Caffe Latte, Bermuda's first espresso bar and gourmet coffee store, is celebrating its fifth anniversary this month.

During the last week of June and the first three days of July they will be offering a lot of specials to their customers in both the St. George's store and the Hamilton store.

Caffe Latte is 90 percent owned by a dynamic husband and wife team, Bruce and Cathy Benevides of St. George's and 10 percent owned by Brian Huxley. Mr.

Benevides manages Somers Supermarket while Cathy is hands-on general manager with both Caffe Lattes.

They are well known in St. George's for their businesses and for supporting the St. George's Prep School and the community when called upon.

They are the kind of business people who are very positive and make a difference in the community. An example of their generosity is seen in their celebration; they are donating a percentage of their celebration take to the Bermuda Diabetic Association.

"The company started in 1994 by me, my two brothers, Leonard and Gene Aitken, and a friend, Brian Huxley. Bruce and I bought out the brothers and opened our St. George's location in spring of 1997,'' explained Mrs. Benevides.

Both stores and been very successful and the owners wish to give back to their community of customers. "We will be offering free iced blended coffees during our celebration week to thank people for their patronage and support over the past five years,'' Mrs. Benevides said.

Their focus is on lots of fresh fruit and they make their popular fruit salad.

They offer wonderful breads, bagels and pastries made fresh from local bakeries.

"We try to take healthy approaches and offer low fat and no fat milk in all coffee beverages and we serve a `no frills' without fat decaf cappuccino.'' Basically there are three divisions of Caffe Latte: Catering Foodservice Gourmet Express Mrs. Benevides explained the catering division began out of need for corporate deliveries of coffee and pastries to their now very successful, full--service breakfast luncheon and buffet catering.

They set up breakfast complete with tablecloth and flowers.

The "Continental Breakfast'' together with gourmet coffees and tea, fresh baked pastries, juice and all the condiments are popular as is the "V.I.P.

Breakfast'' which includes a fresh seasonal fruit platter along with the usual muffins, croissants, scones and danish.

The "President's Club Deli Platter'' is very popular. You design you own sandwiches from an ample platter of rare roast beef, honey ham, smoked turkey, English cheddar an Baby Swiss cheeses. It is accompanied by a basket of freshly baked sandwich breads, baguettes, croissants and rolls, tomatoes, lettuce and pickles. There is a choice of salad or fruit platter, freshly baked cookie sodas and waters.

"Mt. Saint Agnes is a very satisfied customer as we did a buffet catering service for their student graduation this year involving about 500 people,'' Mrs. Benevides said.

The Foodservice line is a newly re-developed division of Caffe Latte and they are proud to be the exclusive distributors of Barrie House Coffee and Tea established since 1934 from New York. Experience counts with this family run, 4th generation business who take immense pride in their roasting, blending, flavouring and decaf techniques.

"We receive fresh shipment weekly and special orders and special customer requests are welcome,'' Mrs. Benevides advised.

Caffe Latte's gourmet bean selection is impressive. They offer 40 plus varieties of light, medium and espresso roasts, blends and popular flavours and decafs such as vanilla, hazelnut, Irish cream and French vanilla.

They offer the internationally acclaimed,"Jamaican Blue'' coffee beans and a host of Colombian Supremo, Kenya AA, cinnamon hazelnut, German chocolate , and Swiss mocha almond and many more.

Caffe Latte offers pouch services to many hotels, restaurants and offices. for 8 to 12 cup coffee brewers and same day delivery is available.

They sell "Krup'' coffee machines which will be reduced during their celebration by 25 percent. Here you also find espresso and cappuccino machines. "Krup is a wonderful company and we guarantee all of their products 100 percent.'' The owners speak very highly of their staff. "Our longest employee is Taylor Duncan who worked three years part-time while she was a student and has become a full time assistant manager for the past year.

"People stop me in the street many times to commend me on my staff in both stores.

"We are big advocates of hiring students 16 and older as we like to give them the opportunity to witness first hand what it is like to be out in the work force,'' Mrs. Benevides said. This innovative company has gained a competitive advantage by diversifying their market and recently launched an informative web site, www.caffelatte.bm The St. George's store is number 8 York Street, 297-8196 and the Hamilton store is number 1 Washington Mall, 296-1188.

They open at 8 am each morning except Sunday. St. George's closes at 4 pm daily and Hamilton closes at 5 pm daily.

You can also place your orders through their online fax form at 296-0501.

E-mail is: caffelatte y northrock.bm Muffin eater: Caffe Latte's most regular customer, Corri Benevides Workers : Left to right Sandrine Simmons, Wendy Sousa, Taylor Duncan, Natalie Pitcher, Cathy Benevides the owner, Paolo Odoli, Rolisa Furbert and Latasha Jones.

Mangers : General manager, Cathy Benevides, Wendy Sousa St. George's manager, Sandrine Simmons Hamilton's manager and Taylor Duncan assistant manager, Hamilton