Press Releases for April 23, 2007

NEW OWNER, APPEARANCE ON FOOD NETWORK FOR CAFFE ARTIGIANO
(edited from the press release)

Caffè Artigiano is heading in new directions under new ownership. The local coffee chain was started in 2000 by brothers Vince, Sammy and Mike Piccolo. In October 2006, Caffè Artigiano’s founder, Vince Piccolo sold the popular café chain to Willie Mounzer, former VP of Operations at Earls Restaurants. Mounzer who spent 25 years with the Earls Company until last summer, first experienced Caffè Artigiano in 2003, and loved the concept and the warmth of the room, and when he tasted the coffee he knew this was something he wanted to be part of. The only changes Mounzer has made at Caffè Artigiano is to improve the quality and freshness of the delicious Italian panini and lineup of baked goods including cookies, cakes and muffins.

Vince Piccolo will retain ownership of the coffee roasting operation, which continues to supply all Artigiano cafes with high end artisan coffee. Barista Champion Sammy Piccolo is still at the helm of the barista training.

Caffè Artigiano’s Colter Jones won the 2006 Canadian Barista Championships, and is now on his way to the 2007 World Barista Championships, taking place in Tokyo, Japan in July 2007. Colter, the General Manager at Caffè Artigiano’s West Vancouver location, is also the winner of the 2006 Latte Art Competition at Seattle’s Annual Coffee Fest.

Caffè Artigiano’s Sammy Piccolo is featured on the new Canadian Food Network Series “Glutton for Punishment� starring Bob Blumer. Every half hour of “Glutton for Punishment� finds Bob facing a daunting food or spirits-related challenge. In the barista segment, Sammy Piccolo trains Blumer on the barista bar at Caffè Artigiano and prepares him to compete at the 2006 Canadian Barista Championships! The barista segment featuring Sammy Piccolo will air on the Food Network May 2, 2007 at 10:00pm and 1:00am.

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