“Juan Valdez drinks Costa Rican Coffee”

Coffee Controversy Heats Up
By Blake Schmidt
Tico Times Staff | bschmidt@ticotimes.net

In an escalating international legal battle over rights to a 47-year-old fictional character and his mule, Costa Rica's leading gourmet coffee exporter says allegations against it amount to a hill of beans.

The poncho-draped, sombrero-shaded Juan Valdez ranks among nifty marketing characters the likes of the Energizer Bunny, Cap'N Crunch and Mr. Clean. The Colombian National Coffee-Growers' Federation (Fedecafé), which contracted a company to create Valdez in 1959, say he's worth millions. That's why the organization representing 560,000 Colombian coffee growers filed a $1 million suit against Costa Rican coffee company Café Britt for selling T-shirts in alleged violation of the federation's rights to the Valdez name and image.
Spilled Coffee: Café Britt lawyer Víctor Hugo Mora (left) says FEDECAFé has tarnished Britt's image.
Mónica Quesada | Tico Times

The T-shirts, which were being sold at a kiosk in the Juan Santamaría International Airport outside San José, and a shop in Heredia, north of San José, say “Juan Valdez drinks Costa Rican Coffee” on the front, and have the Britt logo on the back. The shirts were pulled from the shelves when the federation first contacted Café Britt in January.

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Melitta "Smart Mill & Brew" system makes your coffee and forecasts weather

Salton have introduced the Melitta "Smart Mill & Brew" coffee maker that, apart from doing what all coffee machines are supposed to do (make coffee), will also forecast the weather for you.

No, it doesn't have a barometer hiding next to the percolator; it's a little more hi-tech that that. Courtesy of Microsoft's Smart Personal Objects Technology (SPOT), this machine can get real-time weather information from MSN Direct.

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Costa coffee sets sights on 2,000 shops

Irish Examiner

UK Coffee shop owner Costa today said it planned to triple the number of outlets in the chain within the next three years.

Managers at the Whitbread-owned brand are plotting to expand the group’s portfolio from 650 to 2,000 shops in the UK and overseas by 2010.

In April, the company said it planned to have 1,000 outlets, but revised the target after enjoying a “remarkable period of growth”.

Most of the planned new stores will be opened overseas, although Costa also hopes to expand its UK chain from 497 shops to 800 over the next three years.

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Setting the Record Straight on Caffeine and Health

International Food Information Council

Food Insight
July/August 2006

For thousands of years people have enjoyed foods and beverages containing caffeine. Despite its proven safety, common myths about the health effects of caffeine are persistent. Misunderstanding is sometimes passed along by friends, family, the news media, and even healthcare professionals, leaving many people confused and wary about caffeine consumption. Extensive scientific research regarding the potential health effects of caffeine has been conducted. The overwhelming scientific evidence on caffeine demonstrates that moderate daily caffeine consumption (about 300 milligrams per day) is safe. And, as with almost everything in the human diet, moderation is key.

Test Your Caffeine Knowledge

Myth: Caffeine causes dehydration.

Fact: Caffeine-containing beverages contribute to an individual’s daily total water intake. Although caffeine is a mild diuretic, the urinary output effects attributed to caffeine have been exaggerated. In fact, urinary output is usually offset by the liquid consumed. Research now shows that coffee, tea, and other caffeine-containing beverages do not negatively affect indicators of hydration in those who are accustomed to consuming caffeine.

Myth: Caffeine is addictive.

Fact: Moderate caffeine consumption is safe and caffeine should not be classified with addictive substances. People who say they are “addicted” to caffeine tend to use the term loosely, like saying they are “addicted” to running, work, or television as an important or enjoyable part of their routine. Some caffeine-sensitive individuals may experience mild, temporary effects, including headache, restlessness, and irritability, when their daily intake is quickly and substantially altered. Medical experts agree that any discomfort caused by the abrupt cessation of caffeine consumption can be avoided by progressively decreasing intake over a few days.

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Starbucks sees 2,400 new stores in fiscal year '07

Mon Nov 13, 2006

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Starbucks Corp. will open 2,400 stores in its 2007 fiscal year and will have 20,000 stores worldwide within seven years, a senior executive said on Monday.

Colman Cuff, Starbucks' director of trading and operations, said the new stores would be spread among the United States and worldwide markets, with Asian growth driven by China.

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