Central Perk Coffeehouse Breaks Into Reality
EDITOR’S NOTE: Try reading this announcement about Central Perk without having the “Friends” theme loop in your brain. We couldn’t!
Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment with CenPer Holdings, composed of industry experts from the coffee, specialty food and beverage, hospitality, and entertainment worlds — including “Top Chef” and multiple James Beard Foundation Award Winner Tom Colicchio — announced Central Perk Coffeehouse, a modern-day coffeehouse inspired by the hit TV series, opening its first location in 2023.
Imbued with the same heart and soul as the iconic setting from the series, Central Perk Coffeehouse will be a place for fans (and friends) to slow down and come together over great coffee and eats.
Fans know Central Perk as the gathering place for Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandle>r, and Ross — the ultimate hang-out spot — not only to get a delicious cup of coffee but also where the gang spent much of their free time conversing and making memories. Fast forward 28 years and a modern-day version will open its real doors in 2023.
“Central Perk is more than just a coffeehouse, it was a home away from home for our six favorite ‘Friends’,” said Peter van Roden, SVP, Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment. “Working closely with the CenPer Holdings team in creating this fresh, yet familiar environment, we’re looking forward to giving fans a coffeehouse of their own — coffeehouses that captures the heart of the show while delivering a first-class coffee experience.”
While the first location and opening date will be announced soon, fans will immediately be able to get their coffee fix now with the launch of Central Perk Coffee, a line of artisanal quality coffees made with the highest quality premium Arabica beans available in three select varietals:
– “How You Doin’?” (medium roast)
– “Pivot Blend” (medium/dark roast)
– “We Were on a Coffee Break” (dark roast)
“Our goal with this partnership and the Central Perk brand,” Colicchio said, “like all of my food and beverage enterprises, is to secure the best ingredients and then deliver superior products and services for a great customer experience. With Central Perk, we can’t wait to offer friends old and new a really enjoyable premium cup of coffee and hope they settle in with us for the next chapter of this beloved story.”
Each blend is available in whole bean and ground formats, as well as BPI Certified compostable single serve coffee pods compatible with Keurig K-Cup brewers. Single Central Perk Coffee products are also available. All coffees are sustainably sourced, produced and packaged using responsible environmental practices.
Central Perk Coffee can be orderedby visiting www.centralperk.com. The first 6,000 subscribers will receive a complimentary collectable can of “How You Doin’?” coffee, a medium roast ground varietal. This individually numbered limited edition tin was created exclusively for true “Friends” fans and coffee lovers.
Fans can watch “Friends: The Reunion” special and binge all 236 episodes of the original beloved series on HBO Max.
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Oscar Mayer Debuts ‘Cold Dog’ Frozen Pop
Oscar Mayer has debuted the first “Cold Dog,” a bun-derfully odd and surprisingly delicious frozen pop flavored like the beloved Oscar Mayer wiener.
Stemming from Oscar Mayer’s “Stupid or Genius” campaign – focused on all the wonderfully odd ways to enjoy the iconic wiener beyond grilling – the Cold Dog sparked a sizzling social media debate. While a cold hot dog may be polarizing, tens of thousands of fans relished the idea of a hot dog-flavored frozen pop and crowned the Cold Dog “genius,” so the brand made it a reality.
Oscar Mayer, a Kraft Heinz Company brand, is teaming up with Popbar, a premium frozen desserts company known for handcrafted gelato on-a-stick to create the Cold Dog, boasting both refreshing and smokey, umami notes of Oscar Mayer’s iconic wiener – all topped with a signature swirl of “mustard.”
Now available for just $2 at select Popbar locations, hot dog lovers can taste the frank-tastic new invention in Long Beach, New York City, Alpharetta-Atlanta and New Orleans while supplies last.
“After the overwhelming fan excitement for our beloved Cold Dog, it was a no-brainer to make this hot dog-inspired frozen pop a reality,” said Anne Field, Head of North American Brand Communications, Oscar Mayer. “For more than 130 years, Oscar Mayer has been sparking smiles and bringing levity into everyday moments, and we are thrilled to bring fans another wonderfully odd way to enjoy our iconic wiener while beating the summer heat.”
Oscar Mayer’s iconic 27-foot hot dog on wheels dons an icy makeover to sample Cold Dogs. Fittingly outfitted as a frozen pop truck, the Wienermobile features frosted windows, icicle-inspired decorations and more as it travels the hot dog highways to popular summertime destinations in NYC and the Jersey Shore now through August 27.
For more information and where to meat-up with the Wienermobile this week, visit OscarMayer.com and Oscar Mayer on Instagram.
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Blue Apron Adds Snacks, Light Meal Options
Blue Apron has expanded on convenient meal options beyond dinner that will be featured on its Add-ons menu, available to order now. Created to take the stress out of weekday planning in preparation for one of the busiest seasons of the year, the new Add-ons feature kid- and adult-approved recipes, perfect for an after-school snack, packable lunch, simple dinner or somewhere in between.
“Expanding the variety of our menu options to meet the needs of families and on-the-go customers continues to be a category we are focused on, especially as summer winds down and back-to-school season approaches,” said Josh Friedman, Blue Apron’s chief product officer. “Our customers look to Blue Apron to help solve for different meal occasions throughout the week. We continue to iterate on our offerings to create recipes that complement one another, but also fit into more non-traditional meal times.”
Designed to be ready in 30 minutes or fewer, the new Add-ons are a quick and fun take on classic recipes that can be prepared ahead of time or on the spot. They include simple dishes with an elevated twist, like a savory, pancetta grilled cheese sandwich with caramelized onion between sourdough bread. Additional options include French bread pizza, antipasto wraps and a delicious snack board.
“As we move into fall, our culinary team wanted to offer customers a series of recipes that could be utilized and enjoyed in a variety of ways throughout the day,” said John Adler, Blue Apron’s vice president of culinary. “The new Add-ons function great as stand-alone meals, but they’re also customizable by adding, for example, an à-la-carte protein to our pesto pasta, allowing customers to create a meal that works for their taste buds and dietary preferences.”
The new Add-ons are part of Blue Apron’s offerings designed with convenience and ease in mind on the days when time and planning is limited. Other offerings include Ready to Cook recipes that require no knife work or chopping, Heat & Eat microwavable meals and Fast & Easy sheet pan and one-pot recipes.
Blue Apron’s offerings are available on a rotating basis through their website and mobile app, along with non-subscription options available on Blue Apron’s Market and Walmart.com. To learn more about Blue Apron’s Add-ons, visit cook.ba/add-ons.
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