Out of a record breaking 1,462 cheese products entered, Sartori was awarded with 4 first place ribbons in this year's competition of the elite cheese companies in North America.  Cheesemakers from 225 companies in 34 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico were represented in Saturday's competition.  "We are thrilled to be recognized by the world class panel of judges for having the best cheese in America across four different categories," said Jim Sartori, the 3rd generation owner and CEO of Sartori.  "It is a testimony to our cheesemakers – with over 200 years of cheese making experience in our company – and the patron farmers, the family owned local farms who provide us with the best and freshest hormone-free milk available."

Sartori Reserve® BellaVitano® Gold won the America Made/International Style open category made from cow's milk.  Sartori Pastorale Blend™ won the American Made/International Style open category made from sheep or mixed milks. This unique work of art blends sheep and cow's milk, enhanced by the hand-dusted Spanish paprika.

Sartori's Asiago cheese with its distinctive savory and nutty flavor took 1st place in the Italian hard grating type cheese category. Placing 3rd was the new Sartori Natural Rind Parmesan, a complex sweet and savory profile with light fruit and caramel notes.

In the Marinated cheese category, Sartori took 1st place with the Sartori Reserve Balsamic BellaVitano which is soaked in a premium Italian Balsamic to deliver a slightly sweet, nutty, fruity caramelized flavor.  The new Cognac BellaVitano, a complex fusion of smoky, nutty, oak, vanilla and caramel with toasted notes, placed 2nd.  

The American Cheese Society (ACS) represents the best specialty and artisanal cheese produced in the Western Hemisphere.  "The judging for the ACS is world renowned, so this is really the best of the best in all aspects," explains Sartori.  ACS has 1,250 members who are involved in all areas of the specialty cheese market, from artisanal cheese makers, and retailers to food writers and connoisseurs from the United States, Central and South America, Canada and Europe.

More information on the ACS Cheese Awards can be found at:

http://cheesesociety.org/associations/2382/files/2010%20ACS%20Judging%20and%20Competition%20Results.pdf

About Sartori Foods

Sartori Foods has been producing artisan and premium cheese for seven decades serving the Specialty, Retail, Ingredient, Restaurant and Food Service markets.  Based in Plymouth, Wisconsin, Sartori Foods has an impressive array of award-winning cheese noted for innovative approaches and consistent top quality across its entire line.  For more information, please visit www.sartorireserve.com or www.sartorifoods.com.  You may also call us directly at 800-558-5888.

SOURCE Sartori Foods

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The Pepsi Refresh Project has doubled its monthly commitment of $1.3 million to refresh America's communities by awarding $2.6 million in grants during the month of September.  Each month, Pepsi awards up to $1.3 million in Refresh Grants to the 32 ideas that garner the most votes. Through the Pepsi Refresh Project: Do Good for the Gulf extension, Pepsi has allocated an additional $1.3 million to refresh communities in the Gulf Coast for the month.

A record 64 grants are on track to be awarded this month in the project's six main categories, as well as for ideas submitted to the Pepsi Refresh Project: Do Good for the Gulf.  The Do Good for the Gulf initiative was an extension of the national program announced in July, calling on ideas aimed at helping communities most directly affected by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

A Call to Action in Support of the Gulf Coast

Given the devastation seen by this region, the Pepsi Refresh Project sought to give Americans the opportunity to submit ideas to help Gulf Coast communities in this time of need. While the full effects of the oil spill remain to be seen, the recipients of the Pepsi Refresh Project: Do Good for the Gulf grants will provide immediate support to the people and organizations that need help right now.

The 32 finalists* in the Do Good for the Gulf program reflect a diversity of needs, and three trends among the projects emerged, including:

• Animal rescue, like Animal Rescue Fund (ARF) of Mississippi, which will use its $50,000 grant to shelter the pets of Gulf-based families who can no longer care for them. The shelter will care for the pets until the owner gets back on his/her feet, or will find a new adoptive family. And the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, which will use its $25,000 grant to aid rehabilitation centers in the Gulf Coast region that are overloaded with injured or sick sea turtles.
• Children and education including Backpack Buddies of East Central, of Jackson County, Mississippi, which will use its $5,000 to feed hungry children of parents who experienced job loss due to the oil disaster. Another finalist, Stuart Adams, a concerned citizen and PhD candidate at LSU will use his $25,000 grant to further implement FEMA's hurricane-hazard mitigation plan for three K-12 schools in Louisiana.
• Community and economic development, including Science teacher Suzan Thompson, who will use her $25,000 grant to work with her students in Metairie, Louisiana to build lucrative seafood farms to help displaced seafood workers. And Operation Gulf Coast, a Lithonia, Georgia organization that will use its $50,000 grant to develop an online portal to catalog the impact of the Gulf oil spill. The organization will use this data to connect Gulf communities with available aid, develop a social network and compile a list of volunteer opportunities.

Drew Brees, Super Bowl MVP and quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, commended Gulf Coast grant finalists. "I congratulate the Gulf Coast grant recipients and wish them success in their efforts to rebuild their communities. Millions of people in the area have been affected by disaster over the past few years; yet in the midst of adversity, we have seen support pour in from around the country to bolster the resilience of area residents who have come together to help themselves," Brees said.

A full list of the Do Good for the Gulf Finalists can be found here (http://gulf.refresheverything.com).

In addition to information found at www.refresheverything.com, Pepsi has developed a microsite, www.goodforthegulf.com, which aggregates a user's Facebook network and allows them to see how many of their friends may have been affected by the oil spill.  The "Good for the Gulf" microsite provides an easy way to share this information via Facebook and Twitter, and personalizes the impact of the oil spill.

September Pepsi Refresh Project Grant Recipients

The Pepsi Refresh Project will also award 32 grants for the top vote-getters in August across its six main categories: education, arts and culture, food and shelter, health, the planet and neighborhoods. Among these ideas are:

• Families Can't Wait, of Region 8, Louisiana, which will utilize $25,000 to provide first-time Region 8 mothers in neonatal intensive care units with the resources and education their babies need. Region 8 has the highest infant mortality rate in the United States.
• With their $25,000 grant, Verde Styles in Philadelphia will spread awareness about current environmental issues through an artistically driven apparel line dedicated to planting a tree for every shirt they sell through the help of American Forests Association.
• Non-profit Molly's Adopt A Sailor, which started as one mom's commitment and grew to many through social networking, will use their $50,000 grant to send care packages to deployed U.S. troops.

"We have established an on-going dialogue with the American public about the issues they care most deeply about.  We are always impressed by the caliber of entries we receive," said Jill Beraud, chief marketing officer, Pepsi Beverages America. "When given the opportunity and the right tools, people are eager to help their communities. We're honored to be a part of this movement."

Funding Ideas that Move Communities Forward

Since January of this year, the Pepsi Refresh Project has awarded $10.6 million in grants to fund community improvement initiatives across America.  In a true democratization of the philanthropic process, grants are awarded to the ideas that receive the most votes on www.refresheverything.com.

Visitors to www.refresheverything.com can also access the tools and information they need to submit ideas or to choose their favorite ideas to be funded. More than 1,000 new ideas are up for voting now through September 30.

*Top vote getters for each month are considered Finalists. Following verification, official Grant Recipients will be posted on or about 2 weeks after that month's voting period has ended.

Pepsi Refresh Project

In an effort to support those who generate innovative, optimistic ideas, the Pepsi Refresh Project (www.refresheverything.com), will award more than $20 million in 2010 to move communities forward. Individuals can apply for grants to benefit a variety of projects starting January 13, and site visitors can vote for the best ideas for funding starting February 1. The Pepsi Refresh Project is an evolution of the Refresh Everything initiative Pepsi launched in 2009, which showed the brand as an optimistic catalyst for idea creation, leading to an ever-refreshing world. Pepsi will fund projects that make a difference in six categories: Health, Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, The Planet, Neighborhoods and Education.

The Pepsi Refresh Project can be found at www.refresheverything.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/refresheverything or on Twitter, @Pepsi or #pepsirefresh.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that each generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. Our main businesses - Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana and Gatorade - also make hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in over 200 countries. With more than $60 billion in revenue, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth, called Performance with Purpose. By dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with giving back to our communities worldwide. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

SOURCE Pepsi

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The Oktoberfest in Munich is just one month away and you'll want to be prepared for the largest beer festival of the year. There are many ways you can get to the festival but the best way to secure a place is to win a free trip online with MansionCasino.com.

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About MansionCasino.com: MansionCasino.com offers traditional card and table games, as well as slots, scratch cards, video poker and progressive bonus jackpot games. The games are currently available in Adobe Flash or to download, and can be played for real money or for fun. MansionCasino.com software is available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, Swedish, Dutch, Greek, Korean, Japanese and Simplified Chinese. MansionCasino.com is owned by Mansion Limited which is licensed and operated in Gibraltar.

For more information on Mansion please contact +350-200-41000 or e-mail marketing@mansion.com.

SOURCE MansionCasino.com

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Planet Smoothie, LLC owned by Petrus Brands LLC, has named Bonnie Rhinehardt as its new president.  Bonnie Rhinehardt assumed the role of President on August 23, 2010. As president of the Planet Smoothie brand, Rhinehardt will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of operations, customer service, marketing, distribution and purchasing.

Rhinehardt has been in the hospitality business for over 20 years.  For the last 18 years, Rhinehardt was an executive with Hooters, one of the most recognized brands in the industry.  Most recently, she was responsible for the Southern Division of Hooters, including 60 company-owned restaurants.  Rhinehardt has vast experience in people development, team building, market development, community and charity involvement, as well as developing new programs that were responsible for top line sales growth and bottom line profits.  She has also been involved in developing new positions and departments for support of these programs.  During her time at Hooters, Rhinehardt has received the Presidents award 4 times, GM of the Year, Area Supervisor of the Year, Department of the Year and various others to include net profit and sales awards.

"We are very excited to welcome Bonnie Rhinehardt to our executive Planet Smoothie team," said Petrus Brands Chief Executive Officer, Chris Morocco.  "Adding Bonnie to our team gives us a solid foundation for operational excellence and superior customer service across the system.  Her commitment to the community is also a perfect compliment to the Planet Smoothie brand."

"I am thrilled to be joining the Planet Smoothie team," said Rhinehardt.  "My heart and soul has been dedicated towards operations and customer service for the last 20 years, and after meeting the Petrus Brands [Planet Smoothie] executive team, I knew it was the right fit.  I am eager to jump in quickly and begin developing relationships with the Planet Smoothie franchisees."

Rhinehardt resides in Smyrna and has two sons, Corey and Ryan.  She is an active member of the community and involved with various charities, including Operation Home Front and the MDA, raising over $40,000 to send over 50 kids to camp this year.

About Planet Smoothie

Planet Smoothie, a Petrus Brands company, is among the top smoothie concepts in the country, serving real fruit smoothies infused with vitamins and nutrients for active, occasion-driven consumers.  Planet Smoothie was recently named one of the "Sweet 16" in the 2009 Fast Casual Movers and Shakers list as a brand that sets itself apart in the dessert, beverage and yogurt category.  In 2007, Planet Smoothie was recognized by Restaurant Business as a "Future 50" concept", one of the fastest growing up and coming concepts in the country.  Planet Smoothie currently operates more than 110 locations.  For more information and to find store locations, visit www.planetsmoothie.com.

SOURCE Petrus Brands LLC

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Attorneys representing 500 striking employees at Coke filed a class action lawsuit against the Company yesterday for violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) after Coke canceled the employees' health care. Five plaintiffs were named in the complaint.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO )

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO )

ERISA is the federal law that sets minimum standards for health plans in private industry to protect individuals covered under these plans.  

"My wife had a kidney transplant two years ago. When Coke cancelled our health care, they cut off her anti-rejection medication.  This shows me that Coke doesn't care about its employees," said Bill Mauhl, a 34-year Coke employee, who works in the company's production facility in Bellevue.

"In my almost twenty years of representing workers and unions in labor disputes, it's hard to think of any past instance where I have seen an employer retaliate against its striking workers in a manner as egregious as what the Coca-Cola Bottling Company has done here," said Dmitri Iglitzin, an attorney at Schwerin Campbell Barnard Iglitzin & Lavitt, an employment law firm based in Seattle.

"Cutting off the medical benefits to more than 500 workers, knowing that many of them rely on those benefits on a day-to-day basis and will be irreparably harmed if they lose those benefits is a brutal, full-scale attack by Coke on its own workers," Iglitzin said.

Approximately 500 Coke employees in Western Washington went on strike on Monday over charges of employee surveillance, intimidation and bad faith bargaining.

Contract negotiations between the Union and Coke have been underway since April, but the Company refused to bargain for 10 weeks, and then began an aggressive campaign of unfair labor practices. The employees' contract expired on May 25, 2010.

SOURCE Washington Teamsters United

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