Lifeway Foods Recognized in Kroger Awards Program for Outstanding Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses
April 21 2004 - 1:58PM
PR Newswire (US)
Lifeway Foods Recognized in Kroger Awards Program for Outstanding
Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses MORTON GROVE, Ill., April 21
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lifeway Foods, Inc. , the country's
leading supplier of a yogurt-like beverage called kefir, has been
honored by The Kroger Co. as one of 80 Outstanding Minority-Owned
and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) for 2003. Lifeway is
headed by Julie Smolyansky, who holds the dual posts of CEO and
president. Criteria for selection in Kroger's inaugural awards
program included quality of product or service, innovation and
presentation of new ideas, performance, and sales volume. Vendors
were nominated by corporate and division buyers and merchandisers.
The firms recognized by Kroger provide retail products or services
for sale in Kroger's stores, and not-for-resale products and
services. Lifeway sells its kefir and related products in
Kroger-operated stores throughout the country. "This recognition
from a major retailer is a strong endorsement of our products, our
sellthrough, and our ability to forge solid and lasting
relationships with our customers," Smolyansky said. "We are honored
to be included in Kroger's list." "Supplier diversity is an
important part of Kroger's business strategy, and we're proud to
honor the talented partners that have played such an integral role
in our success," said Don McGeorge, Kroger president and chief
operating officer. "We believe this recognition will help express
our appreciation to our outstanding M/WBE business partners and
inform other M/WBE companies that Kroger is continually seeking
qualified vendors for all areas of our business. Kroger's goal is
to be sure that our suppliers reflect the broad diversity of the
customers and marketplaces we serve." Headquartered in Cincinnati,
Ohio, Kroger is one of the nation's largest retail grocery chains.
At the end of fiscal 2003, the Company operated (either directly or
through its subsidiaries) 2,532 supermarkets and multi- department
stores in 32 states under two dozen banners including Kroger,
Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, King Soopers, Smith's, Fry's,
Fry's Marketplace, Dillons, QFC and City Market. Kroger also
operated (either directly, through its subsidiaries or franchise
agreements) 802 convenience stores, 440 fine jewelry stores, 466
supermarket fuel centers and 41 food processing plants. For more
information, visit http://www.kroger.com/ . Lifeway, named
Chicago's 28th fastest-growing public firm by Crain's Chicago
Business in 2003, is a manufacturer of cultured, probiotic and
functional food products in the health food industry, and is
America's leading supplier of the cultured dairy product known as
kefir. The Company markets 12 flavors of kefir and does a
successful business exporting its products to Canada. The Company
also participates in the organic and soy markets with Lifeway
Organic(TM), Organic Kefir and Kefir Cheese, and America's first
soy kefir called SoyTreat(TM). For more information, contact Julie
Smolyansky, President, Lifeway Foods, Inc. at (847) 967-1010,
e-mail at , or visit http://www.kefir.com/ . This press release
contains forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that
actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements involve risk and
uncertainties including, but not limited to, competitive pressures
and other important factors detailed in the Company's annual
reports on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. DATASOURCE: Lifeway Foods, Inc. CONTACT: Press, Lauren
Berg for Lifeway Foods, Inc., +1-847-415-9338, Web site:
http://www.kroger.com/ http://www.kefir.com/
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