Tully's Coffee Announces Asian Alliance With Ueshima Coffee Company, Ltd

Business Wire, April 18, 2001

Business Editors, Food Writers

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 18, 2001

Tully's Coffee Corporation announces their execution of a licensing agreement with Ueshima Coffee Company (UCC), one of Asia's largest coffee purveyors.

The agreement between the two coffee companies provides for the licensing of the Tully's brand to UCC for use throughout Asia.

A key component of UCC's long-term expansion strategy was to license the rights to use an established premium coffee brand. As part of the agreement, UCC will pay Tully's an up-front cash payment for licensing the rights to the Tully's brand. UCC expects to convert many of their 245 existing coffee locations into Tully's branded locations. The Tully's / UCC license agreement excludes Japan where Tully's already has a strong presence with its joint venture partner, Tully's Coffee Japan.

Jamie Colbourne, President and CEO said, "UCC is an incredibly strong organization that will expedite Tully's international expansion plans and is another step in our goal of establishing Tully's Coffee as a worldwide brand."

Founded in 1933, Ueshima Coffee Co., LTD, generates $1.5 billion in net sales annually. UCC's corporate headquarters is located in Kobe, Japan.

Founded in 1992, Tully's Coffee Corporation is the third largest company-owned specialty coffee retailer in the nation. Tully's Coffee currently has 150 locations in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Sweden and the Pacific Rim. Tully's corporate headquarters and roasting plant are located in the former Rainier Brewery facility and Seattle landmark at 3100 Airport Way South, in Seattle, Wash., USA. For more information, call (800) 96-TULLY or visit Tully's Web site at www.tullys.com.