Caribou Coffee Lightens Up, Shows New Dark Side with New Coffees Starlight and Eclipse

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Caribou Coffee today announced the launch two new coffees, carefully crafted to bring coffee drinkers the broadest spectrum of flavors available to match their personal tastes. Starlight and Eclipse round out Caribou's full lineup of flavor profiles, and are the first permanent additions to its retail coffeehouse portfolio since the launch of Lakeshore and Lacuna in 2009.

These new coffees will push customers' coffee experiences to even higher ground. After months of testing and tasting, the company's roastmasters arrived at two utterly divergent and innovative blends on the complete opposite ends of the roast spectrum.

"The coffee industry has largely been following the progression toward ever-lighter roast profiles as those become more popular with a large segment of coffee drinkers. But at Caribou, we recognize that focusing just on light roasts would do a disservice to our customers who enjoy a dark, robust cup of coffee," said Alfredo Martel, senior vice president of marketing and product management.

"We're bucking the trend by developing both ends of the flavor continuum while paying constant attention to the subtle nuances of flavor and the overall coffee drinking experience. In fact, Starlight and Eclipse are the bookends of our expansive roast profile, they are Caribou's lightest and darkest roast ever developed."

Caribou's lightest roast – Starlight – is a well-rounded blend with elegant hints of maple candy and ripe berries, grounded by a heavy body and notes of toasted grains and nuts for a rich, robust flavor. It proves that when roasted with expert precision a light roast can be rich, creamy and offer a medley of flavors.

Starlight has already been recognized by independent coffee experts as an exceptional roast, having been awarded an incredibly rare 96 (out of 100) score on CoffeeReview.com, the world's leading third-party coffee scoring website. Scores are based on objective, blind reviews by highly respected cuppers in the Specialty Coffee industry.

"We want every cup of coffee to be a delicious adventure for our customers," said Martel. "With Starlight and Eclipse, Caribou's roastmasters have pushed the envelope from both sides – light and dark – and truly expanded on what we thought was an already-broad taste spectrum. Now every customer who visits Caribou Coffee or sees it on the shelf will have a coffee that is custom-tailored to their distinct flavor and roast preferences."

Not to be overshadowed by Starlight's accolades, Eclipse is Caribou's darkest roast being added to the lineup. In fact, it's the company's darkest roast ever. Caribou's roastmasters have coaxed subtle, nuanced flavors out that differentiate it from other coffees on the darker end of the roast spectrum.

A bold, robust roast, Eclipse hits your palate with an immediate burst of bittersweet chocolate and cherries. But the real treat of this roast is the finish, with subtle spice notes reminiscent of cardamom and cloves.

Starlight and Eclipse are available now in 1 lb. bags at Caribou Coffee stores and at www.CaribouCoffee.com.

Both new coffees are Rainforest Alliance Certified™ as part of Caribou's ongoing commitment to source 100 percent of its coffees and espresso from farms that meet the comprehensive standards of the Sustainable Agricultural Network, the first major U.S. coffeehouse to reach this sustainable achievement. The certification is built on three pillars of sustainability – environmental, social and economic.

To find out more about Caribou Coffee, visit www.CaribouCoffee.com.

Life is too short for ordinary coffee.

About Caribou Coffee®

Founded in 1992, Caribou Coffee Company is one of the leading branded coffee companies in the United States, with a compelling multichannel approach to their customers. Based on the number of coffeehouses, Caribou Coffee is the second largest company-operated premium coffeehouse operator in the United States. As of July 3, 2011, the Company had 554 coffeehouses, including 147 franchised locations, in 20 states, the District of Columbia and nine international markets. The Company's coffeehouses aspire to be the community place loved by guests who are provided an extraordinary experience that makes their day better.  Caribou Coffee provides the highest quality handcrafted beverages, foods and coffee lifestyle items with a unique blend of expertise, fun and authentic human connection in a comfortable and welcoming coffeehouse environment. In addition, Caribou Coffee's unique coffees are available within grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, office coffee and foodservice providers, hotels, entertainment venues and e-commerce channels.  Caribou Coffee is a proud recipient of the Rainforest Alliance Corporate Green Globe Award and is committed to operating practices that promote sustainability and environmental protection. For more information, visit www.cariboucoffee.com.

SOURCE Caribou Coffee Company