Boyd Coffee Company to sponsor California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation tenth annual California ProStart Cup

(SACRAMENTO, February 2, 2012) – Boyd Coffee Company, a family owned and operated purveyor of fine hot and iced teas, cappuccinos, frozen beverages and a wide variety of innovative beverage equipment nationwide, will return as the title sponsor for the 2012 California ProStart Culinary Cup, the California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (CRAEF) announced today. The competition will be held at the Sacramento Convention Center on March 25 and 26.

“We are excited to continue our support of California’s culinary students and provide them with a stage to showcase their skills and determination at the ProStart competition,” said Katy Boyd Dutt, director of marketing at Boyd Coffee Company. “It’s so important to celebrate these budding talents as they embark on finding their life’s pursuits in the foodservice and hospitality industry.”

The $10,000 gift from Boyds will be used to host the annual culinary event, which includes high school teams from across the state in a competition of kitchen skills, with the main event involving just 60 minutes to prepare an entire three-course meal using two butane burners.

“We are so grateful to have the continued support of Boyd Coffee Company for the 2012 ProStart Cup,” CRAEF Executive Director Alycia Harshfield. “It’s our tenth anniversary and their continued support over the years has made Boyds synonymous with generosity and inspiration for all involved. It just wouldn’t be the Culinary Cup without Boyds serving delicious coffee and hot chocolate while fueling our judges and competitors throughout the Cup.

The winning team will be sponsored to compete in the 2012 National ProStart Invitational in Baltimore, Maryland April 28 and 29. First-, second- and third-place teams also will qualify for scholarships to various culinary and hospitality post-secondary programs.

About the California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation: CRAEF has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships and grants since its inception in 1981. CRAEF works to enhance education and training programs within the hospitality industry. ProStart is a two-year program designed to prepare high school juniors and seniors for exciting careers in foodservice.

About Boyd Coffee Company:

Established in 1900 in Portland, Ore., and continuously led by the Boyd family, Boyd Coffee Company has always taken great coffee personally. We search the world for the freshest, finest beans, and invest our century of experience into roasting and blending the kind of coffee that stands out as exceptional. Boyds® is the Pacific Northwest’s longest-operating coffee roaster and North America’s first certified organic roaster. Boyds also offers fine hot and iced teas, cappuccinos, frozen beverages and a wide variety of innovative beverage equipment.