YoCream International Awarded Million Dollar Frozen Custard
Contract By Runza(R) RestaurantsPORTLAND, Ore., June 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/SOURCE YOCREAM International, Inc.
YoCream International, Inc. (Nasdaq: YOCM) said today that it has signed a two-year contract to supply its soft frozen custard to Runza(R) Restaurants, a 64-unit chain based in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Runza(R) Restaurants frozen custard program will be initiated during June, 2002, in 51 company and franchise-owned stores throughout various sized markets across Nebraska. The custard product will enhance the current dessert menu, providing customers with additional opportunity to add on to their meal order. "In a recent 45-day test market, YoCream(R) frozen custard produced increased sales in the mid-afternoon and late evening day-parts as well as improved our average check size," said Donald Everett, Jr., President of Runza(R) Restaurants. "This high quality frozen custard fits well with our restaurant concept and our customer taste preferences." YoCream International was selected after a competitive bidding process during first quarter 2002. In addition to offering frozen custard cones and cups, Runza(R) Restaurants will also be serving sundaes and premium custard shakes. Custard machines will be installed chain-wide by March 1, 2003. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20011003/SFW058LOGO-b ) "We're excited to meet the needs of Runza(R) Restaurants with our frozen custard and are pleased to be recognized as an industry leader in the frozen desserts category," said Tyler Bargas, Director of Sales & Marketing, YoCream International, Inc. "Our focus on this segment of the food service industry affords us the ability to specialize in bringing top-quality products to market and at the same time fulfill the individual needs of our business partners." YoCream(R) Frozen Custard, introduced in 2001, is a true frozen custard with more than 10% milk fat, 10% nonfat milk solids, and 1.4% egg yolk solids. "We anticipate that this new account will generate approximately $900,000 to $1,400,000 in revenue over the next 12 to 18 months for YoCream International," said Bargas. Runza(R) Restaurants is famous for the Runza(R) Sandwich with its delicious blend of ground beef, cabbage, onions and secret spices baked inside homemade bread; fresh ground hamburgers; and onion rings. The chain founded in 1949, operates and franchises 64 restaurants in Nebraska, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas and South Dakota. For more information about Runza(R) Restaurants, call 402-423-2394 or log onto http://www.runza.com. YoCream International, Inc., with corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility in Portland, OR, is a pioneer and leading producer of frozen yogurt. Founded in 1977, YoCream(R) makes, markets and sells frozen yogurt, ice cream, frozen custard, and smoothies to an established and expanding global marketplace. With a proven history of producing the highest quality product and providing solution-based customer service, YoCream International is an industry leader poised for long-term growth. For more information about YoCream(R), call 1-800-YOCREAM (962-7326) or log on to http://www.yocream.com.
Web Site: http://www.yocream.com
For more information, contact Terry Lusetti, YoCream Investor Relations, 503-256-3754