Specialty Coffee Retailer articles from January 2003

Specialty Coffee Retailer archives from January 2003

Editor's note.
January 1, 2003... I had the fortunate opportunity to be a judge of new products at the Coffee Pest Seattle show this past November, and, I have to say, there was an abundance of new products. I had a ball checking out the latest loot, and share with you some of...

Innovative flavor contest. (Brew News).
January 1, 2003... Ciao Bella Gelato, maker of fine artisanal ice cream, and known for creating customized flavors for chefs, has announced a new competition: "Design the Most Innovative Flavor. Over the years, Ciao Bella has developed a reputation for being...

Retailer honors customers. (Brew News).
January 1, 2003... Hampton Coffee Company, Water Mill, N.Y., rewarded those most critical to its success-its customers. On Nov. 1, the coffeehouse showed its appreciation by offering special deals at both of its two locations. In addition to creating goodwill...

Gavina opens new plant. (Brew News).
January 1, 2003... Vernon, Calif.-based F. Gavina & Sons has realized a Gavina family dream with the development of its new 240,000-square-foot roasting plant. "Since 1967, we've been at three different locations, not including this new one," says Leonor...

Congress passes "Coffee Rescue Plan". (Brew News).
January 1, 2003... Oxfam America recently announced that the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate had each passed a resolution that directs Congress to "adopt a global strategy to respond to the current coffee crisis." In September Oxfam launched a...

Coffee by Design works toward peace. (Brew News).
January 1, 2003... Coffee By Design, a Portland, Maine, coffee company, donated 10 percent of Sept. 11, 2002, sales at its three coffeehouse locations to Seeds of Peace, a non-profit, non-political organization that helps teen-agers from regions of conflict learn...

GCS expands Mexican plant. (Brew News).
January 1, 2003... Grindmaster Craffico Systems, Inc., has expanded its manufacturing facility in Monterrey, Mexico. GCS Mexico S.A. de C.V. began manufacturing in early April in a 15,000-square-foot facility. The expansion of the facility to 56,000 square feet...

Industry voices.
January 1, 2003... Q: As one of the leading coffee importers in North America, what is currently your biggest business challenge? Meeting customers' individual requirements is an especially important challenge these days. More than ever before, it estate...

Mug shots: coffee mugs will never go out of style--and the styles are endless.
January 1, 2003... When winter winds blow, there's nothing more comforting than a steaming cuppa served in a special mug--that customers can't wait to take home. January is a great month for hot beverage promotions that take advantage of today's colorful, varied...

Sweetening the cup.
January 1, 2003... Not all customers want a straight shot of espresso. There are many that enjoy their daily latte laced with three types of syrups. Here's what retailers are saying about their sweeter drink offerings. Flavored syrups took a giant leap...

Seeking a healthful, grab-and-go alternative: nutrition bars and healthful cookies provide coffeehouses with more options for increasing impulse and add-on sales, in addition to attracting more health-conscious customers.
January 1, 2003... It is not just athletes and the granola set who are looking for healthful snack and meal-replacement alternatives. These days, many Americans are in search of foods that are lower in fat and calories, but still offer great taste and are...

Specialty Coffee Month! The Retail Committee of the Specialty Coffee Association of America has declared February Specialty Coffee Month!
January 1, 2003... Specialty Coffee Month is an opportunity for retailers to celebrate with customers a passion for the best beans, properly prepared. In the spirit of the Valentine season, the theme of Specialty Coffee Month is: "From Seed to Cup, Specialty...

Truffles! (Gift & Gourmet Accents).
January 1, 2003... Birnn Chocolates of Vermont introduces Creamy Milk Caramel and Dark Raspberry Truffles packaged in glimmering, polka-dotted foil. Birrn Chocolates has been supplying gourmet chocolates since 1915. For more information, call (800) 338-3141. ...

Ice cream in seconds. (Gift & Gourmet Accents).
January 1, 2003... The new NitroCream ice cream system creates ice cream in 20 seconds or less using the NitroCream nitrogen gas tank, NitroCream industrial mixers, a dairy base and mix-ins, such as cookies, candies, fruits and nuts. The package price for the...

The Gourmet Whip. (Gift & Gourmet Accents).
January 1, 2003... The Gourmet Whip from iSi North America, Inc., is a multi-talented kitchen tool for preparing frothy and flavored whipped creams and aerated cooking sauces. The Gourmet Whip is available in pint or quart sizes and comes in either brushed or...

Premium teas. Premium packaging. (Gift & Gourmet Accents).
January 1, 2003... Stash Tea has a sophisticated new look for its retail and foodservice product lines. The new design includes a brilliant color palette for a strong shelf presence. There are 38 teas in the retail line, and the top-selling varieties were...

Nutty snacks. (Gift & Gourmet Accents).
January 1, 2003... Bowlby's Bits nutty-flavored snacks are available in bulk or 5.75-ounce bags and 16-ounce bags. The Pecan-, Cashew-, Almond-, and Walnut-flavored bits have a one-year shelf life, and the Sour Cream Onion & Dill-, Ranch-, Salsa-,...

A bigger bag. (Gift & Gourmet Accents).
January 1, 2003... Pacific Bag now offers 5-pound coffee stock bags in red, black and copper. According to Mark Howley, company president, the new bags were created in response to small- and medium-sized roasters requesting new packaging ideas. For more...

Confections with a kick. (Gift & Gourmet Accents).
January 1, 2003... Rocket Chocolate just added Peppermint Crunch and English Toffee Latte to its line of caffeinated chocolate truffles. Rocket Chocolate also offers Mint, Mocha, Peanut Butter, Hazelnut and Raspberry flavors. The caffeine-enhanced truffles come...

Butter wafer cookies. (Gift & Gourmet Accents).
January 1, 2003... Lady Walton's Cookies' famous old-fashioned chocolate-filled wafer cookies are now made with real butter and available in a single-serve, 1-ounce size. Made from all-natural ingredients, the wafer cookies are available in three flavors: Creamy...

Limited edition tea line. (Gift & Gourmet Accents).
January 1, 2003... Tea authority and author James Norwood Pratt announces the immediate availability of an exclusive line of made-to-order "Bespoke Teas" sold under the new "Nilgiri Tea Society" label. The colorful new product line consists of six individually...

Tea Chocolates. (Gift & Gourmet Accents).
January 1, 2003... Splendid Specialties' line of Premium Tea Chocolates combines European chocolate with exotic international teas and real fruit. The unusual confections are available in four flavors: Emperor's Ginger Tea, Jasmine Green Tea, Imperial Chai Tea...

Infuser tea bag. (Gift & Gourmet Accents).
January 1, 2003... Revolution Tea introduces its Infuser Bag that's packaged in a tea box for convenience in serving hot tea. The Infuser Bag; made with nylon, is an innovative approach to individual servings. The Infuser Bag replicates the process used in tea...

Sugar-free bakery items. (Gift & Gourmet Accents).
January 1, 2003... Joseph's Lite Cookies produces sugar-free diabetic-safe cookies, brownies and maple syrup, as well as its line of Santa Fe Farms fat-free cookies. Joseph's award-winning sugar-free cookies are available in 11-ounce and 1.5-ounce bags, come in a...

Evolution of a coffeehouse: the business plan.
January 1, 2003... Renowned Chicago architect and city planner Daniel Burnham once said, "Make no little plans." Burnham spent much of his time designing big buildings in city settings. Coffeehouses may not have been part of his portfolio, but the comfy couches...

All in the family: still going strong as it nears its 50th anniversary, Caffe Trieste in San Francisco offers regulars and tourists a place in the Giotta family. (Coffeehouse Profile).
January 1, 2003... Even in San Francisco, a city studded with mom-and-pop coffee houses, Caffe Trieste stands out. Since 1956, the historic North Beach landmark has offered fine coffees by the cup and by the pound in an Italian family coffeehouse-bistro where...

A personal approach to marketing: keeping community relations at the forefront of the marketing plan is key when it comes to store promotion. (Regional Update).
January 1, 2003... Marketing takes on a personal flavor with many coffeehouses. Instead of placing advertisements in newspapers that may cover a wide readership or in the yellow pages where they can get lost among all the other coffeehouse listings, owners tend...