Augusta's Pine State Trading Co. will take over direct customer support for Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc.'s specialty coffee division.  The purchase agreement, just announced, transitions Vermont-based GMCR's direct customer support in its northeast region, including responsibility for sales representation, order management, delivery and equipment service, to Pine State Trading, according to a press release. The transaction is expected to close Sept. 13 and should not affect GMCR's regional operations center in Biddeford.

GMCR officials expect 121 of the company's 2,100 full-time employees in the U.S. and Canada will be affected by the transaction; terms of the deal were not disclosed. Pine State Trading Co., which employs 700, is a wholesale distributor to convenience stores throughout the Northeast and the largest beer, wine and spirits distributor in Maine.