SC Johnson Reaches Agreement to Acquire Sara Lee's Global Household Insecticides Business

Will Add Ridsect(R), Bloom(R), Catch(R), Cucal(R), Pyrel(R), Vapona(R), and Fumitox(R) Brands

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Jun 15, 2010, 08:30 ET

RACINE, Wis., June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- SC Johnson is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement to acquire Sara Lee's global household insecticides business, marketer of products under the Ridsect®, Bloom®, Catch®, Cucal®, Pyrel®, Vapona®, and Fumitox® brands. These brands are well recognized across 41 countries throughout Asia, Europe, Russia and Africa.

Sara Lee, the U.S.-based company, is best known for products including Sara Lee baked goods, Hillshire Farm® and Jimmy Dean® meats, and Douwe Egberts®, Pickwick®, and Senseo® beverages. The pest control business is part of Sara Lee's Household and Body Care unit. SC Johnson is purchasing the pest control portion of that unit.

"We are pleased that this deal, and the addition of the Ridsect®, Bloom®, Catch®, Cucal®, Pyrel®, Vapona®, and Fumitox® brands, helps SC Johnson further extend its reach to even more families around the globe for whom pest control products provide invaluable health protection," said SC Johnson Chairman and CEO Fisk Johnson.

SC Johnson expects the deal to be finalized by the end of the year after the customary regulatory clearances and is currently working on transition plans for the business.

As a private company, SC Johnson does not disclose details regarding financial or business transactions.

About SC Johnson

SC Johnson is a family-owned and managed business dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, and insect control. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE®, OFF!®, PLEDGE®, RAID®, SCRUBBING BUBBLES®, SHOUT®, WINDEX® and ZIPLOC® in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN®, BAYGON®, BRISE®, ECHO®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, and MR. MUSCLE®. The 124-year-old company, with more than $8 billion in sales, employs approximately 12,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world. www.scjohnson.com

About Sara Lee Corporation

Each and every day, Sara Lee (NYSE: SLE) delights millions of consumers and customers around the world. The company has one of the world's best-loved and leading portfolios with its innovative and trusted food, beverage, household and body care brands, including Ambi Pur, Ball Park, Douwe Egberts, Hillshire Farm, Jimmy Dean, Kiwi, Sanex, Sara Lee and Senseo. Collectively, these brands generate almost $13 billion in annual net sales covering approximately 180 countries. The Sara Lee community consists of 41,000 employees worldwide. Please visit www.saralee.com for the latest news and in-depth information about Sara Lee and its brands.