SEATTLE, June 12, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Seattle's Best Coffee(r) (SBC) customers can now earn frequent flyer miles with Alaska Airlines each time they shop online at www.seattlesbest.com. The new partnership with Alaska Airlines awards Mileage Plan members with triple miles for every dollar spent at SBC's online store (excluding tax and shipping). SBC(r) is also the exclusive coffee served on all Alaska Airlines flights.
"This extension of our great partnership with Alaska Airlines will allow us to reward our SBC customers who enjoy the convenience of online shopping," said Marty Wehr, chief foodservice officer for Seattle Coffee Company, parent company of SBC. "Triple miles for every dollar spent can really add up for our customers who enjoy buying their coffee and gifts through our online store."
SBC's online store features SBC's signature ground and whole bean varietals and blends, a complete line of organic coffees, specialty gifts, coffee accessories, brewing equipment, and SBC coffee club cards. The online site frequently features clearance products, sale items, and web deals as well. Complete details of the Mileage Plan partnership are available online at www.seattlesbest.com and www.alaskair.com.
About Alaska Airlines
Seattle-based Alaska Airlines is the nation's ninth largest carrier serving more than 50 cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. For reservations or more information, visit Alaska Airlines on the Internet at alaskaair.com.
About Seattle Coffee Company
Founded in 1970, Seattle Coffee Company, a subsidiary of AFC Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq:AFCEE), franchises and operates 234 Seattle's Best Coffee (www.seattlesbest.com) and 21 Torrefazione Italia(r) Coffee (www.titalia.com) cafes in nine countries as of May 18, 2003. The company has more than 12,000 wholesale points of distribution, including grocery stores, restaurants, foodservice locations, airlines and hotels.
The company supports TransFair USA, a non-profit monitoring agency, by offering Fair Trade Certified(tm) coffee. Seattle's Best Coffee also offers organic coffee certified by the Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA(r)). The OCIA is an international program of certification to strict organic standards. It is the world's largest organic certification agency and has been accredited by the USDA. OCIA is a respected voice in the international organic community.
About AFC Enterprises
AFC Enterprises, Inc. is the franchisor and operator of 4,131 restaurants, bakeries and cafes as of May 18, 2003 in the United States, Puerto Rico and 32 foreign countries under the brand names Popeyes(r) Chicken & Biscuits, Church's Chicken(tm), Cinnabon(r), Seattle's Best Coffee(r) and Torrefazione Italia(r) Coffee. AFC's primary objective is to be the world's Franchisor of Choice(r) by offering investment opportunities in highly recognizable brands and exceptional franchisee support systems and services. AFC Enterprises had system-wide sales of approximately $2.7 billion in 2002 and can be found on the World Wide Web at www.afce.com.
-- Fair Trade Certified(tm) is a pending trademark of TransFair USA
-- OCIA(r) is a registered trademark of the Organic Crop Improvement
Association.