Baking & Snack - August 2006 - 23

NEWS FRONT
Shearer's named
official snack
provider
Shearer's Foods, Inc., Brewster, OH,
became the official snack food provider of the 25th annual Grand Prix
of Cleveland. The 2006 Champ Car
World series of races was held Friday,
June 23, through Sunday, June 25, at
Cleveland's Burke Lakefront Airport.
The 2.1-mile road course event attracted 100,000 spectators.
"The new team owners, Mi-Jack
Promotions, have partnered with
Shearer's to create a truly exciting
event, and we look forward to building on this year's success for the long
term," said Paul Smith, Shearer's manager of marketing and management.
In other company news, Shearer's
raised more than $1,000 for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life of
Massillon and Western Stark County
in Ohio. As a Bronze-level sponsor for
the June event, the Shearer's group
joined 24 other teams in supporting
cancer research and providing programs and services for patients and
their family members.

Horizon Milling to buy Canadian
Business from Smucker
Horizon Milling, Minneapolis, MN, reached
agreement to acquire
the Canadian grainbased food service and
industrial businesses of
Smucker Foods of Canada Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of The J. M. Smucker Co.,
Orrville, OH. The transaction is expected to close by the end of September, subject to
regulatory approval.
As part of the transaction, Horizon is set to acquire three flour milling operations in
Montreal; Port Colborne, ON; and Saskatoon, SK; as well as two dry baking mixing facilities
in Montreal, QB, and Burlington, ON. The company also will acquire certain operations
related to Smucker Canadian corporate services in Markham and Rexdale, ON.
"We are excited about this opportunity to participate in the Canadian baking industry
and to create more opportunities for its bakery customers," said Guy Shoemaker, president
of Horizon Milling. "Our commitment is to build on the significant contributions of the
Smucker Co. Additionally, this acquisition complements our broader bakery strategy to
provide distinctive customer solutions in supply-chain optimization, product formulation,
and risk management."
Smucker has been looking for a buyer for the Canadian grain-based food service and
industrial businesses since shortly after it acquired the businesses as part of the International
Multifoods acquisition in 2004. A little more than a year and a half ago, Smucker sold its
US food service and bakery products businesses, as well as its Canadian locations operated
under the Gourmet Baker name for approximately $43 million to Columbus, OH-based
Value Creation Partners Inc.
Smucker said it will continue to market and distribute Robin Hood branded products
through Canadian retail channels along with its Bick's, Smucker's, Jif, and Crisco brands.
Through a co-packing agreement, Horizon Milling will provide branded retail baking products, including Robin Hood flour, to the Smucker Co.

Le Boulanger celebrates 25 years
In recognition of its 25th anniversary, Le
Boulanger Bakery, Sunnyvale, CA, will
launch its first-ever recipe search and contest to find the next bakery or café item for
the Le Boulanger menu.
Through 5 p.m., Aug. 25, entrants can
submit a recipe for bread, muffins, soups,
sandwiches, salads or other baked foods
that complement the Le Boulanger menu.
Recipe submissions will be judged on creativity, tastefulness, product appearance and
fit within the Le Boulanger menu line.
First prize is three nights for two at the
Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, NV, with air fare, accommodations, show and dinner at Mon Ami

24 / BAKING & SNACK / August 2006

Gabi in the Paris Hotel. Second prize is two
nights at the Vintage Inn, Napa Valley, CA,
and dinner at French Laundry. Third prize is

an overnight stay at Hotel Monaco, San Francisco, CA, and dinner at Fleur de Lys.
"We're looking for the next best Le Boulanger bakery product," said Dan Brunello,
Le Boulanger c.e.o. "We think our friends
and customers are the best people to help
us with our search."
The 25th Anniversary Gala celebration
will be at the Sunnyvale headquarters.
Winners will compete at the Gala event in
a "taste-off " of the top five recipe submissions, and a winner will be selected.
Le Boulanger is family-owned and operated with 17 locations throughout the San
Francisco Bay Area.

Baking & Snack - August 2006

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