Lindt & Sprungli, the world's leading producer of premium chocolate, today announces the appointment of Robert E. Michalski as Vice President of Operations for Lindt USA.  Michalski will be based at the Lindt USA headquarters in Stratham, N.H.  

In his new role, Michalski will be responsible for all manufacturing, distribution, engineering, logistics and demand planning for Lindt USA, which produces more than 300 premium chocolate products at its Stratham, N.H. facility including the company's iconic Lindor Truffles and Excellence bar collection.

"We are extremely pleased to welcome Robert to Lindt USA, as he brings a wealth of experience to the company," said Thomas Linemayr, president and CEO of Lindt USA.  "With his addition, Lindt will continue to achieve the highest quality standards, while accommodating the growing consumer demand for premium chocolate."

Michalski has more than 25 years of experience in the food and beverage business.  Prior to joining Lindt in June 2010, Michalski previously worked for M&M/Mars and Cadbury Italy.  Michalski received a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University.  

A leader in the premium chocolate category, Lindt achieved the fastest growth of all chocolate brands in the U.S. market in 2009, along with substantial gains in market share.  This summer, Lindt USA unveiled a new 40,000-square foot, multi-million dollar cocoa liquor plant at its headquarters.  The new roasting facility is the latest development of Lindt USA's ongoing expansion efforts, which includes the addition of 350,000-square feet of production, packaging and distribution facility space over the last four years.  The expanded Lindt USA facility now makes chocolate from bean to finished product for the United States, Canada, Mexico, England and Australia using Lindt's 165-year-old Swiss recipes and quality standards.  

About Lindt & Sprungli

Founded in 1845, Lindt & Sprungli is a global leader in the premium chocolate category, offering high-quality products in more than 100 countries.  Lindt & Sprungli operates eight production facilities in Europe and the United States and employs 7,400 worldwide.  Lindt USA operates more than 40 retail stores in the U.S. and maintains wide distribution through extensive retail and wholesale channels.  For more information on Lindt, visit www.lindt.com.

SOURCE Lindt & Sprungli

Back to top

RELATED LINKS
http://www.lindt.com

Employees in the Class of 2010 Represent over 12,710 Years of Service

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., July 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Stater Bros. proudly announced that the company recently held its 24th Annual "Family Service Awards" Banquet for employees who reached career milestones in 2010.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20030421/STATERLOGO)

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030421/STATERLOGO)

This once-a-year event honors Stater Bros. employees who have reached a milestone in their careers with the Supermarket Chain of either 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, or 20 years of continuous service.  A record 535 Stater Bros. employees were honored this year, and 5,380 employees have been honored since the first event in 1987.

"I am very proud that so many employees have chosen to make Stater Bros. their career," stated Jack H. Brown, Chairman and CEO of Stater Bros. Markets.  "With America experiencing the worst economy since the Great Depression, it is a great testament to the hard work and dedication of the Stater Bros. Supermarket Family that we are able to honor our long-term employees and continue to have more employees working for the company each year.  It has been said that you judge a person by the Company they keep ... and a Company by the people they keep.  Stater Bros. is very proud of our heritage of service."

Stater Bros. instituted the "Family Service Awards" Program in 1987.  Employees reaching 5, 10 and 15 years of service are recognized with a beautiful gold pin that signifies their years of service.  Those with 20 or more years are invited to the "Family Service Awards" Banquet once every five years.  

This year's "Family Service Awards" Banquet was held at the Riverside Convention Center on Saturday, July 24th.  Every employee was introduced and had their photos taken with Jack Brown, when he personally presented each of them with their "Family Service Awards" Pins.

Stater Bros. was founded in 1936 in Yucaipa, California, and has grown steadily through the years to become the largest privately owned Supermarket Chain in Southern California and the largest private employer in both San Bernardino County and Riverside County, with annual sales in 2009 of $3.77 billion.  The Company currently operates 167 Supermarkets, and there are over 19,000 members of the Stater Bros. Supermarket Family.  Last year, Stater Bros. donated more than $14 million in support of nonprofit organizations in the communities it serves and is the proud recipient of the "2010 Community Service Award" from America's Supermarket Industry.

STATER BROS. MARKETS...SERVING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FAMILIES FOR OVER 74 YEARS

SOURCE Stater Bros.

Back to top

More than 100 food safety reports were submitted by industry to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's new electronic portal in its first months of operation, the agency said today.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090824/FDALOGO)

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090824/FDALOGO)

Mandated by Congress, the Reportable Food Registry (the Registry) is a new system that requires manufacturers, processors, packers and distributors to immediately report to the government safety problems with food and animal feed, including pet food, that are likely to result in serious health consequences.  

"The FDA's new reporting system has already proven itself an invaluable tool to help prevent contaminated food from reaching the public," said FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods Michael R. Taylor.  

A report summarizing the Registry's first seven months of operation (September 2009 -March 2010) finds that it logged 125 primary reports – initial reports about a safety concern with a food or animal feed (including food ingredients) – and 1,638 subsequent reports from suppliers or recipients of a food or feed for which a primary report had been submitted, from both domestic and foreign sources. These reports help FDA and the food industry locate hazardous foods in the supply chain and prevent them from reaching consumers.

Two notable reports first identified through the Registry prompted the following:

• A February 2010 recall of hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), without any report of illness. More than 1,000 industry reports specifically for products containing HVP resulted in the removal of 177 products from commerce.
• A November 2009 recall of products containing sulfites but not labeled as such.  More than 100 reports regarding the inadvertent use of an ingredient containing sulfites in two nationally distributed prepared side dishes that were not labeled as containing sulfites resulted in their removal without any reports of illness.

Among the 125 primary reports, Salmonella accounted for 37 percent of hazards, undeclared allergens or intolerances accounted for 35 percent, and Listeria monocytogenes accounted for 13 percent. Among the 11 different commodity categories involved were: 14 animal feed or pet food, 12 seafood, 11 spices and seasonings, and 10 dairy products. Because the Registry has been operational for only a short period, it is too early to draw inferences concerning patterns of food and feed adulteration.  

"Industry is increasingly detecting contamination incidents through its own testing, and FDA access to this information permits us to better target our inspection resources and verify that appropriate corrective measures have been taken," Taylor said. "Ensuring that the American food supply is safe is a top priority of the FDA, and the Reportable Food Registry strengthens our ability to help prevent foodborne illness."

Under legislation enacted in 2007 that created the Registry, industry must report foods or feeds that present a reasonable probability of serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals to the FDA within 24 hours. The law does not apply to infant formula or dietary supplements, which are covered by other mandatory reporting systems. The Registry does not receive reports about drugs or other medical products, reports about products under the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or reports from consumers.

If information indicates that a food or feed product may have been intentionally adulterated, the FDA immediately notifies the Department of Homeland Security.

For more information:

The Reportable Food Registry Report

http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodSafetyPrograms/RFR/ucm200958.htm

The Reportable Food Registry – At A Glance  

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodSafety/FoodSafetyPrograms/RFR/UCM181885.pdf

Media Inquiries: Ira Allen, 301-796-5349, Ira.Allen@fda.hhs.gov

Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA

SOURCE U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Back to top

RELATED LINKS
http://www.fda.gov/

James Bell and MaryBeth Ellinger, partners at Java Garage, located at 2700 Hanover Pike, recently added U-Haul truck and trailer rentals to the full-service auto repair and coffee shop that they opened in 2008.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090622/LA34860LOGO-b)

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090622/LA34860LOGO-b)

A photo accompanying this release is available at:

http://www.uhaul.com/about/pr_images.aspx?name=JavaGarage

Families needing the finest in moving services now will have increased convenience and a shorter distance to travel when moving, which not only will make their move easier but also will have the positive effect of reducing the amount of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. U-Haul partnering with business owners across North America to increase convenience for customers while helping our environment is just one of the programs that support U-Haul Company's Corporate Sustainability initiatives.

Java Garage can now offer its customers a variety of moving equipment and supplies designed specifically for moving household furnishings, including moving vans, open trailers, closed trailers, furniture pads, appliance dollies, furniture dollies, tow dollies and auto transports. Java Garage also will offer sales items to protect their customers' belongings and make moving easier, such as heavy-duty boxes, which are made of up to 90 percent recycled content and are available in a variety of sizes.

"There was a need for this service in the community and we wanted to increase the exposure of our primary business in this area," Bell and Ellinger said.

"U-Haul is proud to be partnering with a quality independent business such as Java Garage," exclaimed Kwa'Bena Edwards, president, U-Haul Company of Baltimore. "James and Mary Beth are a great example of the type of successful business relationship UHaul has established in order to build and maintain a strong network of more than 15,000 independent dealers across North America."

For more information, or to rent your moving equipment today, call 443-374-3016. Visit them at: www.javagarageautorepair.com. Business hours of operation are: Mon. – Fri. 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Sat.

About U-Haul

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the best choice for the do-it-yourself mover, with a network of more than 15,800 locations in all 50 United States and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to approximately 101,000 trucks, 76,000 trailers and 34,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers more than 395,000 rooms and approximately 35 million square feet of storage space at nearly 1,090 owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the consumer's number one choice as the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. As one of the nation's largest retailers of propane, U-Haul supplies alternative-fuel for vehicles and backyard barbecues.

U-Haul was founded by a Navy veteran who grew up in the Great Depression. Tires and gas were still rationed or in short supply during the late 1940s when U-Haul began serving U.S. customers. Today, that background is central to the U-Haul Sustainability Program: "Serving the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."  Our commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle includes fuel efficient moving vans, neighborhood proximity, moving box reuse, moving pads made from discarded material and packing peanuts that are 100 percent biodegradable.  Learn more about these facts and others at uhaul.com/sustainability.

SOURCE U-Haul

Back to top

Marinela USA is once again teaming with Zumba Fitness to promote health and exercise among America's youth. Beginning July 26, 2010, Marinela will be giving away free ZumbAtomic music CDs in its Baila Como Una Estrella! (Dance Like a Star) online dance contest. One of three free CDs can be found in specially marked boxes of Regular Gansito®, Gansito Chocolate in the new 8-count box, Strawberry Barritas® and Pineapple Barritas products. The Marinela USA Baila Como Una Estrella! online contest provides consumers an opportunity to create their own original ZumbAtomic choreography and submit their dance in an online competition. The grand prize winner will win an all-expense paid trip for four to Orlando, Florida and have an opportunity to perform their dance with a group of professional ZumbAtomic dancers.

"This is our third year to partner with Zumba and promote nutrition and fitness to our youth," said Marinela USA Brand Manager Melisenda Barajas. "Our consumers and retailers love the Marinela ZumbAtomic promotions because it gets kids involved. Based on the tremendous success of our last two promotions, we are increasing our CD giveaway this year to 1.5 million."

Childhood obesity continues to be a growing issue in the United States, especially in the Latino community. In its ongoing efforts to combat this problem, Marinela USA promotes a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet together with exercise. With ZumbAtomic, workouts incorporate easy, yet energetic steps set to Latin rhythms that kids enjoy.

"Childhood obesity can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, and even asthma," said Barajas. "At Marinela USA, we want to stress to young people that changing bad lifestyle habits now can lead to a much healthier future. The solution will not happen overnight. Our efforts are only a small step in the education process."

Consumers can find Marinela ZumbAtomic CDs anywhere Marinela USA products are sold. The contest is open to groups or individuals age 13 or older and is not valid for residents in Florida, Rhode Island or New York. The Marinela Baila Como Una Estrella! promotion runs through September 19, 2010 or while supplies last. Consumers can vote online at www.bailacomoestrella.com for their favorite ZumbAtomic choreography through October 3, 2010. The grand prize winner will be announced October 9, 2010.

About Marinela USA

Marinela USA products are produced by Bimbo Bakeries USA (BBU) which operates 34 bakeries in the United States and distributes top brands such as Arnold®, Bimbo®, Boboli®, Brownberry®, Entenmann's®, Francisco®, Freihofer's®, Marinela®, Mrs Baird's®, Oroweat®, Stroehmann®, Thomas'® and Tia Rosa®, through more than 7,000 routes. Bimbo Bakeries USA is headquartered in Horsham, PA, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mexico's Grupo Bimbo, S.A.B. de C.V., one of the world's largest baking companies with over 108,000 associates and operations in 18 countries throughout the Americas, Europe and China. More information about Marinela USA's full line of products can be found at www.marinelausa.com.

SOURCE Marinela USA

Back to top

RELATED LINKS
http//www.marinelausa.com