Industry Leader Becomes Distributor for Kraft Foods' Chocolates
FOREST PARK, Ill. -- March 15, 2006 – Ferrara Pan® Candy Company, a leader in the U.S. candy marketplace, recently announced that it has obtained principal distribution rights in the United States to Kraft Foods' four premium chocolate brands: Toblerone, Terry's Chocolate Orange, Milka and Côte D'Or. Toblerone, Terry's Chocolate Orange and Milka, which have been sold in the United States for a number of years with great success, and Côte D'Or, a newcomer to the U.S. chocolate market, will be the newest additions to Ferrara Pan's long line of candy favorites including Lemonhead®, Red Hots® and Black Forest Gummies®.
"These well-known chocolate brands enhance our ability to reach specialty consumer markets while this strategic partnership allows Kraft Foods to tap into our successful broker network," said Salvatore Ferrara, president of Ferrara Pan. "We look forward to increasing market share for these fine products and with the structure our company already has in place, we believe we can potentially triple this business in three years."
Toblerone's chunky pieces of indulgent Swiss chocolate made with honey and nougat are uniquely shaped into triangles; a chocolate to be savored. Toblerone is sold in approximately 122 countries.
Terry's (the original Chocolate Orange) is a harmonious blend of indulgent chocolate and orange shaped into an orange by expert chocolatiers. Whack and unwrap then enjoy the flavorful burst of citrus in every chocolate orange slice, making life a fun treat. Terry's is a delightfully simple pleasure for every day or as a traditional token gift for holidays.
Milka delivers the tender, smooth texture of Alpine milk in a delightfully indulgent experience. Milka is the number-one chocolate brand in Western Europe and the number-four chocolate brand worldwide.
Côte d'Or is prepared with a special blend of high quality cocoa beans from around the world including South America and Africa, and delivers an intense indulgent experience that pampers the senses. Côte D'Or has been satisfying connoisseurs in Belgium since 1883. Côte D'Or is the number-one Belgium chocolate.
Kraft Foods (NYSE:KFT) is the world's second-largest food and beverage company. For more than 100 years, we've been dedicated to helping people around the world eat and live better. Hundreds of millions of times a day, in more than 150 countries, consumers reach for their favorite Kraft brands including Kraft cheeses and dinners, Jacobs, Gevalia and Maxwell House coffees, Oscar Mayer meats, DiGiorno pizzas, Oreo cookies, Ritz and Wheat Thins crackers and chips, Philadelphia cream cheese, Milka and Côte d'Or chocolates, Honey Bunches of Oats cereals, Good Seasons salad dressings and Tang refreshment beverage. They've also started adding our Tassimo hot beverage system, South Beach Diet line and a growing range of better-for-you Sensible Solution products to their shopping baskets, continually expanding their list of Kraft favorites. For more information, visit kraft.com.
About Ferrara Pan Candy Company
Ferrara Pan Candy Company is dedicated to the production and distribution of high quality candies. A family-run business, Ferrara Pan was founded in 1908 in Chicago, Illinois by Salvatore Ferrara. In 1919, Ferrara formed a partnership with his brother-in-laws, Salvatore Buffardi and Anello Pagano. Today, the company is still owned and managed by the Ferrara, Buffardi and Pagano families. The Ferrara Pan Candy Company's family of famous high quality candies includes Lemonhead, Red Hots, Boston Baked Beans, Black Forest Gummies, Atomic Fireballs®, Jawbusters® and Narbles®. For more information on Ferrara Pan, visit www.ferrarapan.com.
Contact:
Rachel Reed
Schneider Associates
617-646-3312
rreed@schneiderpr.com