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The Green
Restaurant Association Certifies The Coffee Bean & Tea
Leaf® U.S. Corporate-Owned
Stores "Green"
Other Topics:
Premium Coffee Roasts,
Specialty Coffee Association,
Coffee Excellence Award,
Environmental Coffee Cups,
Coffee Skills for
Professionals
Business Wire
May 9, 2007
Popular Retailer is the Largest Chain to Become
Certified Green Restaurants™
Los Angeles, CA -- The nation's restaurant industry
impacts 1/10th of the American economy and is the largest
consumer of electricity in the retail sector. Imagine what
the ecological impact would be if the entire nation's
935,000 restaurants were committed to being
environmentally conscious like The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®?
The potential to make an impact on our nation's ecological
stability would be tremendous and that's exactly what The
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®
is committed to accomplishing. Announced today by
executives of the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), The
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®
is the largest multi-unit nationally recognized chain in
the nation to become Certified Green Restaurants™
by the GRA.
"Not only will The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®
environmental accomplishments have a great impact, but the
fact that they are the first chain of their size to become
Certified Green Restaurants™
will demonstrate to the industry at large that becoming
environmentally sustainable is not only the right thing to
do, but that it makes business sense," said Michael Oshman,
Executive Director, Green Restaurant Association. "The
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®
has implemented 8 important environmental steps and will
implement 16 more over the next four years. There are
935,000 fast food, coffee houses and restaurants
nationwide. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®
should really be held up as an example as a forward
thinking company making a difference one location at a
time for the greater good of our environment."
As a Certified Green Restaurant™,
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®
has already committed to the following steps in all of its
200 domestic company-owned locations:
1. Recycling in all stores possible.
2. Installed Energy and Water Efficient Spray Valves.
3. Installed Low Mercury High Efficiency Lighting.
4. Implemented a reuse policy to cut down on paper cup
use.
Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Boston,
Massachusetts, the Green Restaurant Association helps
restaurants and other foodservice entities become
environmentally sustainable by implementing four steps per
year in eleven environmental categories, including energy,
water, food, and chemicals. Founded in 1963 in Los
Angeles, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®
is the oldest and largest privately-held chain of
specialty coffee stores in the United States and offers
the highest quality coffees and teas. The Coffee Bean &
Tea Leaf®
piloted "green" in 2003 at all their San Diego locations.
April 1, their 200 US locations will become Certified
Green Restaurants™.
"We are proud to be the biggest retail chain in the
country to implement 'green' on a large-scale in our
stores," said Tami Clark, vice president of marketing &
strategic alliances for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®.
"Our hope is that others will become inspired and follow
suit to help our environment."
About The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®:
Founded in 1963, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®
is the oldest and largest privately-held chain of
specialty coffee and tea stores in the United States. With
a reputation for excellence, the company is a leader in
product innovations, having developed the original Ice
Blended®
beverage. Providing the highest quality coffees and teas
for forty-four years, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®
currently has more than 500 stores, 275 of which are
company owned and 245 are franchised. These stores blanket
the world in markets such as California, Arizona, Nevada,
Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Brunei, Indonesia, UAE,
Israel, Australia, China, Kuwait, Egypt, Qatar, and the
Philippines and continue to expand both domestically and
internationally. For address, store information and hours,
visit www.coffeebean.com.
About The Green Restaurant Association:
The Green Restaurant Association (GRA), a national
non-profit organization, provides services in research,
consulting, education, marketing and community organizing.
The GRA utilizes a collaborative strategy that involves
restaurants, manufacturers, vendors, grassroots
organizations, government, media, and restaurant
customers. The GRA's model provides a convenient way for
all sectors of the restaurant industry, which represents
10% of the U.S. economy, to become more environmentally
sustainable. For more information visit www.dinegreen.com. |
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