Sargento Balanced Breaks Snacks Receive Prestigious Nielsen Breakthrough Innovation Award

PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Sargento® Balanced Breaks® Snacks have been named a Breakthrough Innovation winner for 2017 by Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and purchase.

Nielsen analyzed more than 4,500 new consumer product introductions in the United States, but only 18 met the criteria to receive this coveted award. Sargento® Balanced Breaks® Snacks stood among those 18 winners.

To earn the title of Breakthrough Innovation winner, Balanced Breaks® Snacks rose to meet Nielsen’s three requirements: Relevance, Endurance and Distinctiveness.

Each product was distinctive and delivered a new value proposition to the market. · Each generated a minimum of $50 million in year one U.S. sales. · Winners demonstrated the ability to endure the market by achieving in year two at least 90% of year one sales.

With its delicious and balanced pairing of creamy cheese, crunchy nuts and sweet dried fruits, Balanced Breaks® Snacks changed the dynamics of snacking and portable foods in the cheese space and pioneered a path for the category to expand.

“This is a tremendous honor. It’s an acknowledgment of the great success of Balanced Breaks® Snacks and a testament to our rich history of innovation,” said Kristi Jankowski, Executive Vice President – Innovation at Sargento Foods. “We are committed to continuing to bring consumers new, exciting products and providing new ways for them to enjoy cheese.”

Building off the success of Balanced Breaks® snacks in 2015, Sargento® released two additional Balanced Breaks® snack varieties in 2016. In 2017, the company continued to expand its snacking lineup by giving cheese lovers a balanced way to satisfy their sweet tooth with Sweet Balanced Breaks® Snacks, which combine the savory flavors of creamy, natural cheese with sweet ingredients like dried fruits and dark chocolate.

Since 2008, over 30,000 U.S. product launches have been analyzed by Nielsen's Breakthrough Innovation Project, which has honored 110 top products. This is the second Nielsen Breakthrough For More Information: Portia Young Sargento Foods Inc. 920-892-3582 portia.young@sargento.com Meaghan Daly Golin 312-729-4371 mdaly@golin.com Innovation award for Sargento® in three years. Sargento® Ultra Thin® Cheese Slices were recognized in 2014.

About Sargento Foods Inc.

Sargento Foods Inc. has demonstrated its passion for cheese and cheese-based meal solutions for more than 60 years. Founded in 1953 in Plymouth, Wisconsin, Sargento Foods is a leading manufacturer, packager and marketer of shredded, sliced and snack natural cheeses, cheese appetizers, ingredients and sauces. Sargento Foods is owned and operated by the Gentine family, has net sales exceeding $1.4 billion and more than 1,900 employees. For more information, please visit www.sargento.com.

About The Nielsen Breakthrough Innovation Project

The U.S. Nielsen Breakthrough Innovation Project is a long-term in-depth analysis of more than 30,000 U.S. product launches over nine years. Since its inception in 2008, the project has celebrated 110 top products in the U.S. and over 198 globally.

The 2017 Breakthrough Innovation award winners satisfied three requirements to qualify for the award: Each product was distinctive and delivered a new value proposition to the market; each generated a minimum of $50 million in year one U.S. sales; and finally, the winners demonstrated the ability to endure the market by achieving in year two at least 90% of year one sales.

Source: Sargento Foods Inc.