ConAgra Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG), one of America’s leading branded food companies, has formed an innovative alliance with Wolfgang Puck, one of America’s most celebrated chefs, to develop gourmet food products that consumers can easily prepare and serve at home.
Wolfgang Puck has been creating premier food products and operating restaurants since the founding of Spago in 1982. By joining forces, Puck and ConAgra Foods will manufacture, market and distribute gourmet foods in mainstream categories such as frozen entrees, pizzas, and side dishes under the Wolfgang Puck name. Financial terms were not disclosed.
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ConAgra Foods chairman and chief executive officer Bruce Rohde commented, “Our goal is to provide consumers with a convenient and enjoyable gourmet eating experience in a home setting. Our new alliance with master chef Wolfgang Puck will deliver the great taste of a restaurant dining experience with all of the ease and convenience that busy, hungry people expect.”
Wolfgang Puck added, “We know that people want the fresh flavors and superior taste of Spago. What we are going to do is deliver a fresher and more flavorful taste to consumers in the convenience of their own homes. With my experience along with ConAgra Foods’ capabilities, we’re going to raise the culinary awareness and enrich the food experience at the supermarket.”
Puck described the new venture with ConAgra Foods as widening the circle of the Wolfgang Puck experience. “This is the next, exciting step in taking my food to more people, right to their corner grocery store. We see this alliance as an enormous opportunity to create the kind of great-tasting servings that have built my reputation. It is an avenue to bring our great recipes, quality ingredients and innovative flavors into American homes and kitchens across the nation.
“The alliance is a win-win for everyone,” said Puck. “We are partnering with a company that has tremendous size, scale and experience in the food business.”
Rohde noted, “Wolfgang is extraordinarily creative with food. We love the food business, and provide food for all eating occasions and eating locations. The combination holds great potential for exciting, new taste and quality experiences in prepared food for consumers.”
ConAgra Foods, Inc. is North America’s largest foodservice manufacturer and second largest retail food supplier, with annualized sales of approximately $27 billion. ConAgra Foods’ consumer brands include such well-known brands as Hunt’s tomato products, Healthy Choice, Banquet, Armour, Bumble Bee, Louis Kemp, La Choy, Wesson, Country Pride, Blue Bonnet, Kid Cuisine, Parkay, Reddi-wip, Marie Callender’s, Cook’s, Swift Premium, Butterball, ACT II, Slim Jim, Decker, Chef Boyardee, Orville Redenbacher’s, PAM Cooking Spray, Snack Pack, Van Camp’s, Peter Pan, Hebrew National, and Swiss Miss. For more information, please visit us at www.conagrafoods.com.
Wolfgang Puck operates 42 restaurant locations including fine dining concepts, Spago, Chinois, Postrio, and Trattoria Del Lupo and casual dining concepts Wolfgang Puck Grand Cafe, Cafe, and Express. Wolfgang has authored multiple cookbooks including the recently published “Pizza, Pasta, and More.” Wolfgang Puck and the Food Network also recently announced a new Wolfgang Puck television show that launched January 12, 2001. The Wolfgang Puck brand name extends to superior value cookware with gourmet cooking features. For the best recipes, cooking tips, and information about Wolfgang’s restaurants, please visit www.wolfgangpuck.com.
