Department of Parks
Bluegrass Blend Coffee Now Available At State Parks

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Visitors to Kentucky State Parks can now take home that coffee they’ve been drinking in the parks.

The state park system’s special blend of gourmet coffee – called Bluegrass Blend – was introduced last year by john conti Coffee Co. of Louisville. State park visitors will be able to purchase Bluegrass Blend, packaged with a scenic view of Kentucky on the front. The package carries the Unbridled Spirit logo along with information about Kentucky State Parks on the back.

“This is another way we want to better serve our guests and get the word out about Kentucky State Parks,” said Commerce Secretary George Ward. “Bluegrass Blend will be a way for our visitors to take something home with them to remember a good experience they had at a state park.”

The Arabican blend coffee will be available to visitors in their lodge rooms and cabins and will be sold at state park gift shops and dining halls. This is the first time Bluegrass Blend has been packaged to sell to park visitors.

The coffee carries the “Kentucky Proud” label, the Department of Agriculture’s program to promote Kentucky products.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to be producing a product emblazoned with Unbridled Spirit and the Kentucky Proud,” said Larry Hollingsworth, president and CEO of john conti Coffee. “It’s a realization of a vision we had a year ago of being able to work with the state.”

Bluegrass Blend will be available in regular and decaf. A 1 ½ ounce size pack will sell for 99 cents and a 10 ounce package will sell for $5.49.

john conti Coffee Co. currently serves more than 5,000 office, restaurant and institutional customers through its extensive route network throughout Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Tennessee and West Virginia. The company is the leading importer and roaster of high quality gourmet coffees for offices, restaurants, supermarkets and specialty stores.

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The Kentucky State Park System is composed of 52 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. The Department of Parks, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, operates 17 resort parks with lodges -- more than any other state. Each year, Kentucky parks draw 7 million visitors and contribute $317 million to the economy. For more information on Kentucky parks, visit our Web site at http://www.parks.ky.gov