Acai Coffee - Acai Berry Smoothie

Tea companies have already discovered acai. Now coffee establishiments are discovering that acai coffee can be popular as well.

The Caribou Coffee shops have introduced their first ever acai coffee drink. They become the first coffee shops in the United States to offer an acai berry smoothie coffee blend.

"Caribou Coffee is the first coffee shop in the country to offer an Acai Smoothie," states Michael Coles, Chairman and CEO of Caribou Coffee. "We have always had smoother, better tasting coffee at Caribou, and now we have a wonderful, new smoothie for our customers to enjoy that not only tastes great but has some great health benefits as well!"

Acai berries, harvested from palm trees in the Amazon region of Brazil, are widely recognized as the most nutritious fruit on the planet. The berries contain 10 times more antioxidants than red grapes and twice as many as blueberries, and are a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids, monosaturated fats, amino acids and dietary fiber.

"Our customers tell us that while they love our coffee and espresso-based drinks, having a variety of beverages including some refreshing, cold options is a real bonus," states Kathy Hollenhorst, senior vice president of marketing for Caribou Coffee. "Our Acai Smoothie is a bright purple, icy blend of organic Acai berry pulp and guarana seed, a natural source of caffeine. Consumers who enjoy a sustained energy boost and prefer real fruit beverages are sure to love the Caribou Coffee Acai Smoothie."

The naturally sweet Acai Smoothie will be available for a limited time only. It retails for $3.95 (12 oz.), $4.45 (16 oz.), $4.95 (20 oz.) and $5.45 (24 oz).

Caribou Coffee Company, Inc., founded in 1992 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., is the second largest company-owned gourmet coffeehouse operator in the United States based on the number of coffeehouses.

Starbucks Testing New Acai Coffee Drink

Not too far behind in the effort to put acai in everything possible is Starbucks.

Starbucks is test marketing their new acai coffee in limited Texas markets. If you're lucky, you may be able to find the acai frappuccino in some of its locations.

Want to Make Your Own Acai Coffee?

If you can find a nearby health store that sells AcaiGogo, you can make your own acai coffee or acai berry smoothie. AcaiGogo contains the purest, organic form of acai powder available anywhere. It comes packaged in individual daily doses. You can pour a packet into your favorite beverage, including coffee or tea.

Some health stores sell the AcaiGogo as individual packets, but you may find them in cases of 30 packets as well.

Whether you buy acai coffee or make it yourself, acai is sure to add a welcome boost to your beverage of choice.