Wake Up and Smell the Branding: Green Mountain to Change Name to Keurig Finally

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. will ask its shareholders to approve a name change to Keurig Green Mountain Inc. at its annual meeting on March 6 in Burlington. CEO Brian Kelley said Friday he expects shareholders to approve the name change.

“We have been thinking about the name change for a while,” Kelley said. “So much of our business is driven by the Keurig single-cup system. It really is a reflection of who we are as a company.”

Kelley said consumers won’t notice any difference as a result of the name change. Green Mountain Coffee will remain the brand name for the company’s roasted coffee. The Waterbury company has grown to annual sales in excess of $4 billion largely on the success of its K-Cup brewing system, invented by Keurig, which brews coffee quickly in single-serving portions.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters initially took a small stake in Keurig, based in Boston, but seven years ago bought the remaining shares of the company.

“As we have effectively and successfully brought the two companies together, we decided it was time to reflect that in the name of the company,” Kelley said. “The new name emphasizes the fact that the Keurig beverage system has taken America by storm and the Green Mountain brand of coffee is the most powerful brand in that system.”

Green Mountain Coffee stock closed at $80.76 Friday, up 7 cents.

Original article can be found at: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20140110/BUSINESS/301100044/Green-Mountain-Coffee-plans-name-change?nclick_check=1