LAWRENCEVILLE, GA., March 24, 2001, (PR Newswire) --- Moving quickly to capitalize on its expanding network of food marketing specialists and competitive advantages it maintains in pricing, nutritional, and product content, Cherokee Foods today launched marketing efforts of its innovative food products to school districts across the nation.

The announcement was made by Ms. Lenna Gordon, president of the company, at the American Commodity Distribution Association Annual National Conference in Greensboro, N.C. Ms. Gordon said the firm has secured school food supply contracts in the states of Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, as well as Pennsylvania, Arizona and California.

"We have enjoyed a fast track acceptance of our portfolio of food products and services by school food service directors," Ms. Gordon said. "Our mission is to deliver more nutritious and better tasting food to students ever more efficiently," she added.

Cherokee Foods processes chicken products offered to schools through USDA-sponsored commodity programs in a different manner than has previously been available to this market. "Our products answer to and over perform upon USDA standards by minimizing filler and other additives and using only 'whole muscle' and 'breast meat' poultry product," Ms. Gordon said. "Our products contain no skin, fillers or other additives. Cherokee Foods offers 100% solid muscle and breast meat products that are not offered in the current marketplace. Ours is a much 'cleaner' product and certainly one that is healthier for the children."

Cherokee services include point of sale marketing and merchandising support to help sell these enhanced school lunch menu choices.  The company provides marketing tools to effectively communicate with students and faculty members so that there is a greater awareness of the quality and taste upgrades that Cherokee products offer. The nutritional value aspect of the Cherokee Foods universe of food selections is a major part of the firm's focus and, according to Ms. Gordon and her team of seasoned industry managers, will key efforts to establish the company as a major source of school food service products.

"Kids across the nation deserve better than they're getting right now," she added, "and the current situation is a reflection not on the dedicated school food professionals, but on the options available to these professionals for the delivery of commodity food items available to youngsters through USDA-sponsored programs."

Cherokee Foods competes for market share with these industry giants: Tyson Foods (NYSE:TSN), ConAgra (NYSE:CAG), Goldkist Farms, Brakebush Foods, and Zartic Foods. But the firm's managers are confident that their plans to address school food service directors in a manner that answers their needs, from cost containment to nutritional goals to enhanced value and product selection, coupled with its status as a privately held, female-owned corporation, will likely resonate within this target market and associated decision-makers, including school boards and parents.

Visit Cherokee Foods at http://www.CherokeeFoods.com

Lawrenceville, Georgia-based Cherokee Foods provides USDA-certified and inspected enhanced processing of commodity foods for schools, healthcare facilities, military and prison market segments for distribution in the United States. The firm's overall corporate theme mirrors the goals of the professionals it supports-food service directors nationwide: to provide exceptional tastes and superior values.

SOURCE Cherokee Foods, LLC