Kraft Foods and Starbucks Coffee Co. will expand their partnership with three new distribution channels and six new varieties of beans.
Kraft has begun distributing Starbucks beans in drugstores, natural food stores and military bases. Northfield, IL-based Kraft has distributed Starbucks in grocery, mass-merchandise and club stores since 1998.
Kraft also begins carrying Seattle’s Best and Torrefazione Italia brands as part of the licensing and distribution expansion. Seattle-based Starbucks bought Seattle Coffee Co. (including Seattle’s Best and Torrefazione Italia) in July 2003. The Guild Group, White Plains, NY, handles Starbucks promos for Kraft; FCB, Chicago, handles ads.
Meanwhile, Procter & Gamble extends its Millstone coffee brand by bringing two of its Signature Collection coffees to retail. Millstone Organic Mountain Moonlight is Fair Trade Certified by TransFair USA (which guarantees that growers earn a fair wage); Millstone Rainforest Reserve is certified by environmental group Rainforest Alliance. P&G has been selling Signature Collection online and via phone since September 2003.
Whole beans will be sold in supermarkets beginning this fall, in 10-oz. packages designed to look different from flagship Millstone.
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