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Essential Amenities, Inc. And Pineapple Hospitality Bring Tommy Bahama
Dispensers To First Hotels In California And Washington



Fairfield, New Jersey— November 21, 2011 — Tommy Bahama dispensers have found lodging in a number of hotels along the Pacific Coast with the help of Essential Amenities, Inc. and Pineapple Hospitality.

The Acqua Hotel, Hotel FIVE, The Maxwell Hotel, University Inn, and Watertown Hotel have all recently adopted the Tommy Bahama hotel amenities in all guestrooms as part of an effort to reduce waste and make a positive impact on the environment.

“We’re very proud because we are the first hotel in California to feature the Tommy Bahama dispensers,” says Kurt Helmke, General Manager for the Acqua Hotel, located in Marin County just outside of San Francisco. “Here, people are very environmentally conscious, and expect the hotels to be the same. A lot of hotels have started moving to dispenser systems, but the Tommy Bahama products make us stand out.”

Licensed into the hospitality industry by Essential Amenities, Tommy Bahama dispensers are available through Pineapple Hospitality, the premiere distributor of Greener Hotel Products and Marketing programs for the Hospitality Industry.

The Tommy Bahama amenity line includes high-quality soaps, shampoos, conditioners and moisturizer products, as well as accessory items which have been uniquely designed to support the casual lifestyle of the brand for the luxury hotel setting.

According to Michael Ware, President of Essential Amenities, Inc. “Tommy Bahama amenities were created specifically for hotel guests using gentle formulas and natural ingredients, which are never tested on animals and are packaged with the environment in mind. The Exotic Coral fragrance brings a clean, fresh aroma to give hotel guests a relaxed and pampered feeling, and will help to enhance your guest’s entire experience while staying at your property.”




“Gallon-sized amenities and dispensers are a smart choice for hotels economically and environmentally,” says Ray Burger, President of Pineapple Hospitality. “It cuts down on wasted soap and shampoo products, and you are not throwing away hundreds of little plastic bottles at the end of each day.”

There has been a tremendous response from hotels and guests to the Tommy Bahama line. Combining great quality with socially responsible travel, it’s been a perfect fit for boutique and luxury hotels as it’s adopted by our new hotel partners in California and Washington.

Working with management from its ownership group at Broughton Hospitality, Helmke said they decided to give Tommy Bahama a try at the Acqua Hotel this past summer.

“We try to do as much as we can to be environmentally responsible, from recycling in every guest room to an ozone system in our laundry facilities,” says Helmke. “With our ties to our community and the environment, the dispenser program was a great fit for us.”

“When we tried the Tommy Bahama products we knew they were right for us. The soaps were nice and soft on your skin. The smell works for both men and women – it’s not overpowering or too perfume-y. It’s really a high-end amenity product that we knew our guests would like.”

Great Names Think Alike

Hotel FIVE, The Maxwell Hotel, University Inn, and Watertown Hotel are four unique Seattle boutique hotels operated by Pineapple Hospitality, a hotel management group that happens to share the same name as Pineapple Hospitality the distributor.

Recently, Pineapple Hospitality has been working with Essential Amenities and Pineapple Hospitality to become the first hotels in the state of Washington to feature Tommy Bahama dispensers.

“We are only about 450 out of thousands of rooms in Seattle. But we believe that any improvement we can make, whether it is through efforts like recycling or amenity dispensers, can add up and make a big difference,” says Marco Baumann, Managing Director for Pineapple Hospitality hotels. “Hotel guests use only ¼ to ½ of the contents of their amenities bottles each day. You wash your hands once and throw an entire bar of soap in the garbage. It makes sense to find a better way of doing things.”

About half of the rooms throughout the four hotels have completed the transition over to Tommy Bahama dispensers. And while Baumann says it is too early to gauge the full extent of the change, guests have noticed the difference.

“Guests appreciate the quality and fragrance of the Tommy Bahama products,” says Baumann. “We spent a long time reviewing several amenity options before choosing Tommy Bahama Amenity Dispensers. The quality of the products is great, and it feels great on your skin.

“The move to dispensers was born out of wanting to do something socially and environmentally responsible, and to keep up with industry standards. But it also makes economical and operational sense too. This can help us keep our costs down and guests appreciate that.”

Pineapple Hospitality also hopes to create a bit of a sense of community through the Tommy Bahama products. Tommy Bahama is based in Seattle, so the hotels and guests can feel a sense of hometown pride.

Environmentally and Economically Sensible

Brett Magnan, Director of Development & Operations at CherryTree Hospitality Management, is a consultant who has been working with Pineapple Hospitality hotels. He has been a key part of bringing the two Pineapple Hospitalities together during the Tommy Bahama upgrade.

“First of all, Tommy Bahama is a great brand, a great product,” says Magnan. “It’s a green, environmentally sound solution that allows hotels to reduce the waste of hundreds of little plastic bottles each day.”

“But working with Essential Amenities and Pineapple Hospitality, it’s a great business decision too. You can save money by buying gallons. And the dispensers makes it easier on housekeeping each day. Tommy Bahama is a great program and we’re glad to be working with all.”

Steve Buckler, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Broughton Hospitality – which operates the Acqua Hotel – shares the same sentiment.

“Pineapple Hospitality is a great organization,” he says. “They are always bringing new products and solutions to us to use. They are proactive, thoughtful and innovative partners, helping us take the next steps in sustainability.”

Buckler says that Tommy Bahama is perfect product for a waterside hotel in the Bay Area. Guests like the tropical scent, and the brand exudes quality and style that people can relate to.

“What’s a better brand right now than Tommy Bahama?” says Buckler. “It has a quality around it – casual, yet stylish – that really works for our hotel. Some other hotels have more traditional amenities. We wanted to break the mold and surprise people. It something that makes them think, ‘This is a really cool hotel.’”

The Tommy Bahama gallon amenities available through Pineapple Hospitality include:
  • Exotic Coral Shampoo
  • Exotic Coral Protective Conditioner
  • Exotic Coral Liquid Soap
  • Exotic Coral Hand & Body Lotion
  • Exotic Coral Bath & Body Gel

Pineapple Hospitality is also the first company in the hospitality industry to ship exclusively using UPS’s carbon neutral program.

About Essential Amenities
Essential Amenities designs, produces, and markets a broad range of personal care products, toiletries and accessories. We distribute these “amenities” directly to quality hotels and lodging establishments for the comfort and convenience of their guests. We also serve the distributor market through established and carefully managed associations with co-packers and recognized supply-chain entities. In addition, our established, long-term relationships with critical suppliers continue to differentiate Essential Amenities within the industry and sharpen our competitive edge on behalf of our clients and their brands. For more information, please visit www.essentialamenities.com.

About Pineapple Hospitality
Headquartered in Saint Charles, Missouri, Pineapple Hospitality™ brings fresh ideas to hospitality guests’ doors and owner/operators’ bottom lines — including FreshStay® (www.freshstay.com), EcoRooms & EcoSuites (www.EcoRooms.com) Environmentally Sensitive Amenities™, TOMMY BAHAMA Amenities, Eco.Fresh, ecossential elements, and greenSPA™ amenities, AVIVA and WAVE dispensers, Energy Efficient Lighting and Controls, Custom Linen & Towel Re-Use Programs, Green Earth Key Cards, Energy Management Systems and Controls, High Performance showerheads, Zero Odor, and dozens of other products and programs. For more information, please visit www.pineapplehospitality.net, or call us at 636-922-2285.

About Tommy Bahama
Tommy Bahama is owned by Tommy Bahama Group, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Oxford Industries, Inc. (NYSE:OXM). Established in August 1992, with corporate headquarters in Seattle, Tommy Bahama is a lifestyle company that defines relaxed, sophisticated style in men's and women's sportswear, denim, swimwear, accessories and a complete home furnishings collection. Tommy Bahama is available at the country's finest retailers, including Nordstrom, as well as high profile resort locations around the world. There are ninety-four Tommy Bahama retail locations across the country, thirteen of which include a Tommy Bahama restaurant & bar. Additional stores will be opening this year. For more information, please visit www.tommybahama.com.

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Contact:

Essential Amenities, Inc.
208 Passaic Avenue
Fairfield, New Jersey 07004-2507
973 | 882-8441
800 | 541-6775
Fax | 937 | 436-0202
[email protected]

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