Caribou Coffee Co. projecting loss

Coffee retailer projecting loss
ArgusLeader.com
From Wire Reports

Article Published: 01/12/06, 2:55 am
DES MOINES - Caribou Coffee Co. on Wednesday forecast a loss for this year, its first full year as a publicly traded company.

Shares of the coffeehouse operator fell $2.40, or 22 percent, to close at $8.73 Wednesday on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

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Sara Lee Brands Purchased by Segafredo Zanetti

Sara Lee US Retail Coffee Brands Purchased by Segafredo Zanetti Coffee Group

New Company named Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA

HARRISON, N.Y., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Massimo Zanetti, founder and owner of the Segafredo Zanetti Coffee Group, having its mother company based in Bologna, Italy, is proud to announce the purchase of the US Retail Coffee brands from Sara Lee Corporation. The purchase was concluded on December 5, 2005. The transaction includes all assets related to the brands Chock full o'Nuts, Hills Bros., MJB, Chase & Sanborn, corporate brands, and the coffee manufacturing facility in Suffolk, VA and 103 coffee shops under the name Chock full o'Nuts.

The new company, Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA, will be led by its CEO & President, Donald McIntyre. "The Management and whole organization are re- energized by this purchase. Under the new company, we now belong to a family with a reputable and long-standing tradition of coffee expertise, driven by the passion to bring only the best coffee from bean to brew."

The owner, Massimo Zanetti, comes from a family rooted in coffee for many years. His father and grandfather traded in green coffee, while Massimo began the production and sale of roasted coffee 35 years ago. At that time, the company was selling about a ton of roasted coffee a year. Today, the Segafredo Zanetti Group sells 120,000 tons of coffee, with more than 2.5 million bags of green coffee processed per year. Its operations include a coffee plantation and green coffee processing plant in Brazil, a coffee mill in Costa Rica, a green coffee export company in these 2 markets and a green coffee trading company in Switzerland. It runs 9 roasting plants around the world and boasts a worldwide distribution network of subsidiaries and authorized dealers in about 100 countries, production of professional espresso machines and bar equipment under the La San Marco name, and a network of over 600 international coffee shops (Segafredo Zanetti Espresso, Puccino's and Chock full o'Nuts). The company serves over 70,000 customers in all continents and has an annual turnover of $800 million.

Currently, the Segafredo Zanetti Group has almost 3,000 employees. The addition of the US organization will further strengthen the company's expertise in the cultivation, trading, roasting and distribution of coffee and continue its mission to bring coffee, espresso, coffee shops, quality and service to the world. For more information, visit http://www.massimozanetti.com/.


CONTACT: Joanne Sourial, +1-401-784-6390, joanne@thelinkagency.com

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

Venezuela's coffee industry in chaos as price of beans doubles

Greg Morsbach in Caracas
Tuesday January 10, 2006
The Guardian

An attempt by Venezuela's leftwing president, Hugo Chávez, to double the price that coffee producers pay farmers for a sack of beans has led to empty shelves in supermarkets throughout the country and fears of shortages of other basic foodstuffs.

President Chávez, who maintains price controls on basic foodstuffs, raised the price of coffee beans by 100% last month after weeks of protests by coffee farmers.

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Korea Becomes Test Market for the Coffee Industry

The Starbuck Doesn't Stop Here

Baristas at Starbucks Coffee Korea are set to begin serving up Green Tea Lattes on Wednesday for the first time in the world. After observing how the new product is received in the Korean market, Starbucks plans to expand the market where the drink is offered into other parts of Asia and in the United States starting in the second half of this year.

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Appetite Control in a Cup

Appetite Control in a Cup: Phytobase Nutritionals, Inc. Introduces LeanCaffe(TM)

Organic, Fair Trade Certified(TM) Coffee Boosts Satiety with Hoodia Gordonii

OREM, Utah, Jan. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- It's everything most consumers want in a superior cup of coffee - organic, Fair Trade Certified(TM), shade-grown and full of flavor. But patent-pending Bon-Java LeanCaffe(TM) (http://www.bon-java.com/), introduced this week by Phytobase Nutritionals, Inc. (http://www.phytobase.com/), has something no other coffee does: African Hoodia Gordonii.

That means it doesn't just produce a nice caffeine buzz. With 950mg of Hoodia Gordonii in each cup, LeanCaffe is a safe but powerful appetite suppressant. Blended with fresh hazelnuts, French vanilla, and a touch of cinnamon, the Arabica coffee offers a rich flavor and full body with a creme finish.

Along with Hoodia Gordonii, which produces a feeling of satiety - a key to consuming fewer calories - LeanCaffe's proprietary formula includes Rhodiola rosea, an herb grown in eastern Siberia that has been dubbed "golden root" for its ability to boost energy and mental alertness, enhance the mood and increase the body's fat-burning mechanisms.

"People are looking for a wholesome way to eat and to control their appetites deliciously," stated Phytobase Nutritionals president Sam D. Gur. "LeanCaffe's rich combination of nature's finest ingredients does more than satisfy the taste buds; it satisfies the appetite. This is the first coffee that suppresses hunger naturally and safely."

LeanCaffe joins the popular ChocoLeans(TM) appetite-suppressing dark chocolate treats in the Phytobase Nutritionals lineup of Hoodia Gordonii products. The company was the first to pair Hoodia Gordonii with dark chocolate, just as it is the first to add Hoodia Gordonii to gourmet coffee.

As its natural ability to safely curb the appetite has become well-known in the last year, Hoodia Gordonii's popularity has exploded. A cactus-like succulent that grows in the Kalahari Desert of Africa, Hoodia Gordonii has been used by the indigenous people of the Kalahari for millennia to stave off hunger and keep their spirits up during long journeys. The plant has no known side effects.

"LeanCaffe has extraordinary health benefits," said Mr. Gur. "We have doctors using Phytobase products in their practices for the last year in various combinations and with great results. We are excited to introduce LeanCaffe to coffee lovers that want to control their appetites but still enjoy their morning cup of java."

About Phytobase Nutritionals, Inc.

Phytobase Nutritionals, Inc., is a research-driven company that specializes in developing cutting-edge functional foods as well as nutritional and personal care products. Along with LeanCaffe(TM) and ChocoLeans(TM), Phytobase Nutritionals, Inc.'s Hoodia Gordonii-based product line includes: Hoodia DeLite, a patent-pending chocolate meal replacement shake; and HoodiaLean capsules. All Phytobase products can be ordered through the company's Web site at http://www.phytobase.com/.

To learn more about Hoodia Gordonii and Bon-Java LeanCaffe, visit http://www.bon-java.com/.

Contact:

Sam D. Gur
Phytobase Nutritionals, Inc.
801-705-0555
pr@phytobase.comhttp://www.phytobase.com/

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com/.


Source: Phytobase Nutritionals, Inc.

CONTACT: Sam D. Gur, Phytobase Nutritionals, Inc., +1-801-705-0555,
pr@phytobase.com

Web site: http://www.bon-java.com/
http://www.phytobase.com/

Turn your Nalgene(R) water bottle into a coffee press

ventureDESIGNworks Announces Nationwide Availability of PRESS-BOT(TM), the Coffee Press for Your Nalgene(R) Water Bottle

PRESS-BOT: A New Solution for On-the-Go Coffee

MENLO PARK, Calif., Jan. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- ventureDESIGNworks today announced the nationwide availability of its PRESS-BOT(TM) coffee press, the first coffee press designed to work with a wide mouth, Nalgene(R) water bottle. Solving the problem of how to make gourmet coffee while away from home, PRESS-BOT allows you to brew coffee inside your Nalgene(R) water bottle with less mess and more function than traditional coffee presses.

True coffee aficionados appreciate the rich flavor of coffee brewed in a french press, but until now there was not a convenient way to press coffee while on the go. PRESS-BOT's(TM) patent pending design turns your Nalgene(R) water bottle into a coffee press; it not only brews great coffee, but also has an integrated pour spout to allow pouring or sipping right from the bottle with no spills. Once you enjoy your tasty brew, you can even screw the bottle cap onto the PRESS-BOT(TM) lid, sealing in your unfinished coffee and messy grounds, allowing delayed cleanup with no mess! The virtually indestructible Nalgene(R) water bottle combined with PRESS-BOT's(TM) precision components guarantee that this press will outlast any other press on the market. Perfect for camping, commuting or even the office, PRESS-BOT(TM) is the perfect addition to the java junky's toolkit.

PRESS-BOT(TM) is available for sale in specialty outdoor shops nationwide, including REI and EMS and through www.press-bot.com. PRESS-BOT(TM) is the first product to be released by ventureDESIGNworks, a privately held company that designs and markets innovative products for the outdoor retail industries. Additional products, including a line of Nalgene(R) water bottle accessories and GEL-BOT(TM), the world's first water bottle with integrated gel flask, will be launching in February. Visit www.venturedesignworks.com for the latest product news and updates.


Source: ventureDESIGNworks

CONTACT: Anthony Pigliacampo of ventureDESIGNworks, +1-720-317-5454

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

Will Starbucks's drive-through service hurt image?

By STEVEN GRAY
The Wall Street Journal

RANCHO CUCAMONGA --As the company that popularized the $4 cup of coffee pushes beyond its urban roots to caffeine freaks in the suburbs and rural America, a big question is brewing: Can the upscale Starbucks image — painstakingly cultivated with strong coffee, soft chairs and hipster music — survive the drive-through window?

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