Fresh milk products and great customer service at Stew Leonard's!

FRESH, RED, RIPE AND JUICY - CELEBRATE NATIONAL STRAWBERRY MONTH AT STEW LEONARD'S

NORWALK, Conn., May 13, 2002 - From stem berries and shortcake, to chocolate covered or chilled in a soup, there are many berry-wonderful reasons to come to Stew Leonard's to celebrate May being National Strawberry Month.

Strawberries are Stew Leonard's No. one item in the produce department. Between all three stores, Stew Leonard's sells 86 million strawberries a year - and that's not even counting the additional 109,000 stem berries and 125,000 chocolate covered strawberries that are sold. Stew Leonard's Bakery department sells Strawberry Shortcake, and in the gourmet case, there is Chef George's delicious chilled Strawberry Soup (see bottom of page). The Salad Bar frequently has strawberries in port wine sauce, and there is always room for some strawberry ice cream or frozen yogurt from Stew Leonard's Ice Cream shop.

Most of Stew Leonard's strawberries come in fresh direct from California -- the largest producer of domestically grown strawberries, supplying 83 percent of the strawberries grown in the United States. The California strawberry season starts in January, peaks in the summer and goes through November. During that time, on average, over one billion pounds of fresh and frozen strawberries will be harvested. The California Strawberry Commission estimates that there will be an eight percent increase in the strawberry crop for the 2002 season. And that's good news, because at $2.69 per pound or two pounds for $5.00 - they are selling fast at Stew's!

Strawberries are packed with nutrients. The American Cancer Institute recommends people try to get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, and just eight strawberries equals one fruit serving. Eight strawberries provide more vitamin C than an orange (140% RDI), as well as a good source of potassium (270 mg), fiber (4 grams) and folate (20% RDI), all for only 50 calories.

In a study conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), strawberries were found to have the greatest total antioxidant capacity of 17 fruit and juices tested. Antioxidants help protect against certain types of cancer, by neutralizing substances in the body called "free radicals" that can damage cells and lead to disease. Strawberries are also packed with phytochemicals -- naturally occurring compounds in fruits and vegetables that act like antioxidants to protect against heart disease and cancer.

Scott Varanko, Manager of Stew Leonard's Produce Department

"To keep strawberries fresh, do not wash them right away when you get home from shopping at Stew's," recommends Scott Varanko, Manager of Stew Leonard's Produce Department. "To maximize freshness, store them in a large container with a dry paper towel at the bottom, keeping the berries separated by layering them with paper towels. Just before you are ready to serve them, wash strawberries under cool water with the caps attached. This helps maintain their vitamin content."

Stew Leonard's was dubbed the "Disneyland of Dairy Stores" by the New York Times, because of its own milk processing plant, costumed characters, scheduled entertainment, petting zoo and animatronics throughout the stores. The company has received worldwide acclaim for excellence in customer service and quality and is featured in two of management expert Tom Peter's books: A Passion for Excellence and Thriving on Chaos. In 1992, Stew Leonard's earned an entry into The Guinness Book of World Records for having "the greatest sales per unit area of any single food store in the United States." Unlike traditional grocery stores that sell an average 30,000 items, each Stew Leonard's store carries only 1,500 items, chosen specifically for their freshness, quality and value.

Stew Leonard's Executive Chef George Lloren's Chilled Strawberry Soup

	Ingredients:
	4 cups Strawberries, washed and trimmed
	1 cup Non-fat cream cheese
	½ cup Skim milk
	½ cup Orange juice
	1 cup Sugar
	½ cup Non-fat plain yogurt
	2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
	1 cup White wine
	1 Tbsp. Lemon juice

	Preparation:
	1. Add strawberries to blender and puree.
	2. Add all other ingredients and puree until smooth.
	3. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Yields: 6 cups

Note: Chef George recommends using within three days.