01.15.11David Rio & Barista Nation San Francisco Event Success
David Rio had the pleasure of hosting the Barista Nation San Francisco Event on 1/14, and sharing the upcoming David Rio flagship store space (scheduled for opening its doors in Fall 2012) with the Bay Area specialty coffee community! Barista Nation SF was also sponsored by our friends and distribution partner, Equator Coffee, along with Mr Espresso, Fair Trade USA, Wilbur Curtis, Torani, and the main sponsor, UNIC Espresso Machines. Over 125 baristas and café owners signed up for the event, making it the largest attended Barista Nation events ever! Check out pictures of the event on our Flickr page.
01.01.12David Rio Hosts Barista Nation San Francisco Event (01/14)
It's a New Year, and we proclaim 2012 as the Year of the Barista! As Host Sponsor for the Barista Nation San Francisco Event on January 14th, David Rio is calling all baristas the day before the Winter Fancy Food Show. With a theme of "Café Architecture", creative designs and redesigns of cafés will be presented by locally and nationally recognized architects and café designers. The day will begin with discovery and education sessions on Barista Business Tools, Café Design, and Menu Design, followed by the Barista Throwdown, where top Bay Area baristas will compete. The event wraps up with a Winter Fancy Food Show kick-off reception, so come join us! To register for Barista Nation or get more information email baristanation@gmail.com today!
12.15.11David Rio's "Chai Beat From the Street" YouTube Series
Want to know where to find a David Rio chocolate latte or see beautiful chai latte art in San Francisco? If you live in or are visiting the Bay Area, check out our new YouTube series of videos, David Rio’s “Chai Beat from the Street”. We post a new video each month, so you can subscribe to the David Rio YouTube Channel and stay on the Chai Beat. If you’d like to recommend your favorite or your own Bay Area café, email us today!
12.01.11David Rio Annual Chai Bake-Off
Every year, the David Rio team comes together in the spirit of the holidays to bake banana chai bread for our wonderful customers around the world. This season, as we commemorate the release of our NEW Power Chai®, we wish to share with you the recipe for our delicious Power Chai® Banana Bread with Walnuts. Whether you choose to enjoy it with friends and family, or by yourself with a cup of hot chai, we hope you enjoy it as much as we do! To see how much fun we had baking, check out the pictures on our Flickr page.
11.15.11David Rio visits a family of Giraffes at Oakland Zoo
Just a few weeks ago, our staff was invited by Amy Phelps, founding Board Member and Outreach Director for the International Association of Giraffe Care Professionals and also Lead Giraffe Keeper at the Oakland Zoo, to visit with the Giraffes. In their current collection, there are a total of eight reticulated Giraffes, including four females (one of the females is a Great Grandmother) and four males. Amy and her staff were kind enough to show us how to feed these amazing mammals one of their many meals of the day. While feeding them bananas, bread and carrots, we were able to take lots of pictures that you can check out on our Flickr page. We had a blast, and we encourage you to visit the Oakland Zoo or the zoo near you, and help the lives of endangered animals. Click here for more information about the Giraffes at the Oakland Zoo.
11.01.11David Rio Sponsors Barista Nation Culinary Event in Woodinville, WA (11/10)
David Rio is proud to be a Sponsor for the upcoming Barista Nation Seattle Event, to be held in Woodinville, WA on November 10, 2011. Barista Nation is a free, traveling training program, with the goal of bringing world class barista training to as many markets as possible. As the last Barista Nation event of the year, this event will be focused on the growth and refinement of barista culture and will explore the infusion and pairings of coffee, food, and wine and how these can work together to enhance the profitability and uniqueness of a business. We are also excited to announce that, in January, David Rio will be the welcoming-city ambassador for Barista Nation San Francisco, which will kick off the festivities of the 2012 Winter Fancy Food Show. Check back with us for more training class information as we get closer to the date!
10.15.11David Rio Sponsors Barista Guild’s 2nd Annual Camp Pull-A-Shot
in Santa Barbara, CA (10/24-10/28)
Baristas from across the country will come together, once again, for this year’s Camp Pull-A-Shot , hosted by the Barista Guild of America at El Capitan Canyon resort, located on the beautiful Pacific coast of Santa Barbara, CA. As a product sponsor, David Rio is pleased to support the training and certification of America’s up and coming baristas as well as the barista veterans at this annual event. Whether baristas are attending to enhance their skills and/or become certified by the Barista Guild of America, Camp Pull-A-Shot , is THE place to be, to network, build relationships and just have a latte good time!
10.01.11David Rio visits Anuga Trade Fair in Cologne, Germany (10/8 - 10/12)
Cheers to Oktoberfest! David Rio is very excited to be partnering with its European Distributor, IFBI, at this year’s Anuga Trade Fair in Cologne, Germany. Visit Hall 2.2, Corridor B, Booth 41/49 to taste a sample of David Rio’s Tiger Spice Chai® and also meet David Rio’s founder, Rio Miura. As the world’s largest food & beverage tradeshow, Anuga is only produced every two years, bringing together industry innovators, with 10 specialized shows and 6,500 suppliers from over 100 countries under one roof. If you happen to be in Cologne, Germany, please stop by for a sample of David Rio chai! Danke schön!
09.15.11David Rio exhibits at Coffee Fest Seattle (9/23 – 9/25)
David Rio is thrilled to be exhibiting at the annual Coffee Fest Seattle Booth #304, from Friday, September 23rd to Sunday, September 25th, at the Washington State Convention Center, right in the heart of downtown Seattle (800 Convention Place, WA 98101). David Rio will be serving hot samples of its signature Tiger Spice Chai® as well as hot samples of its newly branded Organic Power Chai® with Japanese Matcha (Green Tea). And, to inaugurate this year’s holiday season, David Rio is excited to introduce its new David Rio Premium Chai 6-Packet Gift Set. Last but not least, David Rio’s National Sales Manager and resident coffee extraction expert, Brian Cornelsen, will be co-facilitating the Single Cup Brewing and Extraction Workshop on Friday, 9/23. Make sure to check it out!
09.01.11IFAW’s Continuing Work to Protect Wild Tigers Around the Globe
Our corporate partner, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), has continued its work of “saving endangered tigers” around the globe. This year, in partnership with the Chinese government, IFAW launched a new public awareness campaign warning travelers about laws protecting wild tigers and other endangered wildlife. In July, as part of its ongoing priority work to build anti-poaching capacity in tiger range countries, IFAW’s experts conducted a week-long training for wildlife rangers and enforcement officers in Bhutan. Additionally, for the sixth straight year, IFAW rewarded two of Russia’s best wildlife officers whose work has made a significant contribution to the preservation of Siberian tigers, with a trip to visit their counterparts in India. Because you enjoy
Tiger Spice Chai®, we have been able to help support these continuing efforts at IFAW to promote education on the endangered tiger population, and spread the awareness worldwide, one cup of chai at a time. Thank you!
08.15.11David Rio’s NEW Premium Chai 6-Packet Gift Set
We are very excited to introduce our NEW David Rio Premium Chai 6-Packet Gift Set.
As the hot summer days come to an end, and we approach the chilly season, this gift set is a great way to celebrate and share your favorite cup of chai with friends and family. The David Rio collection of six single serve packets offers three of our popular chai varieties (Tiger Spice®, Orca Spice™, and Flamingo Vanilla™ Decaf), wrapped in a beautiful gift box with ribbon. Available nationwide on September 1, 2011. Please call us at
415-543-2733 or email us to pre-order yours today!
08.01.11David Rio Team at New Leaf Market in Half Moon Bay
On Saturday, July 23rd, David Rio’s superstar demo team, Claudia Blondin and Gladys Ramirez, headed just a few miles south of San Francisco to New Leaf Market in Half Moon Bay to participate in the Summer Tasting Fair. It was a bit chilly near the coast that day, and people were definitely happy that we were handing out samples of our hot Tiger Spice Chai®. As shoppers passed by our table, they were also serenaded by the live band that was playing right in front of the store. After sampling out nearly 400 cups of chai, we practically sold New Leaf out of David Rio Chai, although it is rumored that there are still a few cans of Tiger Spice® on the shelf! Way to go Claudia & Gladys! For more information on New Leaf Community Markets please visit their website.
07.15.11David Rio is opening an office on San Francisco’s famous Market Street!
After residing in the Soma (South of Market) district of San Francisco for over 8 years, David Rio is pleased to announce that our main operations office has moved to the heart of the city, right on Market Street at the intersection of Valencia and Market. The office is surrounded by energy and classic San Francisco culture, with Hayes Valley to the north, The Valencia corridor to the south, The Castro to the west, and the new Market Street development district to the east. We are keeping the Soma location, so please stay tuned as the Soma space turns into something special in 2012. For those who enjoy stopping by our office to pick up their favorite chai, please call us at 415-543-2733 or email us, so we can let you know where to stop by. See you soon!
07.01.11David Rio at the Summer Fancy Food Show (7/10–7/12)
Summer has arrived and David Rio is thrilled to be exhibiting at the NASFT Summer Fancy Food Show at booth #5623, from Sunday, July 10th to Tuesday, July 12th. This year’s Summer Fancy Food Show is taking place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, in our nation’s capital. At the show, David Rio will be preparing samples of its signature Tiger Spice Chai® and its newly branded Organic Power Chai® with imported Japanese Matcha (Green Tea). In an effort to showcase the versatility of its chai line, David Rio will be serving samples of hot chai latte as well as refreshing iced chai; perfect for summer weather. Additionally, David Rio is excited to be introducing its new David Rio Premium Chai Gift Set at the show. We look forward to meeting you!
06.15.11David Rio's New South Korea Importer: Sami Corporation
David Rio is happy to announce its new international importer, Sami Corporation, located in Seoul, South Korea. After meeting them at the Seoul Foods Show in Seoul earlier this year, they have chosen the Tiger Spice Chai®, Orca Spice, Flamingo Vanilla and Toucan Mango to add to their product line up. Established in 1990, Sami Corporation operates as a manufacturer and an importer, serving customers’ beverage and equipment needs. We are pleased to partner with Sami, whose dedication to offering a wide variety of the world's fine foods and beverages are well aligned with our values. If you are interested in serving David Rio products in South Korea, please contact Sami Corporation and tell Mr. Y. G. Kim we sent you!.
05.15.11David Rio IFAW Partnership Update
Since January, IFAW's tiger campaign has focused on putting boots on the ground to protect the last few thousand wild tigers. Bhutan's government, where about 80 wild tigers survive, has requested IFAW's urgent assistance with training and equipping forest rangers to secure their tiger population from poaching. In India, Van Vihar National Park, is set to receive its 10th Royal Bengal Tiger, which was rescued at IFAW's wildlife rescue center in Assam, India. We are pleased to support IFAW with a percentage of our profits from the sale of our signature Tiger Spice Chai® and we encourage you to support IFAW and other animal welfare organizations, one cup of chai at a time.
05.01.11David Rio exhibits at Caffè Culture, London (05/18 & 05/19)
On the heels of the Royal Wedding, David Rio will be in London, exhibiting at the Caffè Culture Show for the second year in a row on May 18 & 19, 2011. We will be serving our signature Tiger Spice Chai® as a hot chai latte and also our Tortoise Green Tea chai, ice blended. Caffè Culture is the premier event for the specialty coffee industry in the UK. If you happen to be near the Olympia Exhibition Centre, please visit us at booth #H14 for a spot of hot or ice blended chai tea!
04.15.11David Rio exhibits at the 23rd Annual SCAA Expo(04/28 - 05/01)
Once again, David Rio will exhibit at the Specialty Coffee Association of America Expo, held this year in Houston, Texas. SCAA is the trade leader whose members can rightfully be credited for much of the growth and success the specialty coffee industry has experienced over the past twenty-five years. The SCAA Expo is one of our favorite annual events, as we are able to meet many of our loyal customers. If you are around the Space City during this time, please visit our booth at #1234 and try a sample of our award winning signature Tiger Spice Chai® as well as our newly branded Organic Power Chai®. We hope to see you there!
04.01.11David Rio exhibits at Seoul Food & Hotel Trade Show in South Korea (04/26-04/29)
David Rio will be exhibiting for the first time in South Korea at the Seoul Food & Hotel Show, an international exhibition for the food, beverage, hotel, restaurant, foodservice, bakery and supermarket channels. The show offers excellent promotional and marketing opportunities for David Rio, where we look forward to meeting our future partners in Korea. If you will be in Seoul, please stop by our booth #5A08 in the US Pavilion to learn about David Rio Chai, and try a sample cup of our signature Tiger Spice Chai® hot chai latte!
03.15.11Tiger Spice Chai® Cupcake Surprise in Dubai
Exhibiting at the Gulfood show in Dubai again this year brought a cupcake surprise!
The business owner/chef of Sugar Daddy’s Bakery in Dubai visited our booth and tried the Tiger Spice Chai®. On the last day of the show, they gifted us with delicious cupcakes, topped with Tiger Spice Chai® frosting - A wonderful treat and an amazing surprise! Thank you, Sugar Daddy’s Bakery! Check out more photos from Dubai on our Flikr page.
03.01.11David Rio exhibits at the International Home & Housewares Show in Chicago (03/06 - 03/08)
The IHHS is an annual, world-class trade show, and David Rio will be a first time exhibitor at this exciting show in Chicago, IL. Since 1938, the International Housewares Association (IHA) has been the world’s home authority and is strategically positioned to connect, inform, support and enable its international membership to lead in the global marketplace. If you are in the Chicago area, please stop by and visit our booth #S2370 where we will sample our signature Tiger Spice Chai® as a hot chai latte, and feature our two new Chai Variety 4 Packs.
02.15.11David Rio exhibits at the Gulfood show in Dubai
(02/27 – 03/02)
Gulfood is identified as one of the most important food, drink, and hospitality trade shows in the Middle East and worldwide, and, for the second consecutive year, David Rio will be exhibiting at this exciting show held in Dubai. Gulfood hosts more than 150 countries from around the world, and we will be featuring our signature Tiger Spice Chai® for sampling while teaming up with our Saudia Arabia importer, Quraish Trading. If you happen to be in the UAE, please stop by and visit us at our booth in Hall: 2 Stand: A2-51.
02.01.11David Rio partners with IFAW
We are proud to announce a new partnership with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the world's leading international animal welfare organization whose animal advocacy work spans more than four decades. Commencing in 2011, David Rio will donate a percentage of the profits from our signature Tiger Spice Chai® sales to benefit IFAW campaigns to protect tigers in the wild. These programs raise awareness about endangered tigers and the threats to their survival, and promote the reduction of consumer demand for tiger parts and products. Read more about IFAW and David Rio here.