Allens Announces Strategic Repositioning, Plans for Growth

SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark., March 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Allens, Inc., a U.S. based vegetable leader, announces plans to strategically reposition its brand for growth by selling four of its six frozen vegetable operations to The Bonduelle Group. The transaction will allow the Allens organization to focus intently in the future on its core competencies:  canned and Southern-style frozen vegetables.  The transaction, which is anticipated to close in late March 2012, is structured as an asset purchase and concerns operations and a total of approximately 400 permanent employees of plants in the Bergen, New York; Oakfield, New York; Brockport, New York; and Fairwater, Wisconsin areas.  The purchase includes the Chill Ripe brand and the frozen Garden Classics brand, as well as a license to use certain brand names owned by Allens in the frozen business for a limited transitional period. 

As part of its renewed commitment to the canned and Southern-style frozen vegetable category, Allens will continue to own and operate its two Montezuma, Georgia facilities following the transaction, which specialize in frozen breaded vegetable products and Southern-style frozen vegetables. 

"We're excited to put a renewed focus on the core of our business and the market segments we are most passionate about," shares Rick Allen, President and CEO of Allens, Inc.  "With this renewed concentration, we anticipate greater growth, more innovation and even better customer service and product quality.  We're excited about what this will mean to the marketplace and to our customers and partners, overall."

Recently, in an effort to further the focus on canned and Southern-style products, Allens has also invested in growing their expertise, capabilities and capacity in three additional operations:  Arkansas, Wisconsin and North Carolina.  This investment expanded the brand's canned and Southern-style operations and has positioned the company, overall, to better meet current growing demands as well as future growth needs.  Additionally, Allens has added technology, equipment and resources that has allowed the company to bring quality product to market faster – while also continuing to move forward to a robust, year-round operation within canned and Southern-style operations.

About Allens Inc.
Allens Inc., a national leader in canned and frozen vegetables since 1926, is family-owned and operated in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Every Allens vegetable is proudly grown and packed in North America. Allens vegetables are sold nationally and internationally with 6 manufacturing plants throughout the United States in Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

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SOURCE Allens, Inc.