December 14, 2004

OLD ORCHARD WEIGHS IN WITH HEALTHY BALANCE

Old Orchard Healthy Balance is not just for dieters, but for the whole family, as company reintroduces its popular line of low-carbohydrate fruit juice cocktails

SPARTA, Mich., December 14, 2004 — Weighing in on healthy lifestyles, Old Orchard Brands announced today that its popular line of low-carbohydrate fruit juice cocktails will have a new name and look beginning with the new year. The company believes that the Healthy Balance line of fruit juice cocktails will appeal to the tastes of kids, moms, dads, dieters and individuals with diabetes.

Old Orchard Healthy Balance had been originally introduced as Old Orchard LoCarb in the Fall of 2003 and began selling in stores in January 2004. Since sales began earlier this year, Old Orchard has expanded its line to 10 flavors and sold more than 12 million bottles of the reduced calorie, carbohydrate and sugar fruit juice cocktails.

“Sales of the low-carb product have been extremely strong, especially considering that our product has only reached approximately 30 percent of the potential U.S. market,” said Michael McDonald, vice president of sales and marketing for Old Orchard Brands. “We were one of the first juice producers in the U.S. to see the opportunity for low-carbohydrate fruit juice cocktails. Since then, the food and beverage industry has exploded with low-carbohydrate products. A lasting effect of the low-carb craze is heightened consumer awareness of their eating habits and the availability of reduced calorie foods that taste great.”

Old Orchard Healthy Balance will be available in stores beginning January 1, 2005, and will replace the Old Orchard LoCarb fruit juice cocktails currently stocked by retailers across the U.S. Price and ingredients remain the same with a 64-oz. bottle of Old Orchard Healthy Balance selling for an average retail price of $1.49 to $1.99, depending on region and retailer.

The Old Orchard Healthy Balance line of fruit juice cocktails includes ten flavors: Cranberry, Cranberry Raspberry, White Cranberry, Cranberry Grape, Apple, Apple Kiwi Strawberry, Apple Cranberry, Apple Raspberry, Grape and Ruby Red Grapefruit.  All of these fruit juice cocktails have   75 percent less sugar, carbohydrates and calories compared to other Old Orchard fruit juices. They contain 20 to 27 percent juice, are preservative free and sweetened using Splenda® no-calorie sweetener.

McDonald added that individuals following a low-carb lifestyle have become very savvy in reading product labels and learning what they can and can’t eat. Healthy Balance will continue to appeal to the low-carb lifestyle consumer, but will now also appeal to a wider segment including individuals with diabetes, adults looking for an alternative to sodas and teas, and parents looking to reduce their kids’ sugar intake.

Sparta, Michigan-based Old Orchard Brands is one of the fastest growing fruit juice brands in the United States. The privately held company started operations in 1978 and offers consumers 29 frozen concentrate flavors and 36 bottled flavors in a variety of 100 percent fruit juices, blends and low-carbohydrate fruit juice cocktails. For more information visit www.oldorchardjuice.com.