Le Meridien Introduces New Member to LM100 Family

World Barista Champion Fritz Storm

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. July 16, 2009

JULY 16, 2009 - Launched in 2007, LM100 is a group of international creators of mixed generations and interdisciplinary artistic fields, chosen from the worlds of art, architecture, and cuisine, who use their creativity to develop original and interactive programs for Le M'eridien, transforming the guest experience.

Le M'eridien and J'er^ome Sans, Le M'eridien's Cultural Curator since 2006, today announced World Barista Champion Fritz Storm as the newest member of the LM100 family. Launched in 2007, LM100 is a group of international creators of mixed generations and interdisciplinary artistic fields, chosen from the worlds of art, architecture, and cuisine, who use their creativity to develop original and interactive programs for Le M'eridien, transforming the guest experience. In his LM100 role, Storm will use his experience in the art of coffee making to further implement Coffee Culture into Le M'eridien hotels globally. The introduction of Storm coincides with the launch of Le M'eridien's Taste of Discovery Coffee Challenge, an internal contest among associates worldwide for inspired coffee recipes that bring a new perspective on coffee, with winning recipes to be implemented into all Le M'eridien hotels.

"Le M'eridien is engaging in an innovative approach to marketing through curated cultural experiences that deliver a new perspective in a credible and relevant way in order to attract an aspirational customer - the creative mind," said Eva Ziegler, Global Brand Leader, Le M'eridien and W Hotels Worldwide. "As we kick off our coffee competition for Le M'eridien associates, we are proud to introduce the newest member of our LM100 family, Fritz Storm."

"LM100 is not a club, it's a family of international creators that are reinventing Le M'eridien with the vocabulary of their challenging experience," said J'er^ome Sans. "This group will grow naturally in order to keep the dimension of dialogues, discoveries and creations."

Named World Barista Champion in 2002, Fritz Storm has worked with coffee for more than 15 years, most recently as General Manager of award-winning Caf'e Europa in Copenhagen, Denmark. Since winning the world championship, Storm has had even more opportunity to travel and learn about coffee production, harvest, selection, blends and trends. He consults for companies, restaurants, and cafes around the globe and has served as a judge for the World Barista Championship since his win seven years ago. Storm has been working with illycaff`e, Le M'eridien's exclusive and unique coffee partner worldwide, since his beginnings at Caf'e Europa, and after his Championship win, he was asked to teach at the illy's University of Coffee in Trieste, Italy. Le M'eridien's Taste of Discovery Coffee Challenge will be Storm's first project, as he guides the development of Le Meridien's Coffee Culture both internally and externally in his new LM100 role.

Le M'eridien's Taste of Discovery Coffee Challenge calls upon Le M'eridien's food and beverage associates worldwide to help further develop Coffee Culture as part of the overall guest experience. Storm along with Andrea Illy, Chairman and CEO of illycaff`e and LM100 member, will narrow down associates' submissions in the search for one hot coffee recipe, one frozen/cold coffee recipe, and one alcoholic coffee recipe. Finalists will be invited to create their selected recipe for the two judges at illy's University of Coffee this September. The three winning recipes will be implemented into the coffee menus at Le M'eridien properties around the globe. This competition further reinforces Le M'eridien's brand positioning by inviting associates to actively engage in the creative process as Le M'eridien, in partnership with illycaff`e, continues to implement Coffee Culture in all its hotels.