Westwood, Mass. --- June 11, 2003 --- Filterfresh Coffee Service Inc., a subsidiary of Van Houtte Inc., announced today the promotion of Robert St. Jean to vice president.

Mr. St. Jean will continue his role as the company's controller, a position he has held at Filterfresh Coffee Service since July 1, 2001.

"I am pleased to announce Robert's promotion, which recognizes his significant contributions to the company," said Roger Cohen, president of Filterfresh Coffee Service Inc. "With over 18 years of accounting experience and a strong background in system, auditing, business and cost control programs, Robert is a true asset to Filterfresh Coffee Service and we expect him to continue to design and implement more efficient systems."

Prior to Filterfresh, Mr. St. Jean was Financial Director of Production and Supply Chain at Quest International, one of the world's leading fragrance, flavors and food ingredients companies. At Quest, Mr. St Jean was responsible for the financial activities of eight production sites in North America, where he harmonized the financial reporting and operating procedures. Additionally, Mr. St. Jean served as controller and assistant controller at two companies in Quebec, Salada Inc. and Marimac Inc., respectively. Mr. St. Jean received a Masters of Business Administration from Concordia University and is a certified public accountant.

About Filterfresh Coffee Service Inc.
Filterfresh Coffee Service, Inc., based in Westwood, Mass., is a subsidiary of Van Houtte Inc. The company, a pioneer in single-cup coffee makers, provides state-of-the-art equipment, beverages, programs and services to offices, manufacturing facilities, supermarkets, hotels, retailers and other places of employment. For further information on Filterfresh, its growth plans or franchise opportunities, visit the web site at www.filterfresh.com.