ARROYO GRANDE, Calif./PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Today's food-savvy consumers turn to their favorite cooking shows and Internet resources when looking for new food products and meal ideas that are quick and unique. SunRoma Inc. is introducing its golden tomatoes and two delicious recipes in advertorial-style FoodBytes on the Food Network and FoodTV.com, just in time for the busy holidays. The Food Network began airing its Food Byte advertorials featuring SunRoma Golden Tomatoes and recipes on November 16, 2001 and will continue the campaign through March 2002.

"Our SunRoma recipes are designed for busy families who want to prepare fast and delicious meals at home," says Linda Walsh, vice president of marketing at SunRoma. "These entrees can be ready to eat within 30 minutes and are created by combining our canned golden tomatoes with simple ingredients that most people have on hand. Both the Golden Pasta Primavera and the Golden Tortilla Soup dishes lend themselves to the unique sweetness, flavor, color and texture found only in SunRoma Golden Tomatoes."

These golden tomatoes are naturally milder than regular red canned tomatoes and go perfectly with poultry and seafood as well as in classic tomato recipes. SunRoma is the only company offering this proprietary variety of Golden Roma(TM) tomatoes. After the company's recent abundant harvest, SunRoma is focused on getting their products in the hands and mouths of home chefs by showing them easy and surprising new ways to use golden tomatoes. The company states that these golden tomatoes perform much better in cooking compared to the fresh yellow varieties that are limited in availability.

"We are thrilled that SunRoma chose to partner with Food Network to generate consumer awareness for this truly unique, new food product," says Karen Grinthal, senior vice president of advertising sales at Food Network.

SunRoma chose the Food Network and FoodTV.com because it reaches their market for its new and unique product line. Food Network reaches more than 68 million homes who tune in to learn about food from a variety of shows hosted by celebrity chefs and culinary experts. SunRoma FoodBytes will air adjacent to regular programming and demonstrate each complete SunRoma recipe in 60 seconds. Viewers are then guided to visit the Web site at www.foodtv.com/foodbytes to print the recipes, view the FoodBytes through streaming video technology and link to the company's special sponsored Web site area at www.sunroma.com/foodtv for purchase information and more golden tomato recipes.

Once at SunRoma's link, consumers will find grocery store locations where they can purchase SunRoma Golden Tomato products. Those retailers will be stocking various combinations of whole peeled, diced, sliced and strips in 14.5 oz. and 28 oz. sizes. Participating retailers will have SunRoma product displayed with "As Sponsored on the Food Network" signage and special promotional pricing. For consumers who cannot locate a local grocer carrying Sun Roma products, a special link from foodtv.com leads consumers to SunRoma.com where a special Home Chef pack is available to order online. It includes a 28 oz can each of whole peeled, diced and strips and sells at $8.99 per three-pack. Consumers can try both Sun Roma FoodByte recipes and have one can left over to keep in the pantry for those last-minute meal decisions.

"As an integrated sponsor at Food Network, we are building an effective model that is a totally integrated marketing and sales effort to introduce an all-new food product," says SunRoma's chairman, Craig Machado. "We are reaching the home chef market to provide demonstrations, recipes and create a shortcut for consumers to either find a store that carries our products or purchase directly online. It's the perfect marriage of broadcast and online media to introduce a brand new product and drive sales."

About SunRoma, Inc.

SunRoma holds the exclusive license to a specific tomato seed-the Golden Roma(TM) process variety. The beauty of this variety is that it is the world's only process-style yellow tomato. Because of this, the raw material can stand up to the rigors of commercial growing, harvesting and processing without compromising flavor, texture or color. Development of this variety has been a twelve-year effort of hybrid work, lead by Dr. Kanti Rawal, renowned tomato geneticist and also one of the company's founders. In addition to the ingredient line, the company produces canned foodservice and retail products. SunRoma Golden Tomato products can be purchased online at www.sunroma.com .

SOURCE Sun Roma, Inc.