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GOURMET NEWS DECEMBER 2013 www.gourmetnews.com SPECIALTY DISTRIBUTORS & BROKERS 13 Specialty Distributors & Brokers BRIEFS TreeHouse Foods, Inc. Completes Acquisition of Associated Brands TreeHouse Foods, Inc. completed its acquisition of Associated Brands, a leading private label manufacturer of powdered drinks, specialty teas and sweeteners from TorQuest Partners and other shareholders. Associated Brands had sales of approximately $200 million for the 12 months ending June 30, 2013. TreeHouse paid CAD $187 million (approximately US $180 million) in cash for the business. TreeHouse is a food manufacturer servicing primarily the retail grocery and foodservice distribution channels. The company's products include non-dairy powdered creamers, private label canned soups, refrigerated and shelf stable salad dressings and sauces, powdered drink mixes and single-serve hot beverages, hot cereals, macaroni and cheese, skillet dinners, Mexican sauces, jams and pie fillings, pickles and related products, aseptic sauces and liquid non-dairy creamer. To learn more about TreeHouse Foods, visit www.treehousefoods.com. B&G Foods Acquires Rickland Orchards B&G Foods, Inc. acquired Rickland Orchards LLC from Natural Instincts LLC. B&G Foods and its subsidiaries manufacture, sell and distribute a diverse portfolio of high-quality, branded shelf-stable foods across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The acquisition of Rickland Orchards, with an array of products including Greek yogurt-coated granola bars and bites, is the fourth acquisition by B&G Foods since October 2012. Rickland Orchards' products blend a strained Greek yogurt coating with roasted nuts, granola and fruit to create convenient, great-tasting and protein-packed snacks. The company's products can be found in more than 15,000 locations in North America. The purchase price paid for Rickland Orchards was approximately $57.5 million, subject to post-closing adjustments, of which approximately $37.4 million was paid in cash and approximately $20.1 million was paid in shares of common stock of B&G Foods. United Natural Foods Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Trudeau Foods United Natural Foods, Inc. agreed to acquire all of the equity interests of Trudeau Foods, LLC. Trudeau Foods is the largest Minnesota-based distributor of natural, organic and specialty food products. "This acquisition is the latest step in our strategy to grow our market share and deliver a complete basket of specialty, natural and organic products to our customers," said Steve Spinner, UNFI's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are excited to welcome Trudeau Foods to our organization." Trudeau Foods serves more than 600 customer locations, including chain and independent grocers, wholesalers and meat markets in Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Trudeau Foods carries a full range of fine-quality and specialty gourmet meats, frozen foods, dairy, bakery, deli, seafood and dry grocery items under a wide breadth of national, regional and private label brands. US Foods Announces 2013 Vendor Recognition Award Winners US Foods announced the winners of its fifth annual vendor recognition awards. During a ceremony at its headquarters in Rosemont, Ill., six companies out of the more than 3,000 US Foods suppliers took home top honors. Awards were presented in six categories. For Innovation, FGF Brands took home the prize. Butterball was named the vendor Most Easy to Do Business With. The award winner for produce was Del Monte. In the Non-Foods category, Pactiv won first place. Lamb Weston won in the Grocery category. And Patrick Cudahy was honored with the Center of the Plate award. "Each year, this event provides us with the chance to honor and celebrate all of our dedicated vendor partners that share our passion and echo our commitment to our customers' success," said Pietro Satriano, Chief Merchandising Officer for US Foods. "Selecting the best among our tremendous group of partners isn't easy. Congratulations to the winners for setting the standard for quality and excellence in our industry." With approximately $22 billion in annual revenue, US Foods is the 10th largest privately held company in America. As one of America's great food companies and leading distributors, US Foods is Keeping Kitchens Cooking and making life easier for more than 200,000 customers, including independent and multi-unit restaurants, healthcare and hospitality entities, government and educational institutions. The company offers more than 350,000 products, including high-quality, exclusive brands such as the innovative Chef 's Line, a time-saving, chef-inspired line of scratch-quality products, and Rykoff Sexton, a premium line of specialty ingredients sourced from around the world. The company proudly employs approximately 25,000 people in more than 60 locations nationwide. Learn more about US Foods at www.usfoods.com. GN Total Beverage Solution Expands Spirits Offerings Total Beverage Solution, a beverage alcohol importer and supplier based in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., added four spirits brands, McIvor Finest Scottish Whisky, Amaro Montenegro, Vecchia Romagna brandy and Dolce Nero liqueur, to its portfolio of beer, wine and spirits. The addition of these whisky, brandy and liqueur products signifies the company's commitment to further grow its spirits offerings alongside its strong beer and wine brands. McIvor Finest Scotch Whisky boasts flavor and value, with offerings such as McIvor 12 Year Old and McIvor 17 Year Old. TBS acquired the exclusive U.S./Canadian import rights from Berniko, LLC, which introduced McIvor to the U.S. market in 2007 and built the brand to more than 20,000 cases in 14 states. First produced in Bologna, Italy, in 1885, Amaro Montenegro is a renowned Italian herbal liqueur, popular as an afterdinner drink and as a flavor-enhancing cocktail ingredient with its blend of sweet and bitter notes. Italy's best-selling brandy, Vecchia Romagna, boasts a proud 200-year history and complements the variety of Italian offerings TBS currently carries. TBS was appointed by Montenegro SRL with the goal of expanding the brand's presence throughout the United States with a focus on major metro markets. Finally, Dolce Nero combines the Italian passion for creating the perfect espresso with an all-natural infusion of ultra-premium spirits. Using fine Italian espresso beans, the liqueur's rich, smooth flavor is welcome at the end of a meal or in a favorite dessert recipe. "As one of a very small number of beverage companies that competes in all three industry segments, the addition of these new spirits instantly elevates our portfolio," said Dave Pardus, Total Beverage Solution CEO. "Spirits previously represented less than 10 percent of our revenue, but these brands add roughly 30,000 nine-liter cases of ongoing business to our spirits volume." The addition of spirits brands has spurred the creation of a new position within the company, General Manager of Wine & Spirits. Neal Horgan, industry veteran and original partner, will fill the role and be able to focus exclusively on the wine and spirits categories. GN Cargill Food Distribution Teams Up with Teys Australia to Bring Australian Beef to the U.S. Cargill Food Distribution and Teys Australia are partnering to bring high-quality Australian beef to American dinner tables. A number of Teys beef products from the company's expansive portfolio of both grass-finished and grain-finished cattle will be offered. "Teys is a known and trusted Australian beef processor that has built its reputation for offering quality products over the past 67 years, and Americans will now be able to enjoy those items without having to travel Down Under," said John Niemann, President of Wichita- based Cargill Food Distribution. "We have a long-standing business relationship with the Teys family and believe Americans will embrace their company's beef products when they have an opportunity to try them." As a vertically integrated business, Teys manages every aspect of beef production, from cattle ranching and feedlot operations, to meat processing and distribution. This creates a cost effective supply chain that provides value to commercial customers and consumers. Australia's grain fed beef exports increased eight percent in the second calendar quarter according to Meat & Livestock Australia. "Teys is excited by the opportunity to offer their high quality Australian beef products to American consumers through the Cargill Food Distribution network," said Michael Forrest, Teys USA General Manager. "The agreement with CFD will allow both Teys Australia and CFD to offer existing and new customers an unrivalled range of products and the highest level of customer service in the industry." Teys operates six accredited export beef processing plants, as well as two feedlots. The company is the leading exporter of Australian beef products to the United States via its Teys USA importing arm. Cargill is an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services. Founded in 1865, the privately held company employs 140,000 people in 65 countries. Cargill helps customers succeed through collaboration and innovation. It is commited to applying its global knowledge and experience to help meet economic, environmental and social challenges wherever it does business. For more information, visit www.cargill.com. GN

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