Mokk-a's European Coffee Blends Win the 2011 Gourmet Product Award Competition

Online, November 17, 2011 (Newswire.com) - via Gourmet Wire -- Mokk-a European Coffee Blends has won the 2011 Gourmet Product Award in Coffee. The awards recognize products of outstanding quality that add to personal well-being and enjoyment. From more than 900 nominated products, single winners were chosen in 43 distinct categories.

Mokk-a officially launched in the US market in June 2009 in the 8 Central Market stores in Texas, and the following year in Whole Foods stores. Prior to the launch, Mokk-a was presented at a Central Market Leadership meeting as The Most Innovative New Product on the Market.

The award winning collection of original European coffee blends comes from small roasters whose expertise has been passed down through generations. Starting in Sweden and moving through Italy, France, Holland and Switzerland, Mokk-a works closely with our European roasters on both their treasured recipes and unique roasting techniques. Mokk-a now charms the shelves of specialty retail stores and the hearts of coffee aficionados in various parts of the United States.

"As the European roasters are far too small for commercial production, each of them provides the exact details of my preferred blend: what beans from what country, what region of the country, percentage of that bean for the recipe and of course roasting time, temperature and other special instructions. A recipe for a coffee blend is like a recipe for baking a cake. Most people don't realize that," Karen explained. This information is then passed on to Fresh Brew Group, a large commercial roaster in Houston, Texas. There the beans for each special recipe are sourced, roasted and packaged for distribution.

Mokk-a now has the interest of Lunds and Byerly's, Williams-Sonoma, World Market, Neiman Marcus, Strubbs and other noted retailers.

When Mokk-a was first launched, Karen gave a sample of Cafe Italia to a noted wine advisor and coffee aficionado in Rotterdam, Ian van Eck. Ian's comments: "I just tried your coffee this morning and I think it's a beautiful coffee. Good smell that makes you hungry for more. In the taste strong, elegant, filming, nice bitters with a long after taste. Not dominant."

"Italian coffees are sometimes difficult for me to enjoy, so when the small roaster near Naples agreed to work with me, I was thrilled!" Karen added. "Coffee is very personal."

The current package design was the collaboration of a friend, then Director of Stage and Production for Sony Music Studio in Manhattan, and a Dutch design team headquartered in Rotterdam near Mokk-a's headquarters. Working now with NBC Artworks Texas, Mokk-a has recently introduced a second design concept. Mokk-a Expressions is now found in the bulk department of all Central Market stores. Mokk-a Expressions is a visual interpretation of the essence that embodies each of our blends. Transcendent watercolor clouds magically spawn classic illustrations of simpler times and European motifs. Each composition evokes an air of happiness, energy and history.

In addition to the travel required for her European research, Karen travels to the US every three months for meetings and to promote her product. "I receive emails quite often from Mokk-a lovers. When my tasting schedule is posted, many make a special effort to stop by my table and say hello! It's really nice and I've made a lot of new friends," Karen said.

So from which country will Mokk-a's next creation come? Maybe we should take a vote? Spain, Greece, Turkey? Stay tuned on Mokk-a's website, www.mokk-a.com, and follow our blog Bold Roast for the latest news, new retail locations and new additions to the line coming in 2012!

Look for Mokk-a in January at the 2012 Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, Booth 2400. "Exhibiting in January 2011 was an enormous success, as was the summer show this year in Washington DC. The Fancy Food shows are like one-stop shopping. You meet all of your buyers, all in one place."

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