Van Houtte Inc. Launces New Line Of Gourmet Coffee

The JAVANATION™ Collection Features Single Origin Coffees and New Authentic Espresso Blends; proceeds to go to Tsunami Relief

Montreal - Van Houtte Inc., one of North America's leading gourmet coffee roasters, has recently launched JAVANATION, a new line of quality coffees featuring four single origin coffees and three unique espresso blends.

As part of Van Houtte's JAVANATION launch effort during the months of February and March, the company will be donating $1.00 from every kilogram sold of JAVANATION coffee to the Care Canada tsunami disaster relief effort in Southeast Asia. Van Houtte is a long-time supporter of Care Canada and has played an active role in this charity's efforts to make the Empresa San Luis coffee Cooperative in Honduras a self-sufficient, viable economic force. More information on Van Houtte's JAVANATION/ Care Canada effort is available at www.vanhoutte.com/en/company/responsibility, the company's social responsibility Web page.

The JAVANATION collection features beans sourced from single origin countries. These countries – Guatemala, Costa Rica, Sumatra (Indonesia) and Kenya – are renowned for the exceptional conditions in which their coffee is grown, harvested and processed. Even though these regions differ geographically, all the JAVANATION single origin coffees are grown in mountainous terrain, where temperature variations enhance the robustness, density and flavour of the coffee bean. The following is a description of Van Houtte's JAVANATION single origin coffees:

• GUATEMALA: A well-balanced, smooth tasting dark roast coffee, with a delicious hint of chocolate and smoky, spicy undertones
• COSTA RICA: A harmonious, well-balanced light roast coffee, with soft flavours and sweet, floral aromas
• SUMATRA: An intensely captivating dark roast, with a distinctive body, discreet acidity and a woodsy aroma
• KENYA: An aromatic dark roast, with a boldly pronounced acidity, a heavy body and the intense aroma of wild berries, flowers and spices

"Van Houtte's new single origin coffees, featured in the JAVANATION collection are crafted with the best coffee beans grown in the world," said Joseph Audi, Director of Marketing, Van Houtte Inc. "When these beans are roasted using Van Houtte's European small-batch roasting system, the result is four distinct and highly flavourful tastes that take gourmet coffee to the next level."

Along with the single origin coffees, the JAVANATION collection features three new espresso blends offering a variety of distinct flavours that are sure to please even the most discerning of espresso coffee connoisseurs. The following is a description of the new espresso blends:

• The Venetian: A classic, medium-dark roast Italian style espresso blend, with a touch of acidity and a sweet flavour. Ideal for the Italian style ristretto (short espresso), but will also blend marvellously with milk for a cappuccino or latte
• The Parisian: A dark, French-style roast, with well-balanced acidity, a rich smooth taste and an intense and velvety body. Ideal for short or long espresso (lungo or allongé) or to make a cappuccino
• The San Francisco: A very dark, slightly spicy roast with gentle acidity and a lingering caramel flavour. Perfect for the American-style espresso lover and for making lattes.

The new JAVANATION espressos are available in Italian-style espresso grind specially crafted for use in domestic and commercial style cappuccino makers, including Italian Moka-style coffeemakers.

"Over the last five years and with the advent of upscale gourmet coffee shops, North American coffee drinkers have embraced quality espresso and espresso-based beverages like never before," added Audi. "With the JAVANATION espresso collection, consumers can now buy the authentic espresso blends enjoyed by those living in Italy, France and the American west coast."

The Van Houtte JAVANATION collection is currently available at select grocery stores across Canada and online at www.vanhoutte.com. The single origin coffees are sold in 250 g (8.82 oz) bags and the espresso blends are sold in 300 g (10.5 oz.) cans.

Van Houtte, one of North America's leading gourmet coffee companies, has been producing superior-tasting coffee using traditional European, small-batch roasting methods for 85 years. As a provider of total coffee solutions, Van Houtte sells the coffee it selects, roasts and packages while manufacturing and marketing state-of-the-art brewing equipment to home, retail and office customers. As North America's largest fully-integrated gourmet coffee company with over 90 coffee service branches across North America and over 70 cafés in Quebec, Van Houtte serves more than 3,000,000 cups of coffee every day in major cities throughout Canada and the US.

About Van Houtte Inc.
Founded in 1919, Van Houtte is one of North America's leading gourmet coffee roasters, marketers and distributors. The Company markets its gourmet coffees across Canada and the US through distribution channels that include: coffee services, retail stores, cafés, online shopping and food services networks. The company Web site is www.vanhoutte.com.

Source: Van Houtte Inc.