TORONTO, Canada – Montreal-based café chain java u, in partnership with Natrel, today opens the Natrel Milk Bar by java u in Toronto. This brand new type of café concept enhances the consumer experience by shining a spotlight on milk and featuring a menu of delicious recipes, some of which have dairy as an essential ingredient.
The new café is situated on one of the most highly visible corners in West Queen West (1092 Queen Street W. at Dovercourt Road), arguably the city’s trendiest neighbourhood.
“We launched this unique café concept in Montreal in May last year, and it was very well received,” says Brian Cytrynbaum of java u.
“Our mandate in Toronto remains the same as it was with our first opening — we want to raise the profile of the milk we use in our coffee and offer customers a one-of-a-kind gourmet experience in our cafés, which promote personalization and choice.
After all, many specialized coffees are comprised of only one-third coffee; the other two-thirds are milk!”
The collaboration between Natrel and java u is also innovative because it reflects an emerging consumer trend towards co-branding.
Cytrynbaum says the idea was conceived in 2014 after java u asked some of its customers to complete a blind taste test of coffee made with different milk brands, and they preferred the coffees that were prepared with Natrel milk.
Being very pleased with Natrel’s premium milks in terms of their taste and foam, java u then approached the milk brand with an idea about launching a new coffee-house experience in Montreal.
“We are proud of the innovative partnership with java u and the Toronto opening of The Natrel Milk Bar by java u,” explains Jean-Francois Couture, vice-president of Marketing at Agropur Cooperative, Canada Operations.
“This café provides us with a unique opportunity to allow consumers to enjoy our products while fully experiencing the brand promise of ‘making everyday more delicious.'”
Deliciously original
The new West Queen West location welcomes coffee aficionados and foodies in a spectacular setting where design and architecture express the concept’s originality and freshness.
Customers will enjoy their choice of seven varieties of Natrel Milk (lactose free, fine-filtered, organic, flavoured, etc.), available through a barista or self-serve, allowing customers to personalize the full range of coffee beverages, as well as a seasonal menu featuring dairy products.
In the summer, ice-cream and milkshakes in a variety of flavours will make a fun and delicious addition to the mix. The partnership between Natrel and java u has also produced two iced coffees to go — latte and mocha — available at all java u locations.
The branding and design atelier lg2boutique was charged with the visual and architectural side of the concept; the website (http://experience.natrel.ca) and marketing campaign were handled by lg2.
Additionally, a mini-boutique has been created at the Queen Street W. café, and online at experience.natrel.ca, to offer consumers branded clothing and accessories, including 100-percent organic milk-fibre cotton T-shirts, mugs, thermoses, and more.
The official Toronto launch event was hosted by local radio host and TV lifestyle expert Pay Chen, and featured an appearance by world-renowned coffee artist Michael Breach, who dazzled guests by creating their portraits in latte foam. Breach also put his artistic touch to the “Toronto Latte,” a new offering created by java u’s coffee experts.
The new flagship café, located at 1092 Queen Street West, is open Monday to Friday, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on the weekend, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
