KROGER CO. TO BE FIRST IN U.S. TO CARRY NEW LINE OF POPEYE BREAD PRODUCTS IN PARTICIPATING STORES

POPEYE® AND OLIVE OYL® SCHEDULED TO APPEAR WHEN LINE SETS SAIL AT KROGER’S CINCINNATI HEADQUARTERS EVENT ON MARCH 27

Wimpy won’t need to wait ‘til Tuesday to pay for his hamburgers anymore. Beginning March 31, he can go to nearly 850 participating Kroger-owned stores any day to buy his very own line of hamburger rolls, as well as three other bread products branded with members of the Popeye family of cartoon characters. Participating Kroger-owned banners are: Kroger, Pay Less, Hilander, Owen’s, Kessel Food Markets and Chicago-area Food 4 Less stores.

Kroger is the first chain in the country to launch the line of four different bread products featuring the images and likenesses of the popular cartoon characters. The line includes a healthier and heartier calcium-enriched Popeye White Bread; naturally sweet, Swee’ Pea Honey Wheat Bread; Olive Oyl Hot Dog Buns; and of course, Wimpy Hamburger Rolls – which are bigger and better for holding larger, juicier burgers.

The company plans to mark the occasion at a festive “Popeye Party” in the lobby of Kroger’s corporate headquarters on March 27. Popeye and Olive Oyl are scheduled to appear.

The Popeye line of bread products is being launched to coincide with The Hearst Corporation’s planned promotional activities designed around next year’s 75th anniversary for its beloved cartoon character, Popeye the Sailor. The bread packaging will cross-promote special Popeye anniversary activities and events into the kitchens of America’s families. Meanwhile, the planned anniversary activities will offer unique and exclusive promotional and media opportunities for Popeye Breads to advertise to a targeted audience of moms, dads and their kids.

The Long Island-based licensee, Animated Foods, is a food marketing service company with a specialty in the distribution of fresh baked goods. Animated acquired the rights to use the Popeye family of characters from the Hearst Corporation’s unit, King Features Syndicate, when they first learned of the Hearst plans for the 75th anniversary celebration.

The back panel of each package is reserved for promotional partners. The coordination of the efforts to acquire partners, as well as the marketing efforts to promote the sale of Popeye Bread products, are represented exclusively by New York-based Schramm Sports & Entertainment, Inc.

King Features Syndicate

The Popeye® family of characters are ©2003 King Features Syndicate, Inc. ™Hearst Holdings, Inc.