CAMP HILL, Pa., May 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Weis Markets today introduced its new Pennsylvania Proud Choice Angus Beef program, which is supplied by Angus producers throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the nation's first locally raised beef program offered by a supermarket chain and it is also the first branded Pennsylvania Angus program. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080514/NEW047 ) The introduction of Weis Markets' Pennsylvania Proud Choice Angus Beef took place at an announcement event held at its Camp Hill store. The event was attended by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff, Weis Markets CEO Norman S. Rich and President and COO David J. Hepfinger, representatives of Pennsylvania Beef Council and local Pennsylvania Angus producers. "Buying local is one of the hottest trends in food today but it's been a hot trend for us since 1912," said Norman S. Rich, Company CEO. "Pennsylvania has a vibrant agricultural economy known for its quality. Last year alone, we purchased more than 19 million pounds of produce from local Pennsylvania producers. Our Pennsylvania Proud Choice Angus Beef is the logical extension of our commitment to buying and selling Pennsylvania's best products. We are proud to be the first supermarket company in the country to offer a local beef program." "Agriculture is Pennsylvania's number one industry thanks to PA Preferred companies like Weis Markets that are committed to buying and selling locally-produced and processed foods," said Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff. "This new program is exciting because it assures consumers they are getting the highest-quality beef marketed under the Department's PA Preferred brand and the Beef Quality Assurance program." Pennsylvania Proud Choice Angus Beef is grain fed, hand-carved and aged a minimum of 20 days. The program features a full line of roasts, steaks, tenderloins and ground beef. The PA Angus cattle are supplied from farms in Lancaster, Schuykill and Chester Counties. Pennsylvania Proud Choice Angus Beef program will be available in 23 Weis Markets stores in Pennsylvania. At the launch, Weis Markets celebrated its Pennsylvania heritage and highlighted its commitment to the PA Preferred program which promotes food made or processed in the state, with samplings of its Pennsylvania Proud Choice Angus Beef and of products from PA Companies including: Wilbur Chocolates, Utz, Tom Sturgis, Berks Packing Company, Country Fresh Mushrooms, Penn Cheese, John F. Martin and Sons and Pellman Foods along with potatoes supplied by the PA Potato Co-op. Founded in 1912, Weis Markets, Inc. currently operates 156 stores in five states: Pennsylvania, where it operates 125 stores, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080514/NEW047 DATASOURCE: Weis Markets CONTACT: Dennis V. Curtin of Weis Markets, +1-570-286-3636,

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