Seattle's Best Coffee Opens Seven Kiosks and Cafes In Dallas/Fort Worth Airport (6/00)

Specialty coffee retailer, Seattle's Best Coffee (SBC), an AFC Enterprises company, announced that the company is opening seven kiosks and cafes in the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. Three cafes opened early summer, with four additional units slated to open within 30 days. The Dallas/Fort Worth cafes are part of the nearly 70 cafes SBC plans to build worldwide this year, including two cafes opened early spring in the Pittsburgh International Airport.

Star Concessions, Dallas, is the Franchise partner in this SBC cafe debut. Gilbert Aranza, founder and president of Star Concessions, is a longtime franchisee of leading foodservice concepts. When Star Concessions made the decision to open specialty coffee cafes in the airport, it had the opportunity to select from a wide array of specialty coffee companies. "We were looking for a great brand," said Aranza. "The quality of Seattle's Best Coffee is primarily what sold us on the concept. SBC's service, training and support, however, were critical in our decision as we look to move Star Concessions forward."

As part of AFC Enterprises' Franchisor of Choice® strategy, SBC will focus its domestic Franchising on kiosks and cafes in airports, travel centers, business offices, foodservice, convention centers, colleges and university campuses, hotels and casinos in strategically selected markets throughout the U.S. The Dallas/Fort Worth Airport cafes are part of SBC's conversion strategy to offer coffee chains the opportunity to convert to the SBC global brand. The Dallas/Fort Worth Airport cafes, located in Terminals A, B, C and E, are converting from an existing coffee concept. SBC has eight kiosks and cafes in the Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport, Pittsburgh International, and Seattle/Tacoma Airports, with two additional cafes planned for Hartsfield and another cafe in the Orlando airport scheduled to open the second half of 2000.

The kiosks and cafes will offer a variety of freshly prepared coffee drinks, featuring SBC's famous Coffeehouse Blends, known for the bold, rich flavor of gourmet coffee that always provides a smooth, easy finish. Espresso, cappuccino and lattes, plus other specialty coffee drinks including Frios, Javanilla shakes, Jet Tea, teas and juices are on the menu with fresh pastries and desserts. Whole bean coffee will also be sold.

A leading specialty coffee company, SBC only recently began franchising outside of North America, and has already signed commitments to build 270 strategically located SBC cafes in Japan, Korea, the Philippines and the Middle East, with six international cafes currently open.

Founded in 1969 and based in Seattle, Washington, Seattle Coffee Company (SCC) is one of the oldest specialty coffee businesses, and markets two distinctively different coffee brands, Seattle's Best Coffee and Torrefazione Italia. SCC has more than 7,500 wholesale customers including restaurants, food services and airlines. By summer there will be 90 SBC company-owned and franchised cafes in the U.S. SCC's revenues reached the $75 million mark in 1999. Visit SBC on the Internet at www.seabest.com .

SCC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based AFC Enterprises, one of the world's largest operators and franchisors of restaurants, bakeries and cafes with almost 3,400 restaurants in 27 countries. AFC is the parent company of Churchs Chicken, Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits, Cinnabon International and Ultrafryer Systems.