DALLAS – Dean Foods Company (NYSE: DF) (“Dean Foods” or the “Company”) today announced that it has received approvals from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas for the “First Day” motions related to the Company’s voluntary Chapter 11 petitions filed on November 12, 2019.
The Court granted Dean Foods interim approval to access up to $475 million of the $850 million in committed debtor-in-possession (“DIP”) financing from certain of its existing lenders, which along with cash on hand and operating cash flows is expected to be sufficient to support the Company’s continued operations during this process. Among other things, the Court has authorized the Company to continue paying employee wages and benefits without interruption and making payments to suppliers and vendors in full under normal terms for goods and services provided on or after November 12, 2019.
Eric Beringause, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dean Foods, said, “We appreciate the swift action by the Court to approve these motions, which will enable us to continue operating as normal. As we move through this process, we remain focused on providing customers with wholesome, great-tasting dairy products and the highest levels of quality, service and value. I would also like to thank our employees, customers, dairy providers, lenders and other partners for their continued support.”
Additional information is available on the restructuring page of the Company’s website, www.DeanFoodsRestructuring.com. In addition, court filings and other information related to the proceedings are available on a separate website administered by the Company’s claims agent, Epiq Corporate Restructuring, LLC, at https://dm.epiq11.com/SouthernFoods, or by calling Epiq representatives toll-free at 1-833-935‐1362 or 1-503-597-7660 for calls originating outside of the U.S.
Additional information regarding the Chapter 11 filing is contained in a Current Report or Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and Norton Rose Fulbright are serving as legal advisors to the Company, Evercore is serving as its investment banker and Alvarez & Marsal is serving as its financial advisor.
About Dean Foods
Dean Foods is a leading food and beverage company and the largest processor and direct-to-store distributor of fresh fluid milk and other dairy and dairy case products in the United States. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the Dean Foods portfolio includes DairyPure®, the country’s first and largest fresh, national white milk brand, and TruMoo®, the leading national flavored milk brand, along with well-known regional dairy brands such as Alta Dena®, Berkeley Farms®, Country Fresh®, Dean’s®, Friendly’s®, Garelick Farms®, LAND O LAKES®* milk and cultured products, Lehigh Valley Dairy Farms®, Mayfield®, McArthur®, Meadow Gold®, Oak Farms®, PET®**, T.G. Lee®, Tuscan® and more. Dean Foods also has a joint venture with Organic Valley®, distributing fresh organic products to local retailers. In all, Dean Foods has more than 50 national, regional and local dairy brands as well as private labels. Dean Foods also makes and distributes ice cream, cultured products, juices, teas, and bottled water. Approximately 15,000 employees across the country work every day to make Dean Foods the most admired and trusted provider of wholesome, great-tasting dairy products at every occasion. For more information about Dean Foods and its brands, visit www.deanfoods.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes, targets or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. The Company’s actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain risks and other factors, which could include the following: risks and uncertainties relating to the Company’s Chapter 11 cases (the “Chapter 11 Case”), including but not limited to, the Company’s ability to obtain bankruptcy court approval with respect to motions in the Chapter 11 Case, the Company’s ability to consummate the planned sale of the business pursuant to the Chapter 11 Case and, if consummated, to obtain an adequate price, the effects of the Chapter 11 Case on the Company and on the interests of various constituents, bankruptcy court rulings in the Chapter 11 Case and the outcome of the Chapter 11 Case in general, the length of time the Company will operate under the Chapter 11 Case, risks associated with third-party motions in the Chapter 11 Case, the potential adverse effects of the Chapter 11 Case on the Company’s liquidity or results of operations and increased legal and other professional costs necessary to execute the Company’s reorganization; the conditions to which the Company’s debtor-in-possession financing is subject and the risk that these conditions may not be satisfied for various reasons, including for reasons outside of the Company’s control; the consequences of the acceleration of our debt obligations; as well as other risk factors set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Additionally, there can be no assurances that Dean and DFA will ultimately reach agreement, that the sale will receive regulatory approval, or that the sale will be successfully consummated. The Company therefore cautions readers against relying on these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on the Company’s behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any changes in the events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based except as required by law.
