Appreciating coffee across the region

(NECN: Leslie Gaydos) – Tuesday was National Coffee Appreciation Day, a holiday sure to give some a jolt. The big players were aware of the date, as McDonald’s brought in Nell Newman, Paul’s daughter, the president and co-founder of Newman’s Own Organics. They had lunch at the Ronald McDonald House in Providence. Nell was visiting McDonald’s restaurants in the region, promoting the coffee made by her company in partnership with Green Mountain Coffee of Vermont. “I met a woman who drinks her Newman’s Own Organics coffee every morning, and she had waited for me. She was really sweet,” Newman said. One coffee drinker went with Dunkin’ Donuts, and her daily extra large coffee won her a big day at Fenway Park with other Dunkin’ Donuts perks reward winners. “It was an amazing day — batting practice with Dustin Pedroia, we did a VIP tour around Fenway Park — the highlight was going inside the Green Monster,” said the coffee drinker. Starbucks rolled out its new instant coffee, which sells for less than a dollar a cup. The CEO said that it took 20 years to perfect the VIA. “Believe it or not, we have completely replicated the taste of Starbucks coffee and I think most people will not be able to taste the difference,” Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said. At the Coffee Corner Café in Newton, Massachusetts, they served up fresh brew but no gimmicks.