SEATTLE, Feb. 26, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Baristas Coffee Company, Inc. (OTCQB:BCCI), via GlobeNewswire, a Nasdaq Company, "Seattle's World Famous Costume Coffee" announced that they have completed development on their retail grocery product line of single serve K-Cups. The Baristas branded product line of K-Cups is rolling out initially with the exclusive Baristas Espresso Roast as well as a White Coffee roast that will be the first to enter grocery store distribution.
A K-Cup is a plastic container with a coffee filter inside. Ground coffee beans are packed in the K-Cup and sealed air-tight with a combination plastic and foil lid. When the K-Cup is placed in a Keurig brewer, the brewer punctures both the foil lid and the bottom of the K-Cup and forces hot water under pressure through the K-Cup and into a mug or cup. Initially used only for coffee, K-Cup varieties now include tea , hot chocolate , iced teas and coffee, as well as fruit drinks. The Baristas K-Cup line will be 2.0 system compatible, contain a high oxygen barrier and be flushed with nitrogen during the packaging process to preserve freshness and increase shelf life. The 12 cup retail distribution boxes will initially be distributed through online sales portals already engaged, in the Baristas retail locations and in select grocery channels throughout the country. The distribution is expected to increase rapidly through product broker agreements and product placement representation who feel that market penetration of this unique product will be extremely successful.
White Coffee is a proprietary slow and low heat roast that due to the roasting process is significantly less acidic and preserves a much higher caffeine level than a traditional roast.
The lower acidity and higher caffeine levels create unique marketing elements for the branded product and Baristas will be among the first to offer the product into retail distribution.
"Coffee pods was about a $4 billion market in 2014," said Euromonitor Beverages Analyst Howard Telford. He said the market has quadrupled for these pods since 2011. "Quality means different things to different people. When it comes to the single pod segment it is linked to the ease of preparing a cup of coffee. It also can accommodate a lot of different flavors that might appeal to different members of the household."
Joe DeRupo, communications director at the National Coffee Association, stated, "It's the biggest change in coffee-brewing technology since Mr. Coffee was introduced in the 1970s." One of every four dollars Americans spend on coffee to be brewed at home is now spent on pods.
Baristas CEO Barry Henthorn stated: "With the expansion of our distribution outside the drive-through locations the opportunity to deliver a wider array of handpicked, quality branded products to the expanding Baristas audience is a clear opportunity to expand brand recognition and increase sales through expanded verticals."
About Baristas Coffee Company (BCCI): Headquartered in the Seattle, Washington area, Baristas Coffee Company, Inc. was formed to create a national brand of drive-thru espresso stands. BCCI is accomplishing this by acquiring established businesses that fit its model, opening new locations, and by franchising. Baristas has separated itself from the competition with its "theme" of joining attractive female baristas in entertaining costumes preparing the finest beverages available on the market. Baristas also now offers K-Cups for retail distribution. Baristas is also the subject of "Baristas Grounded in Seattle," a reality TV show that premiered Oct. 11 2014 on WE tv (and can be viewed for a short time at http://youtu.be/NnTP58vbc1k ) that takes an unprecedented and brutally honest look into the lives behind the scenes of girls from a variety of backgrounds who work in the Baristas stands. Baristas can currently be found in seven greater Seattle area locations as well as in Florida, and Montana. Your state, Coming Soon!
For more information on this fascinating concept please visit us at www.baristas.tv
For Investor Relations Contact: Barry Henthorn (206)579-0222
