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Café International, LLC, an Idaho-based company, announced that it has acquired coffee franchise Mountain Mudd Espresso. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Café International, LLC, is owned by its CFO Betty Hawkins of Boise, Idaho and industry veteran John Adams, CEO. Adams is also the co-owner of regional premium coffee roaster White Cloud Coffee. The pair acquired Mountain Mudd from CHS, Inc., a Minnesota-based company that had owned the franchise for five years.

Adams stated, "Acquiring the Mountain Mudd franchising rights and brand represented a great opportunity for our company. We intend to grow the franchise aggressively over the next several years, both domestically and internationally, and we're excited about keeping the headquarters for these operations in Billings."

Café International is maintaining the Mountain Mudd headquarters in Billings to capitalize on the strength of the existing staff and the operation already in place. Café International has contracts to fulfill at least 117 previously executed franchise agreements in the coming years, with a significant number of those franchises expected to open in the Midwest and Northeast.

Café International also announced that all of the Mountain Mudd stores in Billings and Laurel were acquired by PJP Coffee Enterprises, Inc., a Connecticut-based company.

Phillip J Penn, President and majority shareholder of PJP Coffee Enterprises, commented, "I'm excited about what's next for the brand in Billings, in Connecticut and worldwide. As an area representative and multiple-unit franchisee in Connecticut, PJP Coffee Enterprises, Inc. is the largest Mountain Mudd franchisee in the world. And we are completely committed to continuing to grow our company in and around the Billings area."

Much like prior owner CHS, Inc. both set of new owners will continue to support the many worthwhile causes in and around the Billings area. "It's easy to call this place my second home. We have great customers, great employees and a business climate and living environment in Billings that completely appeals to a small business owner."