ITO EN Tea Shop Rated Best Tea and Best Japanese In Zagat’s 2006 New York City Gourmet Marketplace Guide Japan’s Premiere Green Tea Company Continues To Please American Palates

New York, NY – The Zagat Guide To New York City Gourmet Marketplaces has awarded “Best Tea” and “Best Japanese” to ITO EN in the 2006 edition. The company was also rated in the top 10 for “Best Overall,” “Best Quality” and “Best Service,” as well as receiving top honors in the “Sunday Best” and “Upper East Side” categories. The ITO EN Shop is located at 822 Madison Avenue between 68th and 69th Streets.

“We are honored to receive Zagat’s Best Tea award for the second consecutive year,” said Rona Tison, vice president of corporate relations for ITO EN (North America) Inc. “ITO EN has been in the green tea business for over 40 years and is the pioneer in ready-to-drink green tea beverages in Japan. We are thrilled that the American public so enjoys both our loose leaf and ready-to-drink teas.”

Earlier this year, ITO EN received the “Best Flavor” award for Green Jasmine TEAS’ TEA as well as Best Packaging and Best Commercially Brewed Tea at the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas.

ITO EN (North America) INC. began operations in the United States in May, 2001 and opened the ITO EN shop in March, 2002. Known as a household name in Japan, the company has aggressively grown their U.S. market share in the natural foods category over the past three years. In the natural foods segment, ITO EN’s TEAS’ TEA line of unsweetened bottled teas has three out of the top five fastest selling ready-to-drink to beverages (Green Jasmine #1, Pure Green #2, and Green White #3). Ready-to-drink tea beverages are growing at a rate of 27.6% in the natural foods segment with TEAS’ TEA leading the category. (Source: Natural Food: SPINSscan, 52 weeks ending March 19, 2005).

###

Established in 1966, Japan-based ITO EN, LTD. was founded to market green tea, a traditional Japanese beverage. Today, ITO EN, LTD. is firmly positioned as the world's leading supplier of green tea leaves and green tea beverages, developing a steady stream of new products that specifically address customer needs and lifestyles. Known as a trendsetter in Japan's beverage industry, intensive research and development has allowed the company to cultivate better tea, and positioned them as the first company to create a patented method of bottling green tea in a manner that carefully preserves its distinct flavor and integrity. Additional information can be accessed through www.itoen.com

Committed to growth, ITO EN has posted increases in annual sales every year since its establishment. After an initial public offering in 1992, its shares were listed on the Second Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in September 1996 and on the First Section in October 1998.

Press Contacts:
Laura Picco Patrick Morris
518.272.2400 ext. 17 518.272.2400 ext. 12