Newlink America is bringing back Juan Valdez, the iconic logo/character of Colombian coffee, to the US to guide the opening of units of the Juan Valdez Café.
Two Miami stores opened last year to pave the way for 60 more cafes in the Sunshine State over the next five years.
Newlink's PR mission is to "make Juan Valdez Café top of mind across the US," according to Alejandra Londoño, VP-international business for the coffee store company.
More than 300 cafes exist in 14 countries including South Korea, Spain, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Panama, Ecuador and Peru.
Looking for a gulp of the $18B US coffee market, Newlink plans to target the "discerning coffee consumer."
Jorge Ortega, Newlink co-founder and Jeffrey Group/Burson-Marsteller alum, says his firm knows what sets the client's brand apart.
He looks forward to bringing the Juan Valdez brand "to the forefront of the conversation in the US."
The Valdez character was created in 1959.
A Newlink staffer told O'Dwyer's that Valdez's trusty sidekick, Conchita, won't be making appearances here "due to international travel difficulties for mules."
While Conchita remains at her farm home in Colombia, "her twin American sister" may show up at US openings," added the Newlink rep.
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