Dear Moo & Oink customers,

Thank you for the years of loyal support. While the closing of the Moo & Oink Chicagoland locations is unfortunate, Best Chicago Meat Co. will continue to produce the quality products that you've been using for generations. For more than 30 years, Best Chicago Meat has been making meat products for Moo & Oink so you can count on the same great taste and distinctive flavor. And here's good news. Moo & Oink products will be back on Chicago retail shelves within 2-3 weeks. Please check back often for updates on where to find Moo & Oink products or fill out the following form, and we will email you with updates.

For Immediate Release
Jan. 11, 2012

Contact: Andy Richardson, GR-PR
630-789-8899 or arichardson@gr-pr.com

Best Chicago Meat Co. buys Moo & Oink brand

Best Chicago Meat Co., LLC, purchased Moo & Oink's intellectual property at public auction for $530,000 on Dec. 14. The four Moo & Oink stores - three in Chicago and one in Hazel Crest - filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in late September, 2011. Because there were no bidders on the real estate, the stores will remain closed.

Purchased by Best Chicago Meat were Moo & Oink's name, logo, characters, website, commercial jingle and perhaps most important - its recipes.

Robert M. Beavers, Jr., is chairman and CEO of Best Chicago Meat. He plans to produce and enhance the Moo & Oink products putting them back on shelves in the coming months at large food retailers as well as independent stores.

David L. Van Kampen, president and COO of Best Chicago Meat, said that the company currently produces ground beef, sausage, hot dogs and Italian beef under the brands Glenmark, Jemm, Red Hot Chicago, and Scala's Original.

"We welcome this opportunity to add Moo & Oink to our quality brands," Beavers said. "Moo & Oink has been a staple in the African American community in Chicago, and for the first time in its history, Moo & Oink is minority owned."

The company name is going to be Moo and Oink, LLC, and it will be a sister company of Best Chicago Meat.

For the past 30 years, Best Chicago Meat has produced burgers and sausages for Moo & Oink, so Beavers and Van Kampen know first-hand the value of the brand. They feel Best Chicago Meat has a tremendous opportunity to maintain and enhance the presence of Moo & Oink in Chicagoland retailers as well as grow the brand."

"We are considering expanding the brand beyond the African American market," Beavers said. "Research is showing us that products that are appealing to the African American market are also appealing to the general market."

"There's a lot of fusion going on out there," Van Kampen said, "and lines are becoming blurred. We're looking at trends, for example Tex Mex. You can find it pretty much everywhere where a couple of decades ago, you'd have to be in south Texas to find that type of food."

Since the brand name has such strong recognition, Van Kampen is dedicated to getting Moo & Oink products back on shelves as quickly as possible without sacrificing excellence or reliability. Moo & Oink's main focus will be on the meat, but other brand expansions are being considered such as corn on the cob, okra, dry rubs and seasonings and BBQ sauce, turkey burgers and other healthy options.

"Best Chicago Meat excels at quality and reliability," Van Kampen said. "We feel we provide a market basket of exceptional products to customers, and we are planning to bring Moo & Oink an unparalleled level of quality while keeping the good value."

Best Chicago Meat's commitment to customers goes well beyond delicious products, impeccably clean facilities and the highest standards in food safety. The company is proud to manufacture in a Chicago neighborhood and operates under a strict policy of energy conservation and waste reduction. At Best Chicago Meat, clean and green are fundamental.

In addition, the company is committed to the communities it serves by supporting activities such as youth sports programs, a high school intern program, community events and local and regional festivals. Best Chicago Meat stands strongly behind its customers by supporting local programs that promote family and neighborhood values.

For more information, call 773-523-8161 or visit: http://www.moo-oink.com.