Second Cup coffee to be available in grocery stores
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Sept. 19, 2013 /CNW/ - The Second Cup Ltd. and Kraft Canada Inc. announced today they intend to launch whole bean and ground coffees, six SKUS in total, in grocery stores across Canada starting in February, 2014. This launch will offer Canadians more ways to enjoy the quality and variety they have come to expect from Second Cup. Expansion into the grocery channel enables the Second Cup brand to reach guests in markets that might not have a Second Cup café nearby and to better serve current Second Cup guests in-home.
Second Cup's premium coffees will be available in six different varieties and two formats, whole bean and ground. The launch will be supported with a new, fresh package design.
The whole bean coffee line-up in grocery will include Cuzco®, a Fair Trade, Organic mild roast, Second Cup's signature Paradiso®medium roast and Espresso Forte, the 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified™ dark roast. The ground coffee line-up will include the signature Paradiso® medium roast, Colombian Supremo dark roast and Caramelo, Second Cup's most popular flavoured coffee. Each variety is Rainforest Alliance Certified™ with the exception of mild Cuzco®, which is Fair Trade, Organic, demonstrating the brand's commitment to quality and sustainable coffee farming.
"We are really excited about the new offerings in grocery because it gives Canadians another way to enjoy our delicious coffees at home," said Stacey Mowbray, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Second Cup Ltd. "We serve some of the highest quality coffees available in Canada and our expansion in the grocery aisle will further establish Second Cup as a leading player in the premium coffee industry."
The introduction of the whole bean and ground coffees builds on Second Cup's success in on-demand, single-serve coffee in the grocery channel on the TASSIMO system.
"As the leading at-home coffee company in Canada, Kraft is thrilled to continue working with Second Cup" said Doug Pritchard, Senior Director of Beverages for Kraft Canada. "Bringing Second Cup products onto the TASSIMO system has been very successful; this expansion of our partnership into at-home Roast and Ground coffee will enable Kraft to participate in the Premium segment in drip as well as single-serve coffee."
This expansion in the grocery channel reflects Second Cup's continuing reinvestment into the brand and is one of several major initiatives previously announced. In July, the Canadian café unveiled a new café design concept in downtown Toronto that centered on bringing coffee to the forefront. Elements of this new café design will start to be applied nationally this fall. Second Cup is also testing a Loyalty program in Western Canada.
About Second Cup:
Founded in 1975, Second Cup® is Canada's largest specialty coffee franchisor operating more than 350 cafés across the country. All 4,000 Second Cup® baristas are trained coffee experts who handcraft approximately 1,000,000 coffee and tea beverages every week, and are committed to ensuring "There's a little love in every cup.®" For more information, please visit www.secondcup.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter.
ABOUT KRAFT FOODS GROUP
Kraft Foods Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: KRFT) is one of North America's largest consumer packaged food and beverage companies, with annual revenues of more than $18 billion. With the spirit of a startup and the soul of a powerhouse, Kraft has an unrivaled portfolio of products in the beverages, cheese, refrigerated meals and grocery categories. Its iconic brands include Kraft, Maxwell House, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Planters, Velveeta, Capri Sun, JELL-O and Lunchables. Kraft's 23,000 employees in the U.S. and Canada have a passion for making the foods and beverages people love. Kraft is a member of the Standard & Poor's 500 and the NASDAQ-100 indices. For more information, visit www.kraft.com and www.facebook.com/kraft.
SOURCE: The Second Cup Ltd. 
For further information:
Jessica McGraw
jmcgraw@harbingerideas.com
416-960-5100 ext 277