Sara Lee to Sell L'OR EspressO Capsules in the Netherlands

The launch in the Netherlands kicks off the international expansion for L'OR EspressO capsules, one of Sara Lee's most successful coffee innovations in recent years.

8 Dec 2010 --- Sara Lee Corp. announced it is launching under the Douwe Egberts brand in the Netherlands its innovative single-serve espresso coffee capsules that can be used in Nespresso coffee appliances.

Douwe Egberts L'OR EspressO capsules will be available for purchase as of Dec. 8 exclusively at Sara Lee's own Douwe Egberts stores - a network of premium outlets throughout the Netherlands that combine a retail store for coffee- and tea-related products and a cafe format with a rewards center for the company's popular loyalty program.

The launch in the Netherlands kicks off the international expansion for L'OR EspressO capsules, one of Sara Lee's most successful coffee innovations in recent years. Sara Lee introduced L'OR EspressO capsules in France last April and the product has been an instant success thanks to its top-quality Arabica coffee, its retail availability and its attractive pricing. In just eight months, Sara Lee has sold more than 90 million L'OR EspressO capsules and gained as a result a 3.5% share of the total French retail roast-and-ground coffee market.

"We have a top-quality product that is in high demand and we're delighted to bring it to our core Dutch market. We expect this to be just the first of many exciting announcements for consumers," said Frank van Oers, chief executive officer of Sara Lee's international beverage and bakery businesses. "L'OR EspressO capsules have exceeded our expectations so far and we remain very confident about their potential for success globally."

Douwe Egberts L'OR EspressO comes in four varieties: Delizioso, Decaffeinato, Splendente and Forza. All varieties are made with exclusively 100 percent Arabica coffee grown and harvested in a socially and environmentally sustainable way, following the UTZ CERTIFIED program. In the Netherlands, a pack of ten capsules of any of the four varieties will sell for a very competitive EUR3.09.

Thanks to L'OR EspressO capsules, high-quality coffee lovers are able to enjoy a choice of coffee brands for the first time since they purchased their Nespresso coffee appliance. L'OR EspressO capsules offer consumers delicious espresso coffee of the highest quality and that is produced responsibly.

Nespresso is a trademark owned by a third party not associated with Sara Lee.

Sara Lee is the world's leading buyer of UTZ CERTIFIED coffee and is committed to sourcing more than 40 million kilos of certified coffee in 2010: a 33 percent increase over 2009 levels. Sara Lee's International Beverage division operates in more than 40 countries around the world and generated $3 billion in net sales in the fiscal year ended in June 2010.