GREENWICH, Conn., May 15, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- Blyth, Inc. (NYSE:BTH) today announced it will debut the new Sterno(r) brand Smart Can(tm) at the National Restaurant Association's trade show in Chicago. The patent-pending feature includes a Heat Indicator built into a new label that enables users to determine easily that the chafing fuel is working and too hot to touch.
The Sterno(r) brand Smart Can(tm) is designed to prevent injuries and property damage caused by touching and dropping hot, lit cans. The Heat Indicator is blue when the product is cool, reads "HOT" when working and turns back to blue when cool again. Operator efficiency is improved as users can easily tell by reading the Heat Indicator if wind has extinguished the flame or the fuel has been consumed completely and is ready to be replaced. The Sterno(r) brand Smart Can(tm) is ideal for catered events as well as customer drop-offs (events that are not professionally monitored), as consumers unaccustomed to the proper use of chafing fuel are alerted when the can is working and very hot.
Commenting on the new product, Robert B. Goergen, Blyth's Chairman of the Board and CEO, said, "The Foodservice division has again demonstrated its industry leadership with Heat Recognition Technology in the Sterno(r) brand Smart Can(tm). As the authority on versatile, consistent and innovative temperature solutions, its responsiveness to customer concerns through new product development continues to benefit the end user."
The Sterno(r) brand, which is manufactured, marketed and distributed by the Foodservice division of Blyth, provides chefs, caterers and other Foodservice professionals with a full line of gel and wick chafing fuel products, including its patented ethanol and methanol gel formulation, as well as its patented Hot Spot(r) Superwick(r) product. Sterno(r) brand products are ideal for chafing dishes, room service carts, beverage urns, soup tureens and hot boxes. Endar Corp., also a wholly owned subsidiary of Blyth, Inc., markets and distributes Sterno(r) brand products to mass merchandisers, food and sporting goods retailers through its consumer wholesale operation. The Sterno(r) brand Smart Can(tm) will be available to consumers this summer.
Walter Adams, President of Blyth's Foodservice division, said, "Our market research indicates that the Sterno(r) brand is the most widely recognized and respected brand name in chafing fuel and is positioned for growth in the catering and lodging markets, two of the faster-growing segments of the Foodservice industry. The Sterno(r) brand is a leader in the industry because of its ability to maintain optimum heat and safety in food presentations. This innovation will enable users to maximize the benefits of our chafing fuel and provide an extra safety element to protect consumers and ensure a positive guest experience."
The Sterno(r) brand maintains one of the most consistent records for quality, innovation and service, winning the 2001 American Culinary Institute Gold Medal of Excellence award for the fourth year in a row. The Sterno(r) brand has also been recognized recently for superior supplier performance by Sysco Corporation's Top 100 Outstanding Supplier award and has achieved better than 98% order and inventory accuracy and on-time delivery rates.
Information about the Sterno(r) brand may be found on the Internet at www.candlecorpfs.com and includes downloadable photos of the new product, logo and graphics, a Sterno(r) brand Smart Can(tm) demonstration, material safety data sheets and a frequently-updated new products showcase.
Blyth, Inc., headquartered in Greenwich, CT, USA, designs, manufactures and markets an extensive line of candles and home fragrance products including scented candles, potpourri and other fragranced products and markets a broad range of related candle accessories. Its products are sold direct to the consumer under the PartyLite(r) brand, to retailers in the mid-tier and premium retail channels, under the Colonial Candle of Cape Cod(r), Kate's Original Recipe(tm) and Carolina Designs(r) brands and in the mass retail channel under the Ambria(tm), Florasense(r) and FilterMate(r) brands. In Europe, its products are also sold under the Gies, Colony and Wax Lyrical brands. Blyth also markets a broad range of complementary specialty products for the consumer market, including decorative seasonal products under the Midwest of Cannon Falls(r) and Impact(tm) brand names, paper-related products under the Jeanmarie(r) brand and tabletop illumination products, and portable heating fuel for the hotel, restaurant and catering trade, under the Sterno(r) and HandyFuel(r) brand names. Net Sales for the twelve months ended January 31, 2001 totaled $1,197,197,000.
Blyth, Inc. may be found on the Internet at www.blythinc.com.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance and underlying assumptions and other statements which are other than statements of historical facts. Actual results could differ materially due to various factors, including the risk of a continuing weakness of the retail environment, the effects of our restructuring, the risk of maintaining the Company's growth rate, the Company's ability to respond to increased product demand, the risks (including foreign currency fluctuations) associated with international sales and foreign products, the risks of being able to recruit new independent sales consultants, dependence on key management personnel, competition in terms of price and new product introductions, and other factors described in this press release, in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended October 31, 2000 and in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 2001.