Tassimo to launch new brewer model

15/03/06 Following the successful launch of the Tassimo Premium Hot Beverage System last fall, Tassimo will introduce a new model in August 2006, which will be offered to select mass, grocery and club retailers. The new model, which will debut at the International Home and Housewares Show from March 12-14 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL, will be available at a suggested retail price of $129.99.

Tassimo is the only machine that allows consumers to prepare an assortment of hot beverages, including coffee, tea, espresso, crema, hot chocolate, latte and cappuccino. Unlike other single-serve brewers, Tassimo uses real milk to create the dense foam or steamed milk for cappuccinos and lattes eliminating the need for a complicated steam wand or frothing attachment.

Tassimo will also launch the Maxwell House Cafe Collection of T DISCS at select stores. The Maxwell House Cafe Collection features 100% Arabica custom blended coffees and beverages, which are roasted and ground exclusively for Tassimo. Varieties include House Blend Regular and Decaf, French Vanilla, Colombian and French Roast coffees, Cappuccino (Regular and Decaf) and Latte with real milk. Additional Tassimo varieties launching in August include Yuban Rainforest Alliance, Twinings Green Tea and Chamomile Orange Tea (online only). All Tassimo T DISCS, including Gevalia beverages, Twinings teas and Suchard hot chocolate, can be used in both the Tassimo and the Tassimo Premium Hot Beverage Systems.

The suggested retail price for the T DISCS ranges from approximately $3.99 - $9.99, depending upon the beverage type, package size and brand. Both machines and the T DISCS are also available for purchase online at Tassimo.com and popular e-retail sites.

The Tassimo system has two key components: the Tassimo brewing machine and proprietary Tassimo discs (T DISCS). Through Tassimo's smart technology, developed and designed by Kraft Foods, the machine's microprocessor reads the bar code printed on the T DISC label after it is inserted into the machine and automatically calculates the correct water quantity and temperature as well as brewing time to prepare the perfect beverage. All of the brewing happens inside the T DISC, which contains a precisely measured amount of coffee, tea, chocolate or real milk and is sealed to protect the flavor inside. Most beverages are ready in about a minute.

Providing quality and taste for discerning palates, as well as about-a- minute efficiency for time-conscious consumers, Tassimo's one-cup preparation ensures no messy leftovers or delays associated with outdated brewing systems or crowded coffee shops.

Both the Tassimo Premium brewer and the new model are made by Saeco International Group S.P.A., the largest independent manufacturer of espresso makers in the world. It adheres to the high quality standards of Braun who distributes and services the Tassimo brewers. Braun is a subsidiary of The Procter & Gamble Company and is a worldwide leader in innovative, high-quality small domestic appliances.

Kraft Foods is the world's second-largest food and beverage company. For more than 100 years, we've been dedicated to helping people around the world eat and live better. Hundreds of millions of times a day, in more than 155 countries, consumers reach for their favorite Kraft brands, including Kraft cheeses and dinners, Jacobs, Gevalia and Maxwell House coffees, Oscar Mayer meats, DiGiorno pizzas, Oreo cookies, Ritz and Wheat Thins crackers and chips, Philadelphia cream cheese, Milka and Cote d'Or chocolates, Honey Bunches of Oats cereals, Good Seasons salad dressings and Tang and Capri Sun refreshment beverages. They've also started adding our Tassimo Hot Beverage System, South Beach Diet line and a growing range of better-for-you Sensible Solution products to their shopping baskets, continually expanding their list of Kraft favorites.

Germany-based Braun GmbH, a subsidiary of The Procter & Gamble Company, manufactures a wide variety of products that combine innovation, reliability and creative design, ranging from electrical shavers to personal diagnostic appliances and from oral care products and beauty products to household appliances. Braun products enjoy worldwide distribution.

Saeco International Group is a company that designs, produces and markets coffee machines for household and professional use, automated vending machines for hot, cold beverages and snacks, and a range of "climate" and "steam" line products.

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