The Culinary Scoop

Will Lead to an Enhanced Shopping Experience, Including Lower Prices for Customers

Cash of $32.50 per share, plus other contingent consideration with an estimated value of $3.65 per share; Blackhawk shares with a recent value of $3.95 per Safeway share to be distributed in a separate transaction to Safeway shareholders in mid-April.

Safeway Inc. and Albertsons announced today a definitive agreement under which AB Acquisition LLC (“AB Acquisition”) will acquire all outstanding shares of Safeway (the “Merger”). The merger agreement was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of Safeway.

AB Acquisition is the owner of Albertson’s LLC and New Albertson’s, Inc. (collectively “Albertsons”) and is controlled by a Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. (“Cerberus”)-led investor group, which also includes Kimco Realty Corporation (NYSE:KIM), Klaff Realty LP, Lubert-Adler Partners LP, and Schottenstein Stores Corporation.

As a result of the Merger, plus other actions to be taken by the Safeway Board of Directors as described below, including the separate sales of certain other primarily non-core assets, and the distribution of Blackhawk shares, Safeway shareholders are expected to receive total value estimated at $40 per share.

Albertsons’ Chief Executive Officer Bob Miller stated, “This transaction offers us the opportunity to better serve customers by adapting more quickly to evolving shopping preferences in diverse regions across the country. It also brings together two great organizations with talented management teams. Robert Edwards and his team have done an outstanding job in positioning Safeway’s core business for success, by investing in its stores and creating innovative strategic marketing programs that contribute to shareholder value. Working together will enable us to create cost savings that translate into price reductions for our customers. Together, we will be able to respond to local needs more quickly and deliver outstanding products at the lowest possible price, more efficiently than ever before.”

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Togo’s Eateries, Inc., a “West Coast Original” since 1971, will celebrate the opening of its first restaurant in Patterson, Calif., on Tuesday, March 11 with a 1,000 regular #9 Hot Pastrami sandwich giveaway*, plus half-price regular #9 sandwiches all-day long. The restaurant is located in the new Super Wal-Mart Shopping Center at the southwest corner of Ward and Sperry Avenues.

Prior to opening day, Togo’s in Patterson, Calif., will also host a “Family and Friends” fundraising event from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, March 10 to benefit the Patterson High School business department. Local attendees who donate a minimum of $2 to the school will receive a free regular #9 Hot Pastrami sandwich.

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Heineken^®, the official beer sponsor of the Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), announces #15secondpremiere, a social call-to-action that challenges people to get outside their comfort zone at TFF. From now until 11:59pm EST on Friday, March 7^th, Heineken is accepting film pitches via Twitter and will select one to produce as an epic 15-second short to premiere at a private event at the Festival. People can enter by sending their movie pitch in a single tweet, using #15secondpremiere.

The winner of #15secondpremiere will be thrust into the limelight at Tribeca Film Festival, where they will serve as the face of the film, introducing the movie before industry influencers and media, and fielding questions from the audience after seeing the end result of their 140 character screenplay for the very first time. By bringing the biggest production of a15-second film to a private event at the Tribeca Film Festival, the brand will create a stage for Tweeters alike to answer for their tweet in front of a capacity crowd.

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Food Network’s new competition series Kitchen Casino hosted by Bill Rancic and premiering on Monday, April 7^th at 9pm ET/PT  brings together four talented chefs in a high-stakes game of chance that requires skill, speed and adaptability.  In each episode, four competitors would be wise to keep one eye on the ticking clock while they attempt to out-cook and out-smart their competition during three casino-themed cooking challenges – slots, poker and roulette – for a chance to win the $30,000 jackpot.  The chefs must be at the top of their game throughout the three rounds to handle whatever Lady Luck deals them, and they must double-down on their skills or risk being 86′d.  Each episode features a panel of rotating judges including Michael Chernow, Madison Cowan, Danyelle Freedman, Gavin Kaysen, Aliya Leekong and Kristin Sollenne.

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The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a non-profit scientific society of food scientists, technologists and related professionals from academia, government and industry, today announced that registration for the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo® in New Orleans, June 21-24 at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center, is now officially open.

The 2014 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo is the only global event of its kind to feature the very latest food products, the hottest food trends, and the most important developments in the science of food.  IFT’s 2014 Scientific Program will address hot topics in food safety, product development, food health and nutrition, environmental sustainability and novel processing and packaging.

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The real food flavors of classic hot wings are soaring into the chip aisle as Ruffles, one of the many brands that makes up PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division, introduces Ruffles Deep Ridged Classic Hot Wing flavored potato chips inspired by Buffalo Wild Wings. The new flavor, which hits store shelves this month, offers a unique combination of tangy vinegar, chicken and hot sauce reminiscent of the popular wings found on the Buffalo Wild Wings menu. With ridges two times as deep as regular Ruffles potato chips, it is a flavor sure to add a kick to just about any gathering.

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