Caribou Coffee® Expands Under New Partnership with Hy-Vee Stores
July 22, 2010 | News & Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Caribou Coffee has announced an expanded partnership with Midwest grocer Hy-Vee, Inc., to be the preferred coffee brand for the company’s 230 grocery locations and strengthening Caribou Coffee’s national brand presence. Billed as the “total coffee solution,” Hy-Vee stores will now feature more Caribou Coffee products on their shelves as well as offer the coffee at barista-staffed kiosks and through foodservice/deli locations.
Caribou Coffee, already available nationwide in major retailers, is also the nation’s second-largest gourmet coffeehouse operator. With Caribou Coffee kiosks already in 18 Hy-Vee locations, the expanded partnership will add Caribou Coffee kiosks in many new and existing Hy-Vee stores and convert the brewed coffee used in Hy-Vee’s in-store foodservice outlets to the Caribou Coffee brand. The new Hy-Vee store in Peoria, Ill., which opened on July 13, 2010, is the first to make the full transition. The rollout across all Hy-Vee stores is expected to be complete by Fall 2010.
Hy-Vee, with stores across eight Midwestern states, has been pursuing a “total coffee solution” strategy for two years to bring consistency in coffee quality and experience throughout its stores. “We researched dozens of coffee brands. Caribou Coffee’s product, personality and commitment to Rainforest Alliance certification, the most comprehensive sustainability certification available, ultimately made this an easy choice,” said Greg Frampton, Assistant Vice President, Food Service for Hy-Vee, Inc.
In April 2010, Caribou Coffee became the first major U.S. coffeehouse to commit to offering 100 percent Rainforest Alliance Certified™ coffee, a goal the company has set to achieve by the end of 2011. “The expanded partnership with Hy-Vee is beneficial for both organizations,” said Hank Suerth, Caribou Coffee senior vice president of commercial business. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to provide Hy-Vee’s guests with an extraordinary coffee experience.”
Caribou Coffee Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:CBOU), founded in 1992 and headquartered in Minneapolis, is the second-largest company-owned premium coffeehouse operator in the United States based on the number of coffeehouses. As of July 2010, Caribou Coffee had 413 company-owned coffeehouses and 123 franchised and licensed locations. Caribou Coffee offers its customers premium coffee and hand-crafted espresso-based beverages, as well as specialty teas, baked goods, whole bean coffee, branded merchandise and other coffee lifestyle items. Caribou Coffee sells products to grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, office coffee and foodservice providers, hotels, entertainment venues and e-commerce channels. In addition, Caribou Coffee licenses third parties to use the Caribou Coffee brand on quality food and merchandise items. Caribou Coffee focuses on delivering a guest experience with a unique blend of expertise, fun and authentic human connection in a comfortable and welcoming coffeehouse environment. For more information, visit the Caribou Coffee website here.
Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating 230 retail stores in eight Midwestern states. For 2009, the company recorded total sales of $6.4 billion, ranking it among the top 30 supermarket chains and the top 50 private companies in the United States. Visit the company’s website at www.hy-vee.com.