03/11/05 Sara Lee Food and Beverage Switches to CHEP; Financial and Environmental Benefits Cited as Reason for Move from One-Way Pallets (DOWNERS GROVE)

Sara Lee Food & Beverage, one of the nation's premier consumer packaged goods marketers, today announced that it is transporting all products on pallets from CHEP, the global leader in equipment pooling solutions. By the beginning of next year, most of Sara Lee's biggest brands, including Ball Park, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm and multiple Sara Lee branded products will be shipped to grocery, foodservice, club store and convenience store retailers from the company's 22 processing and distribution locations around the country on the signature blue CHEP pallets.

Sara Lee's Food & Beverage division previously used one-way wood pallets to ship products to its customers, but experienced pallet supply challenges and other operating inefficiencies. In addition, the one-way nature of the system added to the country's waste stream and has other negative environmental factors.

"The economics of the CHEP solution provides us with clear financial benefits gained from sturdier unit loads and improved product handling. CHEP is also helping us positively impact the environment by reducing the number of pallets sent to landfills," said Larry Rogers, senior vice president, Supply Chain. "Sara Lee F&B will also lower its overall shipping platform and carrier costs by moving to CHEP."

CHEP management said the company is committed to helping Sara Lee F&B meet and exceed the performance metrics established by many of the marketer's customers.

"Sara Lee is a great partner, and we are pleased to be playing a part in improving the company's relationship with its retail and foodservice customers. CHEP is constantly developing new solutions to address the specific issues of companies like Sara Lee, and their move to our program is proof that by working toward the common goal of greater efficiency, all trading partners benefit," said Dave Mezzanotte, Chief Operating Officer, CHEP.

About Sara Lee Food & Beverage

Sara Lee Food & Beverage is the leading North American retail food division of Sara Lee Corporation. Based in Downers Grove, Ill., SLF&B develops and sells many of the world's favorite high-quality baked goods, meats and coffee. Leading brands and products include Sara Lee fresh breads, frozen desserts and deli meats; Hillshire Farm lunchmeats; Jimmy Dean sausage and breakfast foods; Ball Park franks; and the Senseo single-serve coffee system that uses the Douwe Egberts brand of European-style premium coffee.

About CHEP

CHEP is the global leader in pallet and plastic container pooling services serving many of the world's largest companies. With Americas headquarters based in Orlando, the company has more than 7,700 employees in 42 countries. Combining superior technology, over five decades of experience and an asset base of more than 265 million pallets and containers, CHEP handles pallet and container supply chain logistics for customers in the consumer goods, produce, meat, home improvement, beverage, raw materials and automotive industries. With global partners that include Procter & Gamble, SYSCO, Kellogg's, Kraft, Nestle, Ford and GM, CHEP is known for Handling the World's Most Important Products. Everyday