Chattanooga Bakery, Inc. expands into Elmore County

February 19, 2009

Chattanooga Bakery, Inc. acquires

Betsy’s Gourmet Bakery of Millbrook, AL

Chattanooga, TN (2.12.09) Chattanooga Bakery, Inc., maker of the iconic MoonPie® brand marshmallow sandwich, recently purchased Betsy’s Gourmet Bakery of Millbrook, AL, maker of Betsy’s Straws and Sweet Straws.

Founded in 1998 by Betsy Parker and her daughter-in-law, Ashley Parker, Betsy’s produces 7 flavors of gourmet straws – Classic Cheddar, Hot Classic Cheddar, Chive, Blue Cheese, Pecan, Raspberry and Lemon-Lime – available in 4 oz. boxes and 8, 12 and 16 oz. tins. Known for their homemade taste and premium, all-natural ingredients, the Betsy’s brand can be found in gift and specialty food accounts across Alabama and the Southeast as well as online at www.betsyscheesestraws.com.

“For years, we’ve been looking for the right brand to purchase to expand into the specialty food market,” commented Sam Campbell, President of Chattanooga Bakery, Inc. “When we found Betsy’s, the fit became obvious very quickly – a superior quality product, great packaging, and a well-managed company we could step right into and run with. We’re very excited to add Betsy’s to our brand lineup.”

The Betsy’s phenomenon all started one day in Betsy’s Parkers kitchen when her son, Bob, bragged on the cheese straws she’d just made and told her she needed to start selling them. Ashley, Bob’s fiancé at the time, quickly indicated her interest in helping with the marketing. As Betsy tells it, “That was all it took to get the ball rolling. Through many experimental batches and much prayer, we have developed 7 delicious flavors and a lifetime of happy memories.”

Chattanooga Bakery was founded in 1902 as a subsidiary of the Mountain City Flour Mill. A fourth generation, family-owned business, the company made nearly 100 snack cake and cookie items under the Lookout™ trademark, named after the popular residential and tourist community near Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain. In 1917, after a brainstorming conversation between a bakery salesman and some Appalachian coal miners, the MoonPie® was born, and by the late 1930’s was the bakery’s #1 seller, a spot it still occupies today. MoonPies are available in three sizes (Original, Double-Decker® and Mini) and six flavors (Chocolate, Vanilla, Banana, Lemon, Orange & Strawberry). Distribution is national, with particular strength in the Southeast and Southwest. The brand can be found in Grocery, Mass, Club, Drug, Convenience, Vending, Foodservice and a number of specialty retail outlets.

Websites:

www.betsyscheesestraws.com www.moonpie.com