its Facebook fan base grew to surpass one million.

Brisk is available in one-gallon (new in 2012), one-liter, two-liter and 20-ounce packaging. Additionally, Brisk can be found in 24-ounce cans and 12-ounce 12-, 24- and 36-packs of cans.

For more information about Brisk Iced Tea, fans can visit Facebook.com/Brisk. Watch the Brisk Billion Dollar video on YouTube.com/Brisk.

About Brisk
Brisk® is a product of the Pepsi Lipton Tea Partnership, a joint venture between PepsiCo and Unilever. Brisk is available in seven tea flavors: Lemon Iced Tea, No-Cal Lemon Iced Tea, Tea-Lemonade, Raspberry Iced Tea, Sweet Tea, Peach Green Tea, Mango Dragonfruit Green Tea and five juice drinks: Strawberry Melon, Fruit Punch, Lemonade, Pink Lemonade and Sugar-Free Lemonade.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 22 different product lines that generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales each. Our main businesses -- Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay, and Pepsi Cola -- also make hundreds of other enjoyable foods and beverages that are respected household names throughout the world. With net revenues of approximately $60 billion, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment, including by conserving energy and water usage, and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support, and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

About Unilever
Unilever works to create a better future every day. We help people feel good, look good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others. Each day, around the world, we serve over 2 billion consumers. In the United States, Canada and the Greater Caribbean (Trinidad & Tobago, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico), the portfolio includes brand icons such as Axe, Becel, Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Blue Band, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Klondike, Knorr, Lipton, Omo, 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 more than 13,000 people across North America—generating nearly $10 billion in sales in 2009. For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com, www.unilever.ca or www.unilevercaribbean.com.

Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm, the Lucasfilm logo, STAR WARS™ and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

SOURCE Brisk Iced Tea

LOVE AT FIRST BITE: Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld Offers Valentine's Weekend Romance Package with Interactive Cooking Experience

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:10:00 +0000

LOVE AT FIRST BITE: Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld Offers Valentine's Weekend Romance Package with Interactive Cooking Experience

PR Newswire

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- It will be love at first bite this February for culinary couples as the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld introduces its Valentine's weekend travel experience featuring a cooking class of savory seductions.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, the Orlando resort hotel is offering foodies its "Love at First Bite" package that lets lovebirds literally, eat their hearts out. Based on a one-night-stay Friday, February 10^th or Saturday, February 11^th the package costs $269 per couple and includes:

SeaWorld Orlando accommodations for one night
An interactive, group culinary experience from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. on either Friday or Saturday night in the R Kitchen
Breakfast for two
Late checkout at 1 p.m.

An exclusive experience limited to 10 couples each night, the interactive cooking class will begin with a champagne toast. After being provided the recipes, couples will work hands-on with the chefs to create a four course meal with wine pairing, while learning about new industry trends and techniques, and developing skills they can apply to "at home cooking." Hats and aprons provided, the menu of romantic delicacies will include:

Pan Seared Diver Scallop with Zellwood Corn and Prosciutto Crisp
"Waterkist Farms" Tomato with Buffalo Mozzarella, Baby Arugula and EVOO
Housemade Short Rib and Truffle Ravioli with Wild Mushrooms and English Peas
Honey Bell Orange Creme Brulee and Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream

The "Love at First Bite" Valentine's Orlando hotel package is only available on stays Friday, February 10^th or Saturday, February 11^th. The cost per couple for one night is $269. Rates start from $229 for additional night-stay.

To book, visit http://www.renaissanceseaworld.com and use the rate code ES8 or call 800-327-6677 and request the package.

THE RENAISSANCE ORLANDO AT SEAWORLD boasts a prime location across from SeaWorld Orlando and adjacent to Discovery Cove and Aquatica. The Orlando hotel near Universal Studios underwent a $35+ million renovation which began in 2006, transforming the 10-story atrium lobby, guestrooms, suites, fitness center, spa and more. Near all major Orlando attractions, shopping, golf, dining and more, Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld offers full-service amenities such as high-speed Internet access, resort-style pool, Shamu Game Room, Orlando attractions desk, a Starbucks^® Coffee Shop and more. www.renaissanceseaworld.com

SOURCE Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld

Better Homes and Gardens Best New Product Awards Reveal 2012 Winners

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Better Homes and Gardens Best New Product Awards Reveal 2012 Winners

Companion BrandSpark American Shopper Study Reveals Key Insights About How U.S. Shoppers Eat, Spend and Shop

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Better Homes and Gardens, along with leading market research firm BrandSpark International, today announced the winners of the 2012 Better Homes and Gardens Best New Product Awards (BNPAs). As the leading consumer-voted awards program in North America, the Best New Product Awards honor consumer packaged products in the categories of health and beauty, food and beverage, and household care.

The 2012 Best New Product Awards Overall Category Winners are:

Best Overall Product and Best in Household Care:
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Bath Scrubber with Febreze
Best in Health and Beauty:
Johnson's Natural Kids 3-in-1 Shampoo, Conditioner & Body Wash
Best in Food & Beverage:
Sargento Natural Blends Cheddar-Mozzarella Cheese Snacks

"Now in its fourth year in the U.S. and ninth year in Canada, the Best New Product Awards provide American shoppers with one of the most credible endorsements in America to help them buy better – 100 percent consumer voted and endorsed by one of the most trusted brands in America, Better Homes and Gardens," said Robert Levy, President and CEO of BrandSpark International and Founder of the BNPA. "The Better Homes and Gardens Best New Product Awards are like 'The People's Choice Awards' for consumer products. The 2012 edition involved more than 66,000 consumers across the survey."

The winning products were chosen directly by thousands of consumers who participated in an extensive nationwide survey, the American Shopper Study, conducted by independent marketing research firm BrandSpark International in partnership with Better Homes and Gardens magazine. "It's a major accomplishment for a product to win a Better Homes and Gardens Best New Product Award. The 2012 survey had 225 products representing 60 consumer packaged goods companies in 67 categories," said James Carr, President, Better Homes and Gardens. Better Homes and Gardens will showcase the winners and shopper insights within its print, broadcast and digital properties.

"Better Homes and Gardens is about home and the life you create there," said Carr. "We provide ideas and inspiration to our nearly 40 million readers and give them the confidence to go from dreaming to doing. We know home is where life happens and everything we do is to help make life easier and more enjoyable for our brand loyalists."

In addition to the winning products, the BrandSpark International/ Better Homes and Gardens American Shopper Study uncovers what is on the minds of American shoppers from coast to coast providing Better Homes and Gardens and marketers with valuable insights. Some highlights from this year's survey are*:

FOOD and HEALTH:

A whopping five in 10 Americans consider themselves to be overweight. The same proportion is trying to reduce carbs in their diet, while seven in 10 are trying to reduce the amount of fat they consume.
While 86 percent continue to believe there is a lot they can do with food and nutrition to prevent illness, 65 percent of Americans say they are trying to reduce the risk of major health issues with their food choices (up from 62 percent a year ago).
Seven in 10 adults are increasingly concerned about chemicals in their food, but only three in 10 are willing to pay more for organics. Many are looking for "natural" products, with six in 10 trying to buy products that are "as natural as possible."

BEAUTY:

Only 25 percent of American shoppers have been under the care of a dermatologist in the past five years, but five in 10 feel they have sensitive skin and look for appropriate products. The ingredients shoppers avoid most in their skin care products are: ammonia, peroxides and alcohol.
Other important considerations for shoppers include: safety, ease of use and trust in the brand.
Trust in the product is crucial and can be established by: dermatologists' recommendations, brand name equity and consumer research that backs up any product claims. It is extremely or very important to 81 percent of shoppers that their beauty/grooming products are from a trusted brand, while 69 percent consider it extremely/very important that they have been tested by dermatologists. Meanwhile, consumer research is trusted by 70-80 percent of shoppers depending on the medium.

PRIVATE LABEL / STORE BRANDS VS. BRAND NAMES:

More than nine in 10 shoppers have purchased private label products in the past year.
Private label strength has grown the most in over-the-counter health: seven in 10 shoppers have purchased private label health products, up from just under six in 10 in the past year, making it the strongest category for private label brands outside of food.
Beverage brands are strong: while nine in 10 shoppers have purchased private label food products, less than half of shoppers recall purchasing private label beverages.
63 percent believe that the same manufacturers as brand name products often make private label products, but shoppers still see value in the most trusted brands and 70 percent prefer to find brand name products on sale than to purchase private label.

ENVIRONMENT

While only four in 10 shoppers are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products, more than eight in 10 appreciate when the manufacturer bears the burden of producing environmentally friendly packaging.

For more information about the Better Homes and Gardens Best New Product Awards winners, visit: www.bhg.com/bestnewproductawards.

About Better Homes and Gardens
Reaching nearly 40 million readers every month, the Better Homes and Gardens brand extends across the web, tablet, mobile, broadcast, broadband and numerous licensed products, serving and connecting women who are passionate about their homes and the lives they create there. Better Homes and Gardens inspires women to dream and gives them the confidence to move from dreaming to doing. For more information, visit www.bhg.com

About BrandSpark International
BrandSpark International is an independent market research and brand strategy firm with a strong grasp on North American consumer segmentation, innovation, new product research and consumer trends. For more information please visit, www.BrandSpark.com.

About The Survey
BrandSpark conducted the survey among 66,000 American consumers ages 18+ from November 4to December 23, 2011. The data was sample balanced to reflect the MRI principal grocery shopper profile and has an average overall margin of error of +/-2 percent at the 90 percent confidence level.

*Please credit all findings to "BrandSpark International / Better Homes and Gardens American Shopper Study"

Best New Product Awards 2012: LIST OF WINNERS BY CATEGORY


HEALTH & BEAUTY
Category		Winning Product
Baby Care		Johnson's Natural Kids 3-in-1 Shampoo, Conditioner & Body Wash(1)
Acne Treatment		Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash
Anti-Aging Moisturizer		Olay Regenerist Wrinkle Revolution Complex
Anti-Aging Treatment		Olay Total Effects Line and Dark Circle Minimizing Brush
Body Lotion		Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Advanced Anti-Aging Body Lotion
Body Wash		Olay Silk Whimsy Moisturizing Body Wash
Conditioner		Pantene Pro-V Color Hair Solutions Color Preserve Shine conditioner
Eye Shadow		Almay Intense i-Color Smoky-i kit
Facial Cleanser		Pond's Morning Refresh Towelettes
Facial Moisturizer		Neutrogena Healthy Defense Liquid Moisturizer SPF 50
Feminine Care		Vagisil Feminine Wash
Foundation		L'Oreal Paris Visible Lift Smooth Absolute
Hair Color		Garnier HerbaShine Color Creme
Hair Styling		L'Oreal Paris EverSleek Sulfate-Free Smoothing System Frizz Taming Creme Serum
Kid's Oral Care		Aquafresh Training Toothpaste
Lipstick (Department Store)		Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Color in Heather Pink
Lipstick (Drugstore)		L'Oreal Paris Infallible Le Rouge
Mascara		L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Million Lashes
Men's Antiperspirant		Gillette Odor Shield antiperspirant
Men's Body Wash		Gillette Odor Shield Body Wash
Men's Shave Gel		Gillette Fusion ProGlide Irritation Defense Shave Gel
Men's Skin Care		Gillette Fusion ProSeries Irritation Defense Soothing Moisturizer
Mouthwash		Listerine Total Care Plus Whitening
Nail Polish		OPI Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous
Night Cream		Olay Regenerist Night Resurfacing Elixir
Shampoo		Pantene Pro-V Fine Hair Solutions Flat to Volume Shampoo
Teeth Whitener		Crest 3D White 2-Hour Express Whitestrips
Toothbrush		Oral B Cross Action Pro-Health Toothbrush
Toothpaste		Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste
Topical Pain Relief		Salonpas Pain Relief Patch
Women's Antiperspirant		Dove Go Sleeveless
Women's Razor		Venus ProSkin MoistureRich Razor

FOOD & BEVERAGE
Category		Winning Product
Cheese		Sargento Natural Blends Cheddar-Mozzarella Cheese Snacks(1)
Baking Mix		Duncan Hines 100% Whole Grain Blueberry Streusel
Beverage		HINT FIZZ Sparkling Water
Breakfast		Bellatoria Sunday Brunch Pizza
Cereal		Cinnamon Burst Cheerios
Chips		Food Should Taste Good Chips (White Cheddar and Sesame)
Chocolate		Skinny Cow Dreamy Clusters
Coffee Creamer		International Delight Inspirations Breve Creme
Cookie		Bear Naked 100% Pure & Natural Soft-Baked Granola Cookies
Dairy		Egg-land's Best eggs
Deli Meat		Ball Park Deli Style Beef Franks
Dessert		Temptations by JELL-O
Frozen Food		Lean Cuisine Spring Rolls
Gluten Free		Betty Crocker Bisquick Pancake & Baking Mix Gluten Free
Instant Coffee		Starbucks VIA Flavored Instant Coffee
Natural Cereal		Kashi GoLean Crisp Toasted Berry Crumble
Orange Juice		Minute Maid Pure Squeezed No Pulp 100 percent Orange Juice
Pasta		KRAFT HOMESTYLE Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
Pasta Sauce		Classico Mushroom Alfredo Sauce
Pizza		Digiorno Cheese Stuffed Crust Pizza
Ready Made Meal		Stouffer's Sautes for Two Dinners
Sauce		Jack Daniel's Master Blend BBQ Sauce
Seasoning		McCormick Grill Mates Brown Sugar Bourbon Marinade
Snack Bar		Kashi's TLC Peanutty Dark Chocolate Layered Granola Bars

HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS
Category		Winning Product
Bathroom Cleaner		Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Bath Scrubber with Febreze(1,2)
Air Freshener		Glade Cashmere Woods Collection
All-Purpose Cleaner		Windex Mini Concentrated Refill Pouch
Bath Tissue		Quilted Northern Soft & Strong
Dish Detergent		Cascade ActionPacs Destinations
Drain Cleaner		Liquid-Plumr Penetrex Gel
Fabric Softener		Purex Complete Crystals Fabric Softener
Food Container		Ziploc VersaGlass
Laundry Detergent		Tide plus Febreze Freshness Sport
Pet Food		Iams Simple & Natural dog food
Stain Remover		OxiClean Max Force Gel Stick

(1) category winner
(2) overall winner

SOURCE Better Homes and Gardens

Tata Global Beverages and Starbucks Form Joint Venture to Open Starbucks Cafés across India

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:10:00 +0000

MUMBAI, India, January 30, 2012 - Tata Global Beverages Limited and Starbucks Coffee Company (Nasdaq: SBUX) today announced a joint venture between the iconic international coffee brand and the 2nd largest branded tea company in the world. The 50/50 joint venture, named TATA Starbucks Limited, will own and operate Starbucks cafés which will be branded as Starbucks Coffee “A Tata Alliance.”

The retail stores will be developed in cities across the country, beginning with stores in Delhi and Mumbai in calendar 2012.

In a separate sourcing and roasting agreement between Starbucks Coffee Company and Tata Coffee Limited, Tata Coffee Limited will roast coffee to supply TATA Starbucks Limited, and to export to Starbucks Coffee Company. This agreement paves the way for consumers in India to enjoy the premium Starbucks Experience, while further discovering the unique taste of high-quality Indian arabica coffee worldwide. TATA Starbucks Limited brings together two companies with a rich heritage in and passion for coffee, tea and innovative beverages. Together, the JV will enable an expanded range of beverage offerings for Indian consumers. As an example, the companies have agreed to jointly leverage assets and innovation to offer a premium tea product branded Tata Tazo.

“The joint venture with Starbucks is in line with Tata Global Beverages’ strategy of growing through strategic alliances in addition to organic and inorganic growth,” stated Mr. R K Krishnakumar, Vice Chairman, Tata Global Beverages. “It opens up exciting business opportunities and new formats for Tata Global Beverages. Starbucks brings unique retail expertise as well as a shared sense of business values. We are excited about the opportunities the alliance presents to innovate in the retail space and bring new beverage experiences to more consumers in India, leveraging the global in-home expertise of Tata Global Beverages and the global out-of-home expertise of Starbucks.”

“We’re very pleased to have found the best partner for Starbucks in Tata – a company that shares so many of the same values for conducting business in a way that earns the trust and respect of our customers and partners (employees),” said John Culver, president, Starbucks China and Asia Pacific. “We look forward to bringing the Starbucks Experience to customers in India by offering high quality arabica coffee, handcrafted beverages, locally relevant food, and legendary service.”

The TATA Starbucks Limited joint venture will operate cafés under the Quick Service Restaurant category. This partnership will enable the introduction of the unique Starbucks Experience to Indian consumers. Through a separate coffee sourcing and roasting agreement, Starbucks and Tata Coffee Limited will work toward developing and improving the profile of Indian-grown arabica coffees around the world by elevating the stature of Indian coffee through joint marketing efforts, as well as improving the quality of coffee through sustainable practices and advanced agronomy solutions.

Starbucks and Tata share common values of responsible business ethics and a commitment to community. Tata Coffee Limited has been working to improve the lives of coffee growing communities in the State of Karnataka. Through an initial financial commitment, Starbucks will work with Tata to support 'Swastha,' a school for children with special needs (in partnership with the Coorg Foundation) and aim to increase its capacity and outreach into the rural communities in the coffee growing region of Karnataka. Tata Coffee Limited and Starbucks also plan to work together on initiatives including the promotion of responsible agronomy practices and the provision of training for local farmers, technicians and agronomists to improve their coffee-growing and milling skills, along with exploring community projects which could positively impact the communities in the coffee growing regions where Tata is active.

Starbucks Announces its Arrival to Costa Rica

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 02:10:00 +0000

SEATTLE and SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR; Jan. 12, 2012 – On May of this year, Starbucks Coffee Company (Nasdaq: SBUX), together with joint-venture partner Corporación de Franquicias Americanas (CFA), will open the doors of the first Starbucks in Costa Rica. This first store will be located in San Jose.

“We are excited to introduce our high-quality coffee and the unique Starbucks Experience to customers in Costa Rica” said Pablo Arizmendi-Kalb, vice president and general manager, Starbucks Latin America. “Starbucks has been buying coffee in Costa Rica, for many years. We are honored to expand our role in the rich coffee heritage that’s present in Costa Rica.”

With the opening of this store, customers in Costa Rica would have the opportunity to enjoy Starbucks full range of offerings including hot and cold espresso beverages, Frappuccino® blended beverages, brewed coffee, Tazo® teas and food.

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Little Big Show Benefit Concert Series to Rock Seattle Non-Profit Arts Organizations

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:14:16 +0000

SEATTLE, January 26, 2012 - Today Starbucks, KEXP and Seattle Theatre Group (STG) launch the Little Big Show, a new quarterly benefit concert series that helps Pacific Northwest citizens make a difference in the community as music fans. The face value of tickets (excluding possible fees and/or service charges) will be donated to local non-profit organizations in support of arts-based programming.

The inaugural Little Big Show concert is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 16, at 8:00 p.m. at the Neptune Theatre. The total face value of ticket sales will benefit Arts Corps (artscorps.org), an arts education organization for disenfranchised youth. This February, the Little Big Show series will be kicked off by hometown favorites Pickwick, with electro-soul duo Fly Moon Royalty as special guests.

“Starbucks is committed to helping communities thrive, and by providing direct access to arts programs we’re helping build a stronger, more vibrant Seattle culture,” said Rodney Hines, director of Community Investments, Starbucks. “We’re honored to team up with stalwarts KEXP and STG to host Little Big Show, to inspire our neighbors to get involved and create positive change in our neighborhoods, while celebrating Seattle’s musical heritage.”

“Last year, 12 percent of middle and high school students in Seattle reported that Arts Corps programs were their first-ever arts classes,” said Andrea Fullerton, Development Director, Arts Corps. “Little Big Show proceeds will help sponsor at least two after-school classes for an entire year, or give approximately 120 youth the opportunity to take an arts class. We applaud Starbucks, STG and KEXP for making such a generous commitment to provide necessary resources to our students."

In addition to championing local arts programs through STG, over the past 40 years Starbucks has helped celebrate and support many other hometown traditions, including Bumbershoot, the Family 4th at Lake Union Celebration and Hot Java Cool Jazz at the Paramount. Starbucks commitment to Seattle also includes grants to support critical local human services, arts programming, and ongoing community service by Starbucks partners (employees).

2012 CALENDAR – LITTLE BIG SHOW CONCERT SERIES

Concerts will be held quarterly at Seattle’s Neptune Theatre. Performances are open to all ages, showcasing various breakout musicians as well as emerging local talent. The face value of the ticket price will be donated to a different and designated non-profit beneficiary each time. Featured videos of performances from Little Big Show concerts will be available on the Starbucks Digital Network in more than 6,600 select Starbucks store locations across the U.S. shortly after each concert date. Following is a list of concerts and headliners scheduled for 2012:

April 20 – Little Big Show, featuring Real Estate (surf-influenced indie-pop)
July – Little Big Show, date and headliner to be announced
Oct – Little Big Show, date and headliner to be announced

“This is the little show with a big effect,” said Tom Mara, KEXP’s Executive Director. “We’re incredibly proud to showcase the Seattle music scene by connecting emerging musicians with audiences at the iconic Neptune, and to amplify the good work of local non-profit organizations.”

Little Big Show tickets will be available for $15 each and sold exclusively through STG online or by phone (877-784-4849). To see Pickwick perform and make a difference by attending the inaugural show this February, get tickets at http://stgpresents.org/artists/?artist=1831.

To keep posted on upcoming acts and announcements, check out footage from previous concerts, and learn more about Little Big Show concerts and non-profit beneficiaries, please visit: http://starbucks.com/seattle, http://kexp.org, and http://stgpresents.org.

About Arts Corps

Arts Corps (www.artscorps.org) is a leading, non-profit arts education organization in the greater Seattle area. Its classes reach 2,000 children a year and build higher-level thinking skills: critical thinking, imagination, reflection, courage and risk-taking, and persistence. Arts Corps partners with schools and community centers to bring high-quality, arts and music education opportunities to disenfranchised youth.

About KEXP

KEXP is an influential, non-commercial radio station based in Seattle and supported through financial contributions from listeners and businesses worldwide. Over the last three decades, KEXP has built a reputation as a champion of new and emerging artists and musical forms. Today, KEXP programs a rare mix of music spanning multiple genres and the station brings listeners more than 500 live, in-studio performances each year. KEXP has a mission to enrich people’s lives by providing a wide array of music and by exploring, developing and applying relevant technology to deepen and extend musical experiences. Listeners enjoy KEXP at 90.3 FM in Seattle and around the world at KEXP.org.

About STG

STG is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization that operates the historic Paramount, Moore and Neptune Theatres in Seattle, Washington. Our mission is to make diverse performing arts and education an integral part of our region’s cultural identity while keeping these two landmark venues alive and vibrant. STG presents a range of performances from Broadway, off-Broadway, dance and jazz to comedy, concerts of all genres, speakers and family shows - at both historic theatres in Seattle and venues throughout the Puget Sound and Portland, Oregon.

Starbucks Reports Record First Quarter Fiscal 2012 Results

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:11:50 +0000

SEATTLE, January 26, 2012 - Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) today reported financial results for its 13-week fiscal first quarter ended January 1, 2012. Results are presented under the new reporting segments, which were effective with the beginning of fiscal 2012.

Fiscal First Quarter 2012 Highlights:

Total net revenues increased 16% to a record $3.4 billion
Global comparable store sales increased 9%, driven by a 7% increase in traffic and a 2% increase in average ticket
Starbucks opened 241 net new stores globally, reaching 500 stores in both mainland China and Latin America
CPG revenue increased 72%, driven by the launch of Starbucks- and Tazo-branded K-Cup® packs and the impact of the Q2 FY11 transition of packaged coffee and tea to the direct distribution model
- Over 100 million Starbucks- and Tazo-branded K-Cup® packs shipped in Q1 following the November 1^st launch
EPS increased 11% to a record $0.50 per share, compared to $0.45 per share in Q1 FY11

"Starbucks continues to expand our global footprint and accelerate the innovation and momentum in our CPG business,” said Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman, president and ceo. “Our first quarter performance represents the highest quarterly earnings in the history of the company, and is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our 200,000 partners (employees) around the world. Starbucks is firing on all cylinders and taking full advantage of the many global opportunities that lie ahead," Schultz added.

"Our first quarter results demonstrate the fundamental strength of the Starbucks business and the powerful momentum we carried into fiscal 2012,” commented Troy Alstead, cfo. “A very successful holiday season drove strong global same store sales, which, combined with continued operational efficiencies, delivered record results despite continued commodity cost pressures. We are well positioned to continue to drive strong revenue and profit growth throughout this year, and in years to come.”

Starbucks Coffee Launches in Morocco

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:13:45 +0000

Casablanca, Morocco; January 25, 2012 –Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX) in partnership with Alshaya Morocco S.A.S, a subsidiary of M.H.Alshaya Co., the Middle East’s leading retailer, opened their first two stores in Morocco on December 5, at the Morocco Mall. A third store is planned to open in March on the Boulevard d’Anfa.

“Starbucks is excited to expand to Morocco by bringing its high-quality coffees and unique Starbucks Experience to customers in Casablanca,” said Jim Godfrey, vice president Public Affairs, Europe, Middle East and Africa. “We are thankful and humbled by the warm welcome we have received in Morocco Mall, and we look forward to opening our third store in the centre of Casablanca in March with our long term partner, Alshaya.”

Starbucks and Alshaya entered into a strategic partnership in 1999 and have since opened more than 500 stores throughout the Middle East and North Africa (including Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, KSA, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar and the UAE,) Russia and Turkey employing nearly 5,000 partners.

The Moroccan stores boast a comprehensive product offering, including 100% Fairtrade Certified espresso-based drinks, and freshly brewed coffees, teas and specialty beverages. The range of food items offers a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and snack items like muffins and other pastries, sandwiches and desserts.

“Starbucks is proud to bring its sustainable design style to all three locations in Casablanca. “We believe a coffeehouse should be a place to find connection. We believe it should fit seamlessly within its neighbourhood. And we believe its environmental impact should be as minimal as possible,” added Godfrey.

The overall concept for all three shops is mercantile with American coffee shop roots mixed in with locally relevant collections found in markets in Marrakech and Casablanca. The stores were designed to provide the Starbucks “third place” experience – a social yet personal environment between one’s home and work where people can connect with others and re-connect with themselves.

Diet Mountain Dew®, Brisk® and Starbucks® Ready-To-Drink Beverages Grow to be Billion-Dollar Brands for PepsiCo

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Diet Mountain Dew®, Brisk® and Starbucks® Ready-To-Drink Beverages Grow to be Billion-Dollar Brands for PepsiCo

PepsiCo is a global leader with 22 billion-dollar food and beverage brands

PR Newswire

PURCHASE, N.Y., Jan. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) today announced that Diet Mountain Dew, Brisk and Starbucks ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages have each grown to more than $1 billion in annual retail sales, expanding PepsiCo's portfolio of billion-dollar brands to 22. PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111212/NY20842LOGO )

PHOTOS: PepsiCo's Newest Billion-Dollar Brands - multimedia.pepsico.com/public/asset_id/1731
PepsiCo's Billion-Dollar Brand Portfolio - multimedia.pepsico.com/public/asset_id/1718

The growth of Diet Mountain Dew, Brisk and Starbucks RTD beverages continues PepsiCo's successful efforts to build many of the world's most loved food and beverage brands. With just a rip, twist, flip or tear, consumers in over 200 countries around the world are refreshed, rejuvenated and restored by PepsiCo products every day.

The company has doubled the size of its billion-dollar brand portfolio since 2000, adding five new billion-dollar brands in the past five years. PepsiCo has manufactured and distributed Brisk and Starbucks RTD beverages through successful joint venture partnerships with Unilever and Starbucks, respectively, since the early 1990s.

"PepsiCo is a global food and beverage company with products that are loved and consumed around the world more than a billion times a day," said PepsiCo Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Indra K. Nooyi. "Our ability to accelerate the growth of our billion-dollar brand portfolio with Diet Mountain Dew, Brisk and Starbucks reflects the success of our product marketing and innovation initiatives, the strength of our joint venture partnerships and the power of our distribution systems. It's a proud achievement shared by the entire PepsiCo family, and we remain laser focused on continuing to strengthen and grow our entire global brand portfolio."

First introduced in 1988, Diet Mountain Dew became the company's eighth carbonated soft drink brand to reach the billion-dollar annual retail sales milestone. Diet Mountain Dew, which has achieved record levels of fan engagement via NASCAR driver sponsorships, college basketball and other consumer programs, has seen volume more than double in the past 10 years. In the U.S., Diet Mountain Dew is the number one 20 oz. diet soft drink, by volume, in the profitable convenience and gas retail channel.

VIDEO: Brett O'Brien, Vice President Marketing, Mountain Dew - Pepsicoblogs.com/dietmtndew

Brisk has seen particularly strong growth in the U.S., with approximately 30 percent volume growth over the past three years. Brisk, which recently kicked off its multi-media Star Wars partnership, is sold under the Pepsi Lipton Tea Partnership, a successful joint venture formed between PepsiCo and Unilever in 1991 focused on manufacturing and marketing ready-to-drink tea beverages. PepsiCo, through the Pepsi Lipton Tea Partnership, is the RTD tea category leader in several markets around the world, including the U.S. and Western and Eastern Europe.

VIDEO: Mary Barnard, Vice President and General Manager, Pepsi Lipton Tea Partnership - Pepsicoblogs.com/brisk

PepsiCo and Starbucks largely created the North American RTD coffee category in 1994 when they formed the North American Coffee Partnership, a successful joint venture under which PepsiCo manufactures and distributes Starbucks RTD, single-serve coffee beverages. The Starbucks brand is the clear leader in its category, with more than 90 percent share of the RTD coffee segment in the U.S. In addition to bottled Frappuccino® beverages, the largest product line in the Starbucks RTD portfolio, PepsiCo has successfully introduced new product innovations such as Starbucks Doubleshot® Energy+Coffee.

VIDEO: Seth Kaufman, Vice President and General Manager, North American Coffee Partnership - Pepsicoblogs.com/starbucksrtd

To celebrate today's milestone, PepsiCo placed advertising welcoming these three new brands to its billion-dollar brand portfolio in the Financial Times, The New York Times, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.

The growth of Diet Mountain Dew, Brisk and Starbucks RTD beverages gives PepsiCo 14 billion-dollar beverage brands. According to Information Resources, Inc. data, PepsiCo has three of the top six food and beverage trademarks in retail sales in the U.S., with its Pepsi-Cola®, Mountain Dew® and Gatorade® brands. PepsiCo also has eight billion-dollar food brands, the largest of which is Lay's®. The growth of the Lay's portfolio has been driven by expansion in many international markets, including several key emerging economies like Russia, where Lay's is getting ready to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

The company's billion-dollar brand portfolio is comprised of: Aquafina®, Brisk®, Cheetos®, Diet Mountain Dew®, Diet Pepsi®, Doritos®, Fritos®, Gatorade®, Lay's®, Lipton®, Mirinda®, Mountain Dew®, Pepsi®, Pepsi Max®, Ruffles®, Quaker®, 7UP® (outside the U.S.), Sierra Mist®, Starbucks® RTD beverages, Tostitos®, Tropicana® and Walkers®.

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PepsiCo Cautionary Statement
Statements in this communication by PepsiCo that are "forward-looking statements" are based on currently available information, operating plans and projections about future events and trends. They inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted in such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: changes in demand for PepsiCo's products, as a result of changes in consumer preferences and tastes or otherwise; damage to PepsiCo's reputation; PepsiCo's ability to grow its business in developing and emerging markets or unstable political conditions, civil unrest or other developments and risks in the countries where PepsiCo operates; trade consolidation or the loss of any key customer; changes in the legal and regulatory environment; PepsiCo's ability to build and sustain proper information technology infrastructure, successfully implement its ongoing business transformation initiative or outsource certain functions effectively; unfavorable economic conditions in the countries in which PepsiCo operates; fluctuations in foreign exchange rates; PepsiCo's ability to compete effectively; increased costs, disruption of supply or shortages of raw materials and other supplies; disruption of PepsiCo's supply chain; climate change, or legal, regulatory or market measures to address climate change; PepsiCo's ability to hire or retain key employees or a highly skilled and diverse workforce; failure to successfully renew collective bargaining agreements or strikes or work stoppages; and failure to successfully complete or integrate acquisitions and joint ventures into PepsiCo's existing operations.

For additional information on these and other factors that could cause PepsiCo's actual results to materially differ from those set forth herein, please see PepsiCo's filings with the SEC, including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. PepsiCo undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Diet Mountain Dew
Diet Mountain Dew offers consumers the great one-of-a-kind citrus taste of Mountain Dew without the calories. In addition to original Mountain Dew and Diet Mountain Dew, the permanent DEW product line includes Mountain Dew Baja Blast®, Mountain Dew Code Red®, Mountain Dew Livewire®, Mountain Dew Throwback®, Mountain Dew Voltage® and Mountain Dew White Out.

For more information, check out www.mountaindew.com or www.facebook.com/dietdew or on twitter @mtn_dew.

About Brisk
Brisk® is a product of the Pepsi Lipton Tea Partnership, a joint venture between PepsiCo and Unilever. The Brisk line-up of iced teas and juice drinks includes Lemon Iced Tea, No-Cal Lemon Iced Tea, Tea-Lemonade, Raspberry Iced Tea, Peach Iced Green Tea, Sweet Tea, Fruit Punch, Lemonade Sugar-Free Lemonade and Strawberry Melon.

About the North American Coffee Partnership
The North American Coffee Partnership is a joint venture between Pepsi-Cola North America and a subsidiary of Starbucks Coffee Company. Its products include bottled Frappuccino®, Starbucks Doubleshot® and Doubleshot® Energy + Coffee drinks.

SOURCE PepsiCo