Peet's Coffee & Tea Introduces Ethiopian Super Natural

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Sept. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEET), a specialty coffee roaster and marketer, today introduced Ethiopian Super Natural, a rare wonder from the heart of the crop in the famed Yirgacheffe region of Ethiopia. Appropriately named, this uniquely special coffee offering yields a remarkable cup replete with floral qualities, vivid wine dark flavors, wild blueberry sweetness and distinctive, unforgettable richness.

Ethiopian Super Natural is the result of a three-year quest by one of the company's dedicated suppliers to reproduce the flavorful coffees of his grandfather's day. Grown organically and handpicked at the height of ripeness, Ethiopian Super Natural is meticulously processed using the natural method where the pulpy fruit of the coffee cherry is dried on the bean, then hulled off. The essence of the natural method of processing coffee is that the fruit or "cherry" imparts its concentrating, distinctive flavors to the bean as it dries.

"When I brought this coffee back from Ethiopia, I knew that we were going to taste something truly extraordinary," said Doug Welsh, vice-president of coffee, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc., "It is one of the finest coffees to have ever crossed our cupping table, and we are proud to offer our customers the opportunity to taste something they may have never experienced before."

Ethiopian Super Natural hails from the birthplace of coffee -- also known for producing very fine washed coffees, such as Peet's Ethiopian Fancy. Produced in limited quantity for Peet's, Ethiopian Super Natural is also certified organically grown.

Availability

Named for its intense flavors and the superb care that went into producing it, Peet's Ethiopian Super Natural is priced at $17.90 per pound and will be available for a limited time at all Peet's retail stores nationwide, online at www.peets.com or by calling 800-999-2132.

About Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc.

Founded in Berkeley, Calif. in 1966, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc. is a specialty coffee roaster and marketer of fresh, deep-roasted whole bean coffee for home and office enjoyment. Peet's fresh-roasted coffee, hand-selected tea and related items are sold in several distribution channels including specialty grocery and gourmet food stores, online and mail order, office and restaurant accounts and company-owned stores throughout the United States. For information about Peet's Coffee & Tea, visit www.peets.com or call 800-999-2132.

This press release contains statements that are not based on historical fact and are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management, including financial and operational information and current competitive conditions. As a result, these statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those set forth in forward-looking statements depending on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, risks arising from accounting adjustments; the Company's ability to implement its business strategy, attract and retain customers, and obtain and expand its market presence in new geographic regions; the availability and cost of high quality Arabica coffee beans; consumers' tastes and preferences; and competition in its market as well as other risk factors as described more fully in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 1, 2006. These factors may not be exhaustive. The Company operates in a continually changing business environment, and new risks emerge from time to time. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.

Source: Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc.

CONTACT: Jennifer Strasburg of Weber Shandwick, +1-415-449-0125, or
jstrasburg@webershandwick.com, for Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc.

Web site: http://www.peets.com/