AVT, Inc. has announced the winner in its "Win a Marley Coffee Automated Store" contest.
The contest, which was promoted primarily on Facebook, asked entrants to write a short essay about why they should be awarded the free Marley Coffee Store and how they would champion sustainability in their community – a hallmark of the Marley Coffee philosophy.
AVT, as an exclusive partner to Marley Coffee, has developed the unique Marley Coffee automated store, which provides freshly ground and brewed gourmet coffee at the touch of a button, according to the release.
"This is more than just about great coffee," Shannon Illingworth, founder and chairman of AVT commented in a prepared statement. "Marley Coffee is about giving back to the community, and creating sustainable partnerships that provide work, wages, and opportunities."
The winner of the contest is Frank Pino of Phoenix, Arizona. In his winning essay, Frank wrote, "I have learned that amazing opportunities come by very rarely," he penned. "I truly believe that if I should win, this will be a business venture that will last for years to come."
The winner will also be awarded a free trip to Jamaica, and will include a visit the Marley family coffee farm. "We want the owner of the Marley Coffee Automated Store to learn about the history of Marley Coffee, their approach to sustainability, and see first-hand the level of care that goes into each step of making the world's finest coffee – all the way from seed to cup," Illingworth said.
"Marley Coffee Automated Stores are one of the easiest ways for an entrepreneur or business owner to capture a piece of one of the biggest industries in the world," said James Winsor, CEO of AVT. "These beautiful Marley Coffee Automated Stores can be placed almost anywhere, and have the power of one of the world's most recognized brand names fueling their success."
In addition to naming a winner, several honorable mentions were named, including Lisa Moulton of Riverside, California, who wrote, "Today's busy world is all about convenience." She added that the Marley Coffee Automated Stores "share a message" about how to live a life.
Salwan Alto of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan scribed, "As I sit, stir, and sip my freshly brewed Mystic Morning Marley Coffee, I suddenly feel a sense of harmony. As if nature is speaking to me; the gentle morning breeze greets me with a smile and the sun proclaims the start of another beautiful day."
Army veteran Anthony Cola of Jacksonville Beach, Florida wrote, "During my research I found Marley Coffee to be ideally suited for me, with their commitment to sustainability, quality and local community activism. I appreciate the AVT business model and view it as pressing the cutting edge of the future because high quality automated stores are an emerging trend in which others will soon seek to duplicate."
And Richard Burris of Ecorse, Michigan stated, "I am always looking for a way to start a family business that (my son) can work in a few hours a week. This could be the start of my dream coming true."
The contest, which received entries from all across the nation, was difficult to judge. "There are so many deserving people that want to start a Marley Coffee Automated Business," Illingworth stated. "While we can't award each of them a free system, I am humbled by the outpouring of affection that people expressed for Marley Coffee, and for AVT."
