Caribou Coffee's Amy's National Garden of Hope Blooms in Washington, D.C.

MINNEAPOLIS, April 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Caribou Coffee Company, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBOU) today announced the blooming dedication of Amy's National Garden of Hope at Brookside Gardens just outside of Washington, D.C. as a tribute to Amy Erickson, a beloved Caribou roastmaster who valiantly fought breast cancer and others who have been touched by the disease.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120404/NY82344 )

As part of its 17-year Amy's Blend program to celebrate Amy and raise awareness around breast cancer, Caribou Coffee brought her favorite flower – the tulip – to the nation's capital with a commemorative planting last fall. To engage the larger community to rally around this important cause, Caribou invited consumers to go online and submit a dedication in support of finding a cure via Facebook. For every submission that was made online, a real tulip was planted in Amy's National Garden of Hope.

With the third Amy's Garden now in full bloom, Caribou will invite members of the local community to honor Amy and those touched by breast cancer to a special Spring Garden Party event from 3-5 pm on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Maryland, during which parents and children will be invited to paint a flower pot and plant their own tulip to take home as a lasting memory.

"We are thrilled to have extended our Amy's Garden program to the Washington, D.C. area and to continue our commitment to supporting breast cancer awareness and the search for a cure with this commemorative garden," said Caribou Coffee CEO, Mike Tattersfield, "We look forward to sharing Amy's story with the local community at Brookside and to paying tribute to everyone who has been touched by breast cancer with this special blooming celebration and Spring Garden Party."

Amy's National Garden of Hope was created in partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure® as an extension of the brand's ongoing Amy's Blend program, which offers special coffee, tea and merchandise each October and was developed to both honor Amy Erickson and support breast cancer awareness. Over the past two years, Amy's Gardens have been planted in Minneapolis, Chicago and now Washington, D.C. and each is planted in tribute to those touched by the disease. Consumers should be on the lookout this October for an integration of the Amy's Garden tributes with the Amy's Blend campaign.

All Amy's Blend products will be available for purchase in Caribou Coffee stores, or online at www.CaribouCoffee.com, during Breast Cancer Awareness month this October.

For more information about Caribou Coffee, please visit Caribou Coffee's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cariboucoffee or follow Caribou on Twitter at @Caribou_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 multi-channel 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 January 1, 2012, the Company had 581 coffeehouses, including 169 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 provide 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 the Caribou Coffee web site at www.cariboucoffee.com.

About Brookside Gardens
Brookside Gardens, owned by Montgomery Parks of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is Montgomery County's incomparable, award-winning 50-acre public display garden situated within Wheaton Regional Park. Included in the gardens are several distinct areas: Aquatic Garden, Azalea Garden, Butterfly Garden, Children's Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese Style Garden, Trial Garden, Rain Garden and the Woodland Walk. The Formal Gardens areas include a Perennial Garden, Yew Garden, the Maple Terrace, and Fragrance Garden. Brookside Gardens also feature two conservatories for year-round enjoyment.

CONTACT:
Blythe Posner
Ruder Finn, Inc.
(212) 593-6306
[email protected]

SOURCE Caribou Coffee Company