On February 28, 2005, Advantage Sales and Marketing acquired In-Store Opportunities, a company that provides promotional programs under the Superfridge name to manufacturers of frozen and refrigerated goods.This acquisition highlight Advantage’s strategy of expanding the scope of services it provides to include service which are complementary to its core sales and marketing service offering.Superfridge will continue to be managed by its existing executive team, led by Len Rosinski, President and Lisa Shattuck, Sr. Vice President.  It will operate independently from Advantage’s core sales and marketing business, and will continue to utilize its existing base of in-store merchandisers.Advantage views representation of perishable manufacturers as a significant growth opportunity.  Advantage will facilitate participation in the Superfridge program for its perishable clients who whish to maximize brand sales through increase in-store visibility.

Superfridge is a Connecticut based organization established in 1988, In-Store Opportunities, Inc (f/k/a Superbin USA) runs the SUPERFRIDGE program, currently available in 2,700 stores covering more than 50 markets.  SUPERFRIDGE was created to provide frozen and refrigerated brands with a point of purchase event combining three key marketing elements – advertising, off-shelf display, and dedicated merchandising support – maximizing brand sales through increased in-store visibility.

IRVINE, Calif. — Advantage Sales & Marketing (Advantage) announced today that it has acquired S.W.B., Inc., d/b/a Southwest Brokerage (SWB). SWB is a Texas-based sales and marketing agency specializing in natural and organic foods. The acquisition of SWB allows Advantage to provide a national sales solution to manufacturers of natural and specialty foods, and strengthens its presence in the Southwest market.

Advantage identified expansion of its specialty and natural business as a strategic growth priority. SWB’s client base and relationships with key natural foods retailers and distributors are important to Advantage’s achievement of its growth objective.

“Southwest Brokerage is the leading sales and marketing agency focused on the natural products industry in the Southwest,” saidScott Presnall, National Director of Advantage’s Specialty/Natural Sales Division. “Advantage is proud to have them as a part of the premier specialty/natural sales agency in the country.”

“We look forward to bringing new relationships and clients to Advantage,” said SWB founders Anita Tschurr and Donna Williams. “It’s an exciting evolution for us after many years of serving our customers and friends.”

IRVINE, Calif. – On February 1, 2006, Integrated Marketing Services (IN), a division of Advantage Sales & Marketing (ASM), acquired the business of Field Marketing Services, Inc. (doing business as Marketration). Marketration is a West Coast-based company specializing in developing, connecting and activating Field Marketing programs. This acquisition rounds out IN’s comprehensive marketing and promotions offerings and is consistent with ASM’s growth strategy which includes expansion of its marketing businesses.

Founded in 1993 and based in Santa Ana, California, Marketration is an Integrated Field Marketing company that executes nationwide promotional events and marketing efforts for a broad array of clients and hundreds of well-known CPG brands. Marketration’s core services include Event Marketing, Retail Store Front Promotions, Mobile Marketing, Grassroots/Intercept Sampling, Hispanic Field Marketing, Image Design & Production, Promotional Products, and Asset Management.

Marketration will continue to be managed by its existing management team led by Brian Clausman and will operate as a division of IN. Brian will report to Tanya Domier, President of IN.

IRVINE, Calif. — On September 1, 2006, Advantage Sales & Marketing LLC (ASM) acquired the business of Try-Foods International Inc. (“Try-Foods”). Try-Foods is an East Coast based company specializing in promotional and merchandising programs in the perishables food industry. Since 1987, Try-Foods has formulated a winning recipe for success with a proven track record.

Try-Foods provides quality and innovative retail grocery programs that generate sales and increase consumer awareness. The company specializes in recipe dissemination programs, health & wellness initiatives, food safety education, employee training manuals, ethnic marketing campaigns and custom published magazines, cookbooks, calendars, and themed booklets. This acquisition rounds out ASM Marketing Services’ comprehensive marketing and promotions offerings and is consistent with ASM’s growth strategy which includes expansion of its marketing businesses.

Try-Foods will continue to be managed by its existing management team led by Harry Rozelle and will operate as a division of ASM Marketing Services. Harry will report to Tanya Domier, President of Marketing Services.

IRVINE, Calif. – On November 30, 2006, Advantage Sales & Marketing LLC (ASM) / Home Center Division dba Retail Store Services, LLC ( RSS), acquired the business of Sigma Retail Services, LLC (“Sigma”). Sigma Retail Services, LLC (“Sigma”) was formed in July 2004, and is a leading Southeast based third-party “in-store” Merchandising Service Organization offering a variety of retail services to The Home Depot in the Southeast and Puerto Rico.

With over 30 years of combined leadership experience in the hardware and home improvement industry, Sigma continues to successfully compete in a changing market by offering strong corporate relationships, resources, and solid operational execution in the stores. Sigma is currently structured to provide The Home Depot stores in the Southeast region In-Store Service (ISS) continuity service, monthly projects, and surveys in the fashion plumbing department (D29).

In addition, Sigma provides construction support for The Home Depot stores in the region with new store setups, vendor resets, store remodels, and capital projects. Sigma will continue to maintain its offices in Norcross, GA, and has facilities in Georgia and Florida for warehousing and display work.

This acquisition further builds ASM’s commitment to the Home Center business and is a part of ASM’s vision and growth strategy to expand its home center capabilities nationally.

Frank Wicker, John Jeffries and Ray Bergman will continue to lead the Southeast service team and will report to Todd Baird, ASM’s Vice President, Home Center.

IRVINE, Calif. – On November 30, 2006, Advantage Sales & Marketing LLC (ASM), acquired the business of B.I.N. Sales & Marketing, Inc. (“B.I.N.”). B.I.N. has offices in Norwalk and Torrington, CT, Coventry, RI, and New Port Richey, FL, and is the largest independent natural and organic foods and products broker on the East coast. For more than two decades, B.I.N. has been dedicated to developing the market for natural and organic products. The company represents some of the industry’s largest and most reputable product lines and is the largest independent sales and marketing agency for natural products in the United States. B.I.N. will continue to provide full service sales, merchandising and marketing services for clients both in the supermarket and natural products distribution industry.

This acquisition further strengthens ASM’s commitment to the Natural, Specialty and Ethnic class of trade and contributes to ASM’s national growth strategy.

With this acquisition, ASM is excited to be retaining the industry expertise of Bruce Nierenberg and his existing management team to include Bill O’Connell and Frank Calafiura along with other B.I.N. associates who have been key to this company’s success. Bruce will report to Scott Presnall, National Client Team Director of Natural/Specialty/Ethnic.

IRVINE, Calif. — On January 1, 2007, Advantage Sales & Marketing LLC (ASM), acquired the business of Campaigners, Inc. (“Campaigners”). Campaigners is a California-based sales and marketing agency with primary services provided to the Consumer Electronics class of Trade. The company provides outsourced field sales and marketing services in addition to progressive training and incentive programs.

Creating a seamless extension of its clients’ sales and marketing team, Campaigners specializes in product demonstrations, events and promotions, sales force training, mobile marketing, sales incentive programs, market research, sampling, consumer surveys and more. Campaigners has boosted brand awareness, indisputable ROI, and dramatic improvement in category leadership and market share for its clients.

Campaigners has developed and launched hundreds of successful campaigns for such Fortune 1000 companies as Fujifilm, Intel, Samsung and LG Electronics, driving more than $1 billion in retail sales. This acquisition rounds out ASM Marketing Services’ comprehensive marketing and promotions offerings and is consistent with ASM’s growth strategy which includes expansion of its marketing businesses into the Consumer Electronics space.

Campaigners will continue to be managed by its existing management team led by Melissa Orr and will operate as a division of ASM Marketing Services. Melissa will report to Tanya Domier, President of ASM Marketing Services.

IRVINE, Calif. — Advantage Sales & Marketing (ASM), announced today the formation of ASM Canada, Inc., a Canadian subsidiary of ASM, which has acquired the business of “Crombie Kennedy Nasmark Inc.” (CKN).

CKN is an all Canadian National Sales and Marketing Company covering all classes of trade. CKN is structured with separate Grocery and Pharmacy divisions to service the specialized needs of Grocery / OTC-HBA products. CKN also operates a Buy/Sell division that takes possession of certain products, distributes, and invoices the customers directly.

CKN is one of the largest Sales and Marketing agencies in Canada, furthering ASM’s position as the largest Sales & Marketing agency in North America. This acquisition will allow ASM to offer their customers and clients the largest array of selling, merchandising, and promotional marketing services available in North America. Additionally this transaction supports ASM’s objective of following all major international customer flows. The CKN division of ASM Canada, Inc. will operate under the name “Advantage CKN.”

With the acquisition, ASM will be retaining the industry expertise of Henry Gerstel, President; Milt Dobson, EVP Grocery; Rick Moore, EVP Pharmacy and the CKN existing management team/associates who have been key to this company’s success. In addition, Don Crombie, the founder and leader of CKN since 1977 will serve as Chairman Emeritus providing advice and counsel to senior management. Operations for Advantage CKN are headquartered in Toronto, Canada and supported by fully connected regional offices in Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.

About Advantage Sales & Marketing
Advantage Sales & Marketing provides sales, marketing, and merchandising services to retailers and manufacturers of consumer products in Canada and the United States. ASM, formed in California in 1997, is headquartered in Irvine, California.

New acquisition will expand Advantage Sales and Marketing’s best-in-class retail sales services in the perishables industry to the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic markets

IRVINE, Calif.—Advantage Sales & Marketing LLC (ASM) today announced the acquisition of Pryority Food Marketing, Inc. (Pryority), a food brokerage company focused on meat, deli, specialty cheese, seafood, frozen and dairy clients and customers. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“Pryority has built an outstanding reputation as a key provider of retail sales services to clients and customers in the perishables industry,” said Tanya Domier, ASM chief executive officer. “The Pryority team brings decades of experience and relationships to ASM thereby enhancing our perishables business and further cementing our position as a leader within this channel.”

Al Albano and Mike Sonberg, who previously served as chief executive officer and president respectively, will lead the new business unit.

“We are delighted to become a part of the ASM family,” said Albano. “By joining North America’s leading sales and marketing agency, we have the opportunity to continue to provide our clients and customers with best-in-class sales services in the perishables industry and to now do so with more dedicated resources and a scalable infrastructure. Together, we are uniquely positioned to provide complete service and coverage in the meat, deli, specialty cheese, seafood, frozen and dairy arenas throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic markets.”

New sales and marketing division to provide industry-leading retail meat, seafood, deli and bakery services

IRVINE, Calif.—Advantage Sales & Marketing LLC (ASM) today revealed its plans to launch a new division focused on retail meat, seafood, deli and bakery clients and customers.  The move will be fueled by ASM’s planned acquisition of six companies that currently form a working alliance under the name of Action West Group.  Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“With these steps, I am pleased to establish ASM as a leader in the perishable industry,” said Sonny King, ASM chairman and chief executive officer. “Action West will bring expertise to ASM that will enable us to provide our clients and customers with unparalleled service in the meat, seafood, deli and bakery arenas.”

The new division will operate as Advantage Action and be headquartered in Foothill Ranch, Calif. Jeff Pakula, who previously served as president of Action West Group Southern California, will lead the new division.

“We are excited to become a part of the Advantage family,” said Pakula. “This opportunity enables us to maintain the singular focus we have always had on providing the very best perishable-focused retail and headquarter services, but to now do so with more dedicated resources and broader support from North America’s leading sales and marketing agency.”