STEW LEONARD’S “MOO”VES UP ON FORTUNE MAGAZINE’S ANNUAL 100 BEST COMPANIES TO WORK FOR LIST

NORWALK, Conn., Jan 8, 2007 –For the sixth year in a row, family owned and operated fresh food store Stew Leonard’s has scored a place on FORTUNE magazine’s annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list, in the No. 51 position.  The full list of companies who made the 2007 list appears in the January 22 issue of FORTUNE magazine, available on newsstands on January 15 and on http://www.fortune.com today.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be recognized as one of the top 100 places to work in the country,” said Jill Leonard Tavello, Executive Vice President of Culture and Communication. “The real value of participating in the process is that it helps us improve as a company and keep raising the bar even higher.  We work hard year after year to continue to enhance the camaraderie, communication, respect and work/life balance among our team members.”

To enable managers to have more personal time, Stew Leonard’s went from a six day workweek to a five day workweek. In an effort to make sure that all team members have the opportunity to provide feedback and voice their opinions, team members enjoy lunch with the store presidents and this year an “Ask Stew” page on the company’s intranet site was added, where team members can anonymously submit questions that are answered candidly by the CEO, Stew Leonard, Jr.

“What makes me most proud about making this list for the sixth straight year is that it is determined by not only what kind of benefits and pay we offer, but largely based on how happy our team members are, since the majority of the scoring is established by the results of a confidential employee survey,” said Stew Leonard, Jr. President and CEO of Stew Leonard’s.  “The survey results are vitally important to get to the core of what is driving team member satisfaction.  This helps us improve in key areas that ultimately benefit our customers, too, because we’ve always said that you can’t have a great place to shop without first making it a great place to work.”

In addition to offering free medical coverage, profit sharing and appreciation dinners, Stew Leonard’s provides extensive training and development opportunities so team members can continue to grow their careers within the company.  Eighty-eight percent of managers have been promoted from within, and as the company gets ready to open its fourth location this April in Newington, Connecticut, 90 percent of the managerial positions will be filled from existing team member promotions.

“When I started the business, I always tried to create a family feeling throughout the store.  I am so proud to see my family and our team members carrying on this tradition of creating a family-caring atmosphere in our stores,” said Stew Leonard, Sr., founder of Stew Leonard’s.  “I could not be more thrilled.  Bravo to all of you on your sixth straight year!”

Stew Leonard’s began as a small dairy store founded in Norwalk, Conn. in 1969 with just seven employees.  Today, Stew Leonard’s is still family-owned and operated, but has grown to become a nearly $300 million dollar business with 2,000 employees.  In addition to the original store in Norwalk, Conn., Stew Leonard’s has stores in Danbury, Conn. and Yonkers, NY., with a fourth store planned for 2007 in Newington, Conn. 

Among the store’s unique features that distinguishes it from typical supermarkets:  an in-store dairy plant where milk is packaged in front of customers; costumed characters and animatronics throughout the store; one continuous aisle that winds through the store; and 80 percent of the products sold are fresh – that is, brought in daily or prepared directly in-store. The company’s culture is built around an acronym for S.T.E.W.: Satisfy the customer; work together as a Team; strive for Excellence in everything you do; and get the customer to say WOW.  For more information visit www.stewleonards.com.