USA: Aurora Foods Selects Marketing Specialists Corporation As National Broker

By just-food.com | 18 April 2000

Aurora Foods Inc. (NYSE: AOR), a leading producer and marketer of premium branded foods, today announced it has selected Marketing Specialists Corporation as its national sales and marketing agent for the retail market.Marketing Specialists is one of the largest food brokerages in the United States and is nationally recognized for its sales, marketing and merchandising expertise. The agreement will provide Aurora with full national representation for all its premium brands, which include Duncan Hines® baking mixes, Mrs. Butterworth's® and Log Cabin® syrup, Aunt Jemima® frozen breakfast products, Lender's® bagels, Mrs. Paul's® and Van de Kamp's® frozen seafood and Celeste® pizza."By teaming up with Marketing Specialists, Aurora will further enhance and grow its portfolio of well recognized brands across the country," said James T. Smith, the newly appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Aurora Foods. "This partnership will make Aurora a more fully integrated and efficient business and allow the Company to increase its focus on its customers. In addition, by working with a dedicated broker team, Aurora will be able to reduce its costs of sales going forward."Added Gerald Leonard, President and CEO of Marketing Specialists, "We have worked with Aurora over the last several years and delivered strong results in several of their key retailing accounts. We now look forward to expanding this relationship to deliver greater value to Aurora and its customers."