BREAKING NEWS: Coca-Cola FoodService Partners with Juan Valdez

2007-05-20 — QSRmagazine.com

CHICAGO—Coca-Cola has struck Columbian gold with a famous coffee farmer and his donkey.

Coca-Cola FoodService today announced it will offer restaurant operators The Juan Valdez Coffee System, a branded liquid coffee system.

The beverage giant announced the new solution at the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show May 20. A national announcement will be made May 21.

"People are getting their picture with the brand over here. That's unusual with a coffee business," says Jim Dinkins, vice president of marketing for the Coca-Cola FoodService Division, referring to the number of show attendees who stopped for photo ops with a costumed Juan Valdez spokesperson

Dinkins says Coca-Cola does not intend to take shares away from other coffee suppliers. Rather, "we are trying to grow the whole coffee category," he says. "We've been in the coffee business in packaged can and the bottle form before, but this gives us the ability to become a one-stop coffee solutions provider."

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