NuZee Bolsters Sales Team with Coffee Industry Veterans Kathleen Schartner and Marie Franklin

PLANO, Texas, July 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NuZee, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUZE) ("NuZee" or "the Company"), a leading U.S. producer and co-packer of specialty single serve pour-over coffee pouches and tea bag style coffee, announced two new hires to its sales team; Kathleen Schartner, VP of Business Development and Marie Franklin, VP of Sales, North and West Coast.

Kathleen Schartner will be responsible for expanding and distributing NuZee's product offerings to the hospitality industry, gaming, grocery channel and college & universities. She brings a wealth of expertise in business development and foodservice account management at companies like Nestle and Sani Professional. Most recently, she managed the foodservice sales team at Farmer Brothers, where she led all business development efforts on their private label and branded coffee programs. Kathleen Schartner said, "Hunting for new business is my passion and I am confident that my knowledge in new business development will be an added value to the NuZee sales organization."

Marie Franklin, VP of Sales, North and West Coast, will be responsible for bringing and selling NuZee's single service pour over and tea bag style coffee products to roasters on the West Coast and Northern regions of the United States. She comes to NuZee with 25 years of experience in the coffee industry with expertise in many aspects of coffee including importing, roasting, retailing, sales and marketing at brands like Umbria Coffee Roasters, Sustainable Harvest, Portland Coffee Roasters and Seattle's beloved Torrefazione Italia. "Single-serve solutions are an appreciable part of the coffee market and have become a necessity in the modern roaster's portfolio. I am looking forward to using the breadth of my experience to help NuZee's customers achieve their taste goals and move beyond the capsule."

Keith Wright, VP of Sales, will continue to lead sales for the West Coast and Southern region from California to Texas for NuZee. Mr. Wright, who has been with the company for over two years, said, "NuZee's eco-friendly single serve coffee formats are great options for coffee drinkers who want authentic tasting cup of coffee without using plastic.  I am excited to start working with Kathleen and Marie to introduce these single serve coffee formats to more coffee roasters and hospitality customers in the United States."   

Travis Gorney, Chief Innovation Officer, will continue to focus on business development with new products and programs as well as working on strategic accounts.  "Leading innovation is a passion of mine and I am looking forward to bringing new ideas to life for the customer and NuZee," said Travis Gorney.   

"With the addition of Kathleen and Marie to the sales organization, NuZee is well positioned to work to grow its customer base as well as expand distribution channels to reach many more US coffee drinkers," said Jose Ramirez, Chief Sales and Supply Chain Officer, who also recently joined NuZee.  "Together with this new sales team, I am looking forward to changing the way people drink coffee in the United States, one cup at a time."

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. NuZee cautions you that such statements are simply predictions and actual events or results may differ materially. These statements reflect NuZee's current expectations, and NuZee does not undertake to update or revise these forward looking statements, even if experience or future changes make it clear that any projected results expressed or implied in this or other NuZee statements will not be realized. Further, these statements involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond NuZee's control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, include: NuZee's plans to obtain funding for its operations, including funding necessary to develop, manufacture and commercialize its products; the impact to NuZee's business from the COVID-19 global crisis; general market acceptance of and demand for NuZee's products; and NuZee's commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy; for a description of additional factors that may cause NuZee's actual results, performance or expectations to differ from any forward-looking statements, please review the information set forth in the "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of the NuZee's public reports and NuZee's other filings made with the SEC.

About NuZee and Coffee Blenders

NuZee, Inc. (d/b/a Coffee Blenders®) is a specialty coffee company and a leading U.S. single-serve pour-over coffee pouch producer and co-packer. We own sophisticated packing equipment developed in Asia for single serve pour over production. We co-pack single-serve pour-over coffee and tea bag style coffees for customers in the U.S. market and also co-pack for the South Korean market. 

SOURCE NuZee, Inc.