Seaway Valley Capital Corporation Releases Update
October 08 2008 - 9:04AM
Business Wire
Seaway Valley Capital Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: SWYV)
(�Seaway Valley�) (www.seawayvalleycapitalcorp.com) chairman and
chief executive officer, Thomas W. Scozzafava, issued the following
update to its shareholders today: Dear Shareholders: Despite the
uncertainty surrounding the recent events in financial markets, the
Company continues to make significant strides in the underlying
businesses in its growing portfolio. The following is a brief
overview of the Company�s recent business activities and certain
goals for the near future. Hackett�s - While management converts
the three remaining WiseBuys stores, it continues to move forward
with opportunities for new store development. Most recently
Hackett�s management announced the signing of a Letter of Intent
for a new 41,000 square foot store in Lake Placid, NY, and it has
received a draft lease agreement for one other store in the region.
If opened, each store would be projected to generate revenues of
$3-$4 million per store. Operationally, Hackett�s has initiated the
exploration of meaningful merchandise procurement directly from
manufacturers � both domestic and overseas. Management feels
Hackett�s has reached the certain critical mass that is required to
make negotiating, purchasing, consolidating and shipping �
particularly from overseas suppliers � economically viable. To this
end, Hackett�s has initiated and will continue to cultivate
relationships with manufacturers whereby it can purchase at greater
discounts that both drive profitability and higher sales. Seaway
Valley and Hackett�s continue acquisition discussions with a
regional retailer that achieved calendar 2007 revenues of over $15
million and profits of about $550,000. The transaction, if
consummated, would complement Hackett�s business and management
team with diversified merchandise offering and proven operators.
Additionally, the Company is exploring the possibility of
investment or acquisition of certain synergistic consumer products
companies. Sackets Harbor Brewing Company - Sackets Harbor Brewing
Company maintains its remarkable growth. The Company has recently
received inquiries from major distributors with large geographic
footprints, and we anticipate consummating at least one major
distributing agreement in the coming months. We are also seeking
strategic retail alliances that will more quickly build brand
awareness. As reported previously, management also will seek to
build its portfolio of beer brands through opportunistic brand
acquisitions. Alteri Bakery, Inc. and Seaway Restaurant Group -
Alteri Bakery, Inc., continues to make progress in streamlining
operations, and the bakery recently won contracts to provide baked
goods to a number of local schools. Alteri supplies all of the
Jreck Sub franchises its rolls and certain deserts and is exploring
other unique goods to introduce to the marketplace. At Seaway
Restaurant Group (�SRG�) we continue discussions with various
parties for potential development of its most popular proprietary
restaurant concepts: �Good Fello�s Brick Oven Pizza and Wine Bar�
and �The 1812 Brewpub.� Additionally, management is working on a
new concept for the former �Cantina�, which it intends to roll out
in the Spring of 2009. Because the SRG restaurants are
fine-but-affordable cuisine, management feels we are positioned
well for any prolonged economic slump. Seaway Ventures - Seaway
Valley will also continue to evaluate other acquisitions and
investments in industries such as technology and manufacturing. The
Company recently established North Country Farms, LLC to build
production facilities based on regionally harvested crops such as
wheat, corn, and barley. Because of increased transportation costs
and a growing demand for local goods, the partners in NCF feel
there may be significant opportunities for such a niche.
Additionally, Seaway Valley is exploring the possibility of an
investment in another early stage technology venture. Other - Over
the next several months, Seaway�s senior management team will be
seeking to align itself with a financial party with a long-term
investment horizon. To date, Seaway, through creative deal
structuring and financings, has been able to establish itself as a
significant entity with assets of over $32 million and expected
2008 revenues well in excess of $20 million. Notwithstanding the
importance of these financings and deal structures in the creation
and rapid development of the Company, the disparate nature and
potential dilutive impact of certain of these financings is not
desired by management and make it difficult to create lasting
shareholder value for all shareholders. To this end, management is
seeking to raise significant long term capital whereby certain
proceeds would be used to at least partially recapitalize the
company through the repayment or elimination of many of these
instruments and to also fund Seaway�s core business growth.
Although our ability to transact and timing of such a capital raise
is uncertain, management is committed to pursuing it, and
discussions with qualified parties are already underway. Safe
Harbor Statement This press release contains statements that may
constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the
Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Those statements include statements regarding the intent, belief or
current expectations of the Company, and members of their
management as well as the assumptions on which such statements are
based. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance
and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may
differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking
statements. Important factors currently known to management that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those in
forward-statements include fluctuation of operating results, the
ability to compete successfully and the ability to complete
before-mentioned transactions. The company undertakes no obligation
to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed
assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to
future operating results.