F. Gavina & Sons, Inc. Presents The Birth of Coffee Exhibit in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- F. Gavina & Sons, Inc., makers of California's own Don Francisco's Coffee, today announced that they will be the presenting sponsor of "The Birth of Coffee," a stunning photographic exhibition and documentary chronicling the people, culture and economics of coffee-producing nations.  The exhibition's selection of images and artifacts will be showcased at the Los Angeles Craft and Folk Art Museum from September 26, 2010 through January 9, 2011.

Created by husband and wife team, Daniel and Linda Rice Lorenzetti, the exhibit is part of a larger, multi-platform project consisting of a photography book, website and an international tour. It celebrates the distant landscapes, cultural vitality and hard work that fuel the coffee trade.

In completing the project, the author and photographer traveled a quarter of a million miles to five continents and eight countries documenting and recording the world's coffee cultures.

"Through this exhibition people will be able to gain an understanding of the many people, places and processes involved in bringing coffee to the table," explained Leonor Gavina-Valls, vice president of Marketing for F. Gavina & Sons, Inc. "As a family-owned coffee roaster for over 130 years, it was very important for us to help bring this exhibition to life in Los Angeles and help tell the coffee story in a creative, beautiful and inspirational way."

To further bring the exhibit to life, the company has donated coffee from seven of the eight countries represented in the exhibit, including Ethiopia, Indonesia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Kenya.  The beans will be displayed throughout the exhibit so visitors can see and smell the similarities and differences of beans from these coffee-growing countries.  F. Gavina & Sons, Inc. will also be serving its new super-premium line of coffee, Don Francisco's Coffee Family Reserve at both the opening reception and public lecture on September 25.  Don Francisco's is the leading coffee retail brand in Southern California and ranks among the top 10 nationally.  For more information on the exhibit, please visit www.cafam.org.

About F. Gavina & Sons, Inc.

Based in Vernon, California, F. Gavina & Sons, Inc., one of the largest family-owned coffee companies in America and the nation's largest privately held minority roaster, has been a leading producer of high-quality and great tasting coffee for more than four generations.  Spanning more than 130 years, dating back to the family's humble beginnings in the rich-coffee bearing soil of the Caribbean, the unmatched experience as coffee growers and roasters has paved the way for a strong presence in wholesale and retail accounts all across the country. F. Gavina &  Sons, Inc. and its employees are committed to its coffee-producing partners and to  the improvement and  well-being    of the communities where they work and live.  The company is fully vested in and supports several international and domestic economic and social responsibility programs. To learn more F. Gavina & Sons, Inc. please visit www.gavina.com.

About Photographer Daniel Lorenzetti

Daniel is a journalist and award-winning photographer who has contributed to more than twenty magazines and newspapers, including the New York Times and the Miami Herald. His photographs are in the permanent collections of museums worldwide, including London's Victoria and Albert Museum, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

About Author Linda Rice Lorenzetti

Linda is the editorial director of the Image Expedition. She is a correspondent for The Tea and Coffee Trade Journal, author of Introduction to the Internet, and contributor to a Traveler's Tales anthology, The Adventure of Food.

About Craft and Folk Art Museum

The Craft and Folk Art Museum (CAFAM) champions cultural understanding by encouraging curiosity about our diverse world through the universal lens of art. Our exhibits and programs serve as a catalyst for the exploration of art and ideas that reflect our ever-changing community. The museum is guided by the conviction that its programming should bridge local and global cultures, and inspire a sense of inquiry and creativity within all people. Located on Los Angeles' prestigious Museum Row, CAFAM acts as a catalyst for cultural understanding and unity in one of the most diverse cities in the world.

SOURCE F. Gavina & Sons, Inc.