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Leading Brands, Inc. Announces First Shipments Of TREK™, Optimized Performance Beverage; Distributor Response Exceeds Most Optimistic Expectations
VANCOUVER, CANADA - June 18, 2002 - Leading Brands, Inc. LBIX(TSX:LBI), Canada's largest independent, fully integrated premium beverage company, is pleased to announce it is shipping the first cases of its new TREK™ Optimized Performance Beverage(OPB), the scientifically formulated hydration system that delivers the functional elements the body requires to prepare for, sustain and recover from any type of activity. The product will be delivered to select retailers in Canada and to specific markets in the Western, Central and Eastern United States.
Leading Brands Chairman and CEO Ralph D. McRae said, "This day is the culmination of more than two years of persistent effort, creativity and imagination. What started with a vision for a truly unique product has become a convention breaking reality - an entirely new category of beverage that is already generating excitement in distributors and retailers and will soon invigorate the consumer. This is a significant milestone and a very proud moment for our company and all those who contributed to the launch of TREK™."
Leading Brands of America President Bob Miller added, "Distributor reaction to TREK™ has been nothing short of extraordinary. Demand for the product has exceeded our most optimistic forecasts, putting us in the advantageous position of having to ramp-up our production. In all my experience, I have never seen a beverage product that has been received so eagerly by regional and nationwide distributors."
"The rollout of the marketing effort supporting the TREK™ launch is perfectly timed to leverage this shipment," remarked Leading Brands Chief Marketing Officer Howard Wishner. "We'll kick-off July 12-14 at the Telluride 360 Adventure Festival where TREK™ is the Official Beverage, and follow up with a national and regional campaign designed to introduce the brand and educate the consumer on the science behind the Optimized Performance Beverage™ system. We'll be building on the interest and excitement we've seen in the media and beverage community to generate real and significant consumer demand."
TREK™ is the worlds first Optimized Performance Beverage™. More than just refreshments, OPBs are the result of years of intense scientific development and are proven to enhance the hydration process and optimize individual performance, better and faster than any other product on the market. TREK™ is also the first beverage to be delivered in a "Bullet Proof", hot filled PET bottle without unsightly heat panels. The endlessly reusable 20.6 fl oz (620ml) bottle is topped with the innovative, heavy-duty Click Cap™ which opens with a single turn of the wrist and clicks audibly when fully closed. Attached to the Click Cap™ is a removable TREK™branded carabiner that allows the adventurer to firmly secure the bottle during activity. The base of the bottle is molded into a functional compass and the reflective signaling mirror label includes a map ruler on the front and an explanation of the TREK™ system on back. The components of the package would retail independently at a cost of $10 or more - without the beverage. TREK™ ships with a suggested retail price of US$1.99-2.29.
About Leading Brands, Inc.
Leading Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:LBIX) is North America’s only fully integrated premium beverage company. The Company’s unique Integrated Distribution System (IDS) ™ offers turnkey, one-stop shopping to food and beverage brand owners, including manufacturing, distribution, sales/marketing and licensing. In addition, Leading Brands produces their own line of beverages such as TrueBlue®, LiteBlue®, TREK® Natural Sports Drinks, NITRO® Energy Drinks, INFINITY® Health Water™, Country Harvest® Juices, and Caesar’s® Cocktails.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain information contained in this press release includes forward-looking statements. Words such as “believe”, “expect,” “will,” or comparable terms, are intended to identify forward-looking statements concerning the Company’s expectations, beliefs, intentions, plans, objectives, future events or performance and other developments. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof. Such statements speak only as of the date hereof. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s estimations and projections are disclosed in the Company’s securities filings and include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions, weather conditions, changing beverage consumption trends, pricing, availability of raw materials, economic uncertainties (including currency exchange rates), government regulation, managing and maintaining growth, the effect of adverse publicity, litigation, competition and other risk factors described from time to time in securities reports filed by Leading Brands, Inc.
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