Mars Drinks Brings "A BARISTA" To The Workplace

WEST CHESTER, Pa., April 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Mars Drinks, a business unit of Mars, Incorporated, today announced the introduction of the design driven FLAVIA® BARISTA, a cutting-edge brewer with authentic espresso capability for the workplace.

Available this fall in North America, the FLAVIA® BARISTA delivers the widest selection of authentically crafted coffeehouse-style hot beverages available now in the workplace.  A game-changer for the market, the brewer features the required high pressure of up to 15-BARs to offer real, full-bodied, Italian espressos with thick, rich "crema" in 30-40 seconds.  It also offers cappuccinos, lattes, teas, coffees and hot chocolates.  

To build on its authentic espresso capability, Mars Drinks has teamed with premier global coffee brand Segafredo Zanetti® and Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group to feature three Segafredo Zanetti® espresso blends with Mars Drinks' FLAVIA® BARISTA brewer internationally. 

The FLAVIA® BARISTA brewer is part of Mars Drinks' continuing commitment to provide innovative technologies and products for workplaces by making the booming global espresso experience accessible to associates right in their workplaces.  

"The right beverage experience is a catalyst for the kinds of moments that transform workplace culture. At Mars Drinks, we create great tasting moments that encourage collaboration and ideation in the workplace, and we are now excited to extend that proposition to include Segafredo Zanetti® espresso through our new FLAVIA® BARISTA brewer," said Xavier Unkovic, global president, Mars Drinks.

The visually stunning brewer was styled for the modern office as an inspiring centerpiece inviting senior managers and interns alike to communicate, collaborate and share opinions, suggestions and ideas while enjoying a premium coffeehouse-style beverage.

"This business relationship represents the perfect opportunity to bring together two companies focused on delivering an authentic espresso experience to workplaces," said Massimo Zanetti, Chairman, Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group. 

More than 50 million cups of Segafredo® Zanetti coffee beverages are consumed worldwide every day.

The word barista, Italian for "bartender," denotes coffeehouse expertise around an espresso machine.  With the push of a button, the FLAVIA® BARISTA brewer acts as the centerpiece of the workplace, creating hubs of social and collaborative conversation. 

"We are focused on impeccable quality from coffee plantations to cup, and the partnership is a powerful way to bring the culture surrounding our expertly crafted espresso coffees to the international workplace," said John Boyle, chief operating officer, Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA.

Mars Drinks pioneered the single-serve hot drinks category, introducing FLAVIA® brewers, the first system for making hot drinks using fresh ground coffee and leaf teas sealed in individual servings. Through its FLAVIA® brewers, ALTERRA® COFFEE ROASTERS™ coffees, THE BRIGHT TEA CO.® teas, and DOVE®/GALAXY® Hot Chocolate, Mars Drinks creates billions of great tasting moments at work!  The company continues to build on its strong history of innovation through partnerships with companies that share its vision and values for elevating the beverage experience.

"At Mars Drinks, our goal is to bring associates together to do great work through the shared experience of a quality cup of coffee. Our partnership with an authentic globally-recognized espresso brand for our newest premium brewer is a sign of our continuing commitment to delight our customers in executive suites and break rooms alike," said Bobby Chacko, global chief marketing officer, Mars Drinks.

Mars Drinks' FLAVIA® BARISTA will be available this fall with three Segafredo Zanetti® SKUs: Extra Strong, Mild, and Cafesenza® (decaffeinated) espresso freshpacks, exclusively for use with the premium brewing machine.

Find Mars Drinks online at http://www.marsdrinks.com/. To learn more about Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group, visit http://www.segafredo.it/en/home.html.

About Mars Drinks
Mars Drinks creates great tasting moments at work by being at the center of workplace engagement, collaboration, productivity and well-being.  Throughout North America, Europe and Asia, Mars Drinks supports businesses who want to provide great working environments for their people.  Part of Mars, Incorporated Mars Drinks focuses its energy and resources on the workplace, with the belief that people are the most important asset to any business.  In 1973 Mars Drinks introduced KLIX® the first-ever fully automatic in-cup drinks vending machine that serves large manufacturing channels across Europe.  In 1984 Mars Drinks pioneered the single serve hot drinks category, introducing FLAVIA®, the first system for making hot drinks using fresh ground coffee and leaf teas sealed in individual servings.  Through its ALTERRA® Coffee Roasters coffees, THE BRIGHT TEA CO.® teas, and DOVE®/GALAXY® Hot Chocolate Mars Drinks creates billions of great tasting moments at work!  Find Mars Drinks online at www.marsdrinks.com.

About Mars, Incorporated 
In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars' first roots as a confectionery company.  In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar. In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of  building a business based on the objective of creating a "mutuality of benefits for all stakeholders" – this objective serves as the foundation of Mars, Incorporated today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $33 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and more than 75,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its performance.

Mars brands include: Petcare – PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, KITEKAT®, BANFIELD® Pet Hospital and NUTRO®; Chocolate – M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Wrigley – DOUBLEMINT®, EXTRA®, ORBIT® and 5™ chewing gums, SKITTLES® and STARBURST® candies, and ALTOIDS® AND LIFESAVERS® mints.  Food UNCLE BEN'S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS®, SEEDS OF CHANGE® and ROYCO®; Drinks – ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™, THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY™, KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience – COCOAVIA™ and WISDOM PANEL™.

For more information, please visit www.mars.com. Follow us: facebook.com/mars, twitter.com/marsglobal, youtube.com/mars, linkedin.com/company/mars.

About Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group: Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group, headquartered in Treviso, Italy, is a privately held, vertically integrated organization of nearly 50 companies operating in over 100 countries that cultivates, trades, processes, roasts, packages and distributes coffee throughout the world. The Group owns more than 20 consumer brands worldwide, including Chock full o'Nuts®, Hills Bros.®, Segafredo Zanetti® Espresso, Meira®, Brodies®, Tiktak® and La San Marco®, that span a rich variety of high quality products including espresso, coffee, tea, spices and barista-level espresso equipment. 
For more information and media contacts: 
www.mzb-group.com 
[email protected]

About Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA
MZB USA is headquartered in Portsmouth, Va., and has state-of-the art roasting facilities in Suffolk, Va. and Moonachie, N.J.  In addition to well-known consumer brands such as Chock full o'Nuts®, Kauai Coffee®, Hills Bros.® Coffee and Hills Bros® Cappuccino, MZB USA markets Segafredo Zanetti®  brand craft coffees in North America and is a leading provider of proprietary coffees and category insights for some of the largest foodservice and convenience store chains, and office coffee service distributors in North America.  MZB USA franchises Segafredo Zanetti Espresso® Cafes, and Chock full o'Nuts® Coffee Shops in North America.  For more information, visit www.mzb-usa.com

SOURCE Mars Drinks