Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. Partners with Costco to Create Kirkland Signature K-Cup Packs for Keurig Single Cup Brewers

WATERBURY, Vt.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (GMCR) GMCR, a leader in specialty coffee and coffee makers, announced it is the exclusive manufacturer of Costco Kirkland Signature™ brand K-Cup^® packs for the Keurig^® single cup brewing system. The new offerings bring together the broad consumer appeal and value of Costco's premium store brand with the high quality and convenience of the Keurig^® single cup brewing system and its best-in-class Keurig Brewed^® coffee and beverage brands.

GMCR has developed two blends exclusively for Costco with 100% Arabica coffees: Breakfast Blend, a smooth, balanced light roast; and Pacific Bold, a robust, extra bold dark roast. The varieties, packaged in 100-count boxes, will be available beginning in mid-November in Costco warehouses where K-Cup^® packs are currently sold, as well as on Costco.com.

“We believe Kirkland Signature K-Cup^® packs provide an incremental opportunity that complements our broad portfolio of coffee and beverage brands and creates more options for value-oriented consumers,” said T.J. Whalen, VP of Marketing and Sales, GMCR's Specialty Coffee business unit. “This collaboration aligns with our strategy to partner with strong brands that help us expand the adoption of the Keurig^® system to a broader consumer base. We are pleased to have the Kirkland Signature brand join our system and benefit from our leadership in single cup, our brewer and beverage brand strength, and our manufacturing expertise.”

Kirkland Signature K-Cup^® packs join an expanding selection of GMCR brands in K-Cup^® packs in Costco, including Green Mountain Coffee^®, Tully's Coffee^®, Newman's Own^® Organics, Donut House^®, and Caribou Coffee^®. Costco has also recently brought on specialty beverages such as the Café Escapes^® line of dairy-based indulgent drinks, Celestial Seasonings^® Perfect Iced Teas, and Green Mountain Naturals^® Hot Apple Cider.

Kirkland Signature K-Cup^® packs will feature the Keurig Brewed^® seal, which is displayed on all authorized product packaging as the mark and promise of genuine Keurig^® quality. Keurig Brewed^® is a guarantee to the consumer that the item endorsed will work effectively with Keurig^® single cup brewers and is the “genuine article,” endorsed, tested and subjected to Keurig's high standards for taste, quality, and safety. The Keurig Brewed^® seal, combined with the K-Cup^® and Vue^® pack trademarks, designate only those single cup beverage packs that are made exclusively by, or under license from, GMCR.

About Costco Wholesale

Costco ended its 2012 fiscal year on September 2 with 608 warehouses in operation, including 439 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 82 in Canada, 32 in Mexico, 22 in the United Kingdom, 13 in Japan, nine in Taiwan, eight in Korea, and three in Australia. The Company plans to open up to 14 new warehouses before the end of calendar year 2012. The Company also operates Costco Online, an electronic commerce website, at www.costco.com and at www.costco.ca in Canada.

About Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. GMCR

As a leader in specialty coffee and coffee makers, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. GMCR is recognized for its award-winning coffees, innovative brewing technology, and socially responsible business practices. GMCR supports local and global communities by offsetting 100 percent of its direct greenhouse gas emissions, investing in sustainably-grown coffee, and allocating a portion of its pre-tax profits to socially and environmentally responsible initiatives. For more information, please visit www.GMCR.com, www.GreenMountainCoffee.com, or www.Keurig.com.

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Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information contained in this release, including statements concerning expected performance such as those relating to net sales, earnings, cost savings, acquisitions and brand marketing support, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Generally, these statements may be identified by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “would,” “expect,” “should,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “forecast,” “intend,” “plan” and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements may relate to: the expected impact of raw material costs and our pricing actions on our results of operations and gross margins, expected trends in net sales and earnings performance and other financial measures, the expected productivity and working capital improvements, the ability to maximize or successfully assert our intellectual property rights, the success of introducing and producing new product offerings, ability to attract and retain senior management, the impact of foreign exchange fluctuations, the adequacy of internally generated funds and existing sources of liquidity, such as the availability of bank financing, the expected results of operations of businesses acquired by us, our ability to issue debt or additional equity securities, our expectations regarding purchasing shares of our common stock under the existing authorizations, and the impact of the inquiry initiated by the SEC and any related litigation or additional governmental inquiry or enforcement proceedings.

These and other forward-looking statements are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect expected results. Results may be materially affected by external factors such as damage to our reputation or brand name, business interruptions due to natural disasters or similar unexpected events, actions of competitors, customer relationships and financial condition, the ability to achieve expected cost savings and margin improvements, the successful acquisition and integration of new businesses, fluctuations in the cost and availability of raw and packaging materials, changes in regulatory requirements, and global economic conditions generally which would include the availability of financing, interest, inflation rates and investment return on retirement plan assets, as well as foreign currency fluctuations, risks associated with our information technology systems, the threat of data breaches or cyber-attacks, and other risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly, any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

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