NESTLÉ USA RECEIVES IGA 2004 RED OVAL AWARD OF DISTINCTION

CHICAGO, IL - IGA today announced Nestlé USA has been awarded the 2004 Red Oval Award of Distinction for Extraordinary Commitment. IGA Global Contact Don Dobie accepted the traveling Red Oval Award on behalf of the company on March 16th at IGA’s 2004 Global Summit in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

The award is given each year to two Red Oval Family partners; one to the partner that exhibits extraordinary commitment to IGA, the other, to the partner that exhibits extraordinary growth in support of IGA. Criteria for the award is focused largely on participation in the Red Oval Advisory Committee, support of IGA events, and IGA Grocergram Advertising.

“Throughout 2003, Nestlé USA repeatedly proved its dedication to IGA through its support of all major marketing events and the translation of the IGA Institute’s online training manual, as well as the sponsorship of the Supermarket Operations College and the International Retailers of the Year Awards trip,” said Bill Benzing, executive vice president and Chief Growth Officer. “We at IGA extend our thanks to Nestlé USA and to IGA contacts Don Dobie, John Klein and Jerry Borders in particular. Their unwavering commitment to IGA has sparked a bond that will no doubt continue to grow in the coming years.”

“We are extremely honored to have been given the Red Oval Award for Extraordinary Commitment,” Dobie said. “We at Nestlé pledge to continue our efforts to support the independent grocers in the IGA System.”

IGA, the only global supermarketer based in the United States, is the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $21 billion per year. The Alliance includes more than 4,000 Hometown Proud Supermarkets worldwide, supported by 36 distribution companies and more the 55 major manufacturers, vendors and suppliers encompassing everything from grocery to equipment items. IGA ranks in the top 10 in world food supermarketing. IGA has operations in 48 of the United States and more than 40 countries, commonwealths and territories on all six inhabited continents.