Green Mountain, Unilver Announce Deal to Offer Lipton in Keurig Brewers

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (GMCR)

, a leader in specialty coffee and coffee makers, and Unilever North America announce the companies have reached an agreement to offer Lipton® hot and iced teas in K-Cup® and Vue® packs for Keurig® single cup brewing systems. The new Lipton® K-Cup® and Vue® packs will be filled with Lipton's finest teas to create a delicious hot and iced tea experience with the ease and convenience of a Keurig® brewer. Lipton® K-Cup® and Vue® packs will be offered in a variety of channels in the United States and Canada beginning in summer 2013. The new teas will join GMCR's family of beverage brands available in the Keurig® brewing system, and Lipton® iced teas will become part of the Company's Brew Over Ice collection, a line specially crafted to brew refreshing iced beverages with any Keurig® brewing system. “We're happy to welcome Lipton – one of the world's great refreshment brands - to our family of Keurig Brewed® beverages,” says Brian P. Kelley, GMCR President and CEO. “It's natural to think of Keurig® as being synonymous with coffee, and now consumers are also turning to their Keurig® brewing systems for the freshest tasting hot and iced tea, prepared simply and quickly at home and in the office. Our strategy to partner with world-class beverage brands like Lipton® further broadens the consumer choice in the Keurig® system and helps us meet a wide range of consumer taste and beverage preferences.” “Making Lipton® hot and iced teas available in the Keurig® system is an innovative, new way for us to offer Lipton® lovers a delicious, uplifting, and pleasurable tea drinking experience, and bring new fans to the Lipton® brand,” says Alessandra Bellini, Unilever's Vice President Brand Development, Refreshment North America. “We are working closely with GMCR to develop Lipton® K-Cup® and Vue® packs that are true to Lipton's promise of being one of the world's greatest refreshment brands.” GMCR's Keurig® single cup brewers for in home and office use utilize innovative brewing and single-cup technology to deliver a fresh-brewed, perfect cup of hot or brewed over ice coffee, tea, cocoa, or fruit brews every time at just the touch of a button. According to the NPD Group, Keurig® single cup brewers were the top four bestselling coffee makers and had five total in the top 10, including Vue®, during GMCR's fiscal first quarter 2013 by dollar sales.