Contact:
Jennifer Tilliss, Linhart PR
303-951-2566
jtilliss@linhartpr.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ganeden Biotech and Agostoni Chocolate Announce Private Label Probiotic Chocolates

Innovative private label chocolate program gives brand managers functional snack offer that hits on two hot consumer categories: probiotics and premium chocolate

CLEVELAND (August 25, 2010) – Ganeden Biotech Inc., makers of the patented probiotic strain GanedenBC^30®, and Agostoni Chocolate, an Italian farm-to-bar producer of all natural premium chocolates, today announced Chocolate Plus Private Label, the first store brand functional snack program to bring together GanedenBC^30® probiotic with an award-winning premium Italian dark chocolate.

Designed to fit into retailer’s confectionary and wellness supplement categories, the Chocolate Plus Private Label program offers a mix-and-match approach for product feature and pricing flexibility.  Retailers start with the popular health benefits of Agostoni’s premium Italian dark chocolate—70 percent for a high cocoa content or 60 percent for a softer flavor profile—and can opt to sell the chocolate with the GanedenBC^30® probiotic alone, or offer a chocolate bar that includes GanedenBC^30® probiotic plus toasted flax seed, which contributes additional Omega oils.

Beyond choices in flavor and ingredients, the Chocolate Plus Private Label program gives retailers the option of two chocolate bar sizes: either a bite-sized 0.5 ounce mini-bar or a 1.1 ounce snack bar format.

“Consumers are increasingly demanding both premium quality chocolate and the health benefits inherent to probiotics,” said Andrew Lefkowitz, president and CEO of Ganeden Biotech.  “Since this product is the best of both worlds, retailers can position it as an affordable luxury.”

Dr. Antonio Agostoni—head of the chocolate maker’s product development team—reports that GanedenBC^30® delivered “excellent results in survivability of the bacteria—for health purposes—and it does not interfere with our final premium flavor, making it an ideal functional chocolate solution.”

To learn more about the Ganeden/Agostoni collaboration or to speak to a sales representative in North America about the Chocolate Plus Private Label program, please contact Agostoni Chocolate at 213-261-0057 and/or kfox@agostonichocolate.com.

About Ganeden Biotech

Founded in 1996, Ganeden Biotech Inc. is a private company based in Cleveland, Ohio, and is the largest seller of over-the-counter probiotics in the U.S. through its Digestive Advantage and Sustenex brands. It also licenses its patented probiotic bacteria, GanedenBC³⁰, for use in commercial food and beverage applications as well as in medical foods and dietary supplements. GanedenBC³⁰ was found to be Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by an independent expert panel assembled to assess its safety in use as a food ingredient. Digestive Advantage and Sustenex are available at over 40,000 retailers nationwide including Wal–Mart, CVS/pharmacy, Walgreens, Rite–Aid, Stop & Shop, Giant, Publix, Kroger, and Target. For more information, visit www.digestiveadvantage.com, www.sustenex.com, or www.ganedenlabs.com.

About Agostoni Chocolate

Family operated since 1946, Agostoni Chocolate is an Italian modern artisan farm-to-bar producer of premium all natural chocolate.  A global leader in organic cocoa processing (approximately 20% of global supply), the Agostoni family secures superior quality fermented cocoa beans (conventional and organic) for production of cocoa liquor, butter, powder and finished chocolate through an exclusive Equal Partner Direct Buying program, in place in key origins since 1980.  Agostoni Chocolate is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ICAM S.p.A. based in Lecco, Italy.  For more information about Agostoni Chocolate, please visit agostonichocolate.com.

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