Press Release Courtesy of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc.
WATERBURY, VERMONT (September 17, 2009) - Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (NASDAQ: GMCR) has flipped the switch on its new solar array, sending solar energy collected from the roof of its Waterbury distribution center to power its facility.
Construction of the 100 kW photovoltaic array was completed in the summer. The 572 solar panels in the coffee company’s array contributes to Green Mountain Power’s goal of helping Vermonters install “10,000 panels in 1,000 days.” The installation of GMCR’s solar project puts Green Mountain Power at 25% toward this goal.
The solar array dovetails with GMCR’s Changing Climate Change program, an enterprise-wide effort focused on reducing and mitigating GMCR’s carbon footprint through operational incentives, grantmaking programs, carbon offsets and employee benefits. GMCR was the first company to offer group discounts on solar power systems for employees through groSolar’s Employee Green Benefits Program.
“This solar installation marks a new milestone in our commitment to responsible energy use, one of the primary priorities of our corporate social responsibility program,” said Paul Comey, Vice President of Environmental Affairs for GMCR. “In addition to generating clean electricity for use in our facility, the array also demonstrates the feasibility of solar panels as a viable solution for producing power in Vermont.”
The array at GMCR was the result of an innovative partnership initiated by groSolar that was made possible by financial assistance from the State of Vermont’s Clean Energy Development Fund and Green Mountain Power. For a live roof-top stream of information about the amount of energy being generated by the panels, go to http://grosolar.kiosk-view.com/gmcr.
About Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (NASDAQ: GMCR)
As a leader in the specialty coffee industry, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. is recognized for its award-winning coffees, innovative brewing technology, and socially responsible business practices. GMCR’s operations are managed through two business units. The Specialty Coffee business unit produces coffee, tea and hot cocoa from its family of brands, including Tully’s Coffee®, Green Mountain Coffee® and Newman’s Own® Organics coffee. The Keurig business unit is a pioneer and leading manufacturer of gourmet single-cup brewing systems. K-Cup® portion packs for Keurig® Single-Cup Brewers are produced by a variety of licensed roasters, including Green Mountain Coffee and Tully’s Coffee. GMCR supports local and global communities by offsetting 100% of its direct greenhouse gas emissions, investing in Fair Trade Certified™ coffee, and donating at least five percent of its pre-tax profits to social and environmental projects. Visit www.GreenMountainCoffee.com and www.Keurig.com for more information.
GMCR routinely posts information that may be of importance to investors in the Investor Services section of its web site, including news releases and its complete financial statements, as filed with the SEC. The Company encourages investors to consult this section of its web site regularly for important information and news. Additionally, by subscribing to the Company’s automatic email news release delivery, individuals can receive news directly from GMCR as it is released.
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