| It was a match made in heaven, at least if your | | | | Philips in 1963) and the compact disc (developed in |
| heaven includes wonderful coffee. When Douwe | | | | partnership with Sony). Philips today is a worldwide |
| Egberts, the world's second largest coffee roaster, | | | | leader in manufacture and sale of color television sets, |
| teamed up with Royal Philips Electric, one of the | | | | lighting, electric shavers, medical diagnostic imaging and |
| world's leading innovators in electronic devices, the | | | | patient monitoring, and one-chip TV products. Since |
| result was bound to be sensational. The Senseo | | | | 2001, the company has won over 60 design awards |
| coffee pod system is the product of a partnership | | | | for personal care and electronic appliances. |
| between two world leaders in their field with a | | | | A Beautiful Partnership |
| common background. | | | | In 2001, Douwe Egberts teamed up with Philips to |
| Douwe Egberts | | | | introduce the Senseo system, the single serve coffee |
| Egbert Douwes opened a small shop in Joure, The | | | | system that uses a patented pad brewing system to |
| Netherlands back in 1753. De Witte Os sold coffee, tea | | | | make coffee and other hot beverages. The Senseo |
| and tobacco to the townspeople, and was more than | | | | was first introduced in February 2001 in The |
| moderately successful. In 1780, his son joined the family | | | | Netherlands, and became available in the US in 2004. |
| business and together, they expanded their holdings, | | | | The system uses a patented coffee pod (called a pad |
| adding more shops throughout the region. | | | | in some countries) that holds a premeasured amount |
| The company prospered, and continued to grow | | | | of coffee or beverage mix and fits into the brewer. |
| throughout The Netherlands, but it was not until the | | | | The brewer heats water to the correct temperature |
| mid-20th century that it expanded beyond the borders | | | | and dispenses the beverage after brewing. The major |
| of its homeland. In 1948, Douwe Egberts began selling | | | | innovations in the Senseo were the single cup brewing |
| coffee, tea and tobacco in Belgium. Over the next | | | | system and the use of the coffee pad. |
| twenty years, the company added sales in Belgium, | | | | Sara Lee/DE's part of the partnership is, of course, |
| France and Spain. In 1978, the company was acquired | | | | coffee. Douwe Egberts offers a wide variety of |
| by international food corporation Sara Lee. Since then, | | | | coffee blends to suit most tastes, as well as tea in |
| Sara Lee and Douwe Egberts has become the | | | | pods to fit the Senseo machine. The current blends |
| second largest coffee roaster in the world. Familiarly | | | | include Sumatra, Brazil, Kenya and Colombia, each of |
| known as Sara Lee/DE, the company is a subsidiary | | | | them with the characteristics common to the named |
| of Sara Lee and employs over 26,000 people around | | | | region. In addition, there are selected specialty |
| the world. | | | | beverages, including espresso, cappuccino and Cafe |
| The Douwe Egberts brands include Pickwick tea, | | | | Noir, a sweet, dark blend with a chocolate finish. There |
| Douwe Egberts coffee, Piazza d'Oro espresso, | | | | are also flavored pods, which include Paris (vanilla |
| Cafitesse, Pilao coffee and of course, the Senseo | | | | caramel), Vienna (hazelnut, vanilla and mocha), and a |
| system. Sara Lee sells products in nearly 200 | | | | number of limited edition varieties that are currently |
| countries. The Sara Lee brands include Sara Lee, | | | | only available in select European locations. For tea |
| Earth Grains, Hillshire Farm, Jimmy Dean, Ball Park, | | | | lovers, Douwe Egberts offers Earl Grey and Minty |
| Bimbo, Kiwi, Ambi Pur, Sanex, and of course, Douwe | | | | Green T-pods for the Senseo. |
| Egberts. | | | | Patent-ly Perfect |
| Royal Philips Electronics | | | | In 1998, Sara Lee/DE filed a patent in Belgium to |
| In The Netherlands in 1891, Gerard Philips founded a | | | | protect their use of the coffee pad system. The |
| small electronics company focused on making light | | | | patent was challenged after the Senseo hit the market |
| bulbs and other technical electronic equipment. By the | | | | and competitors realized that the patent prevented |
| 1920s, the company had begun to expand its line of | | | | them from manufacturing coffee pods. The patent |
| products and make a name for itself as an innovator in | | | | was successfully challenged in the Belgian court. As of |
| the electronics field. In the 1920s, they began to | | | | 2004, the year that the Senseo was introduced in the |
| manufacture vacuum tubes, acquiring holdings in both | | | | US, other companies have the legal right to make and |
| Germany and England as subsidiaries. In 1939, Philips | | | | sell coffee pods that fit the Senseo system. In addition, |
| began marketing their electric shaver, which is sold in | | | | several pod makers on the market allow consumers |
| the U.S. as Norelco, and which has become the | | | | to make their own coffee pods. This allows flexibility in |
| standard bearer for their personal care division. | | | | making the coffee or tea of your choice utilizing the |
| Among the other innovations that have come out of | | | | Senseo Brewing System. |
| Philips are the audio cassette tape (introduced by | | | | |