Brown Bagging Is the Way to Lunch This Fall

RIDGWAY, CO, Sep 10 (MARKET WIRE) --
This fall, brown bags are poised to become the hottest must-have
accessory with adult consumers carrying more than 8.5 billion brown bag
lunches this year, according to the NPD Group.

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of women currently pack a lunch for themselves at
least sometimes, with 39% indicating they do so at least once a week. That
number is expected to grow, according to a recent Harris Interactive(R)
survey conducted on behalf of the Grain Foods Foundation -- more than
one-third (37%) of US women who pack their own lunches indicated they plan
to do so more often in the coming year than they have in the past.

Kate Gosselin of TLC's "Jon & Kate Plus Eight" is teaming up with the
Grain Foods Foundation to provide brown bagging tips that help make it
easy for moms to pack a healthy, affordable and satisfying lunch for
themselves and their families.

Not surprisingly, the current state of the economy is a key driver with
81% of women indicating that money is an important reason for packing
their lunch. Almost half of U.S. women eat lunch out at least once per
week, spending an average of $9 each time according to the survey. The
amount spent does not increase with income level.

Brown bagging can save consumers hundreds -- even thousands -- of dollars
per year, a top concern for many families. In fact, women with school-age
children at home are more likely than those without children (59%) to pack
a lunch.

"Managing expenses is a priority not just in my family but with many
others across the country right now," said Gosselin. "Making sandwiches
and packing healthy lunches is a relatively easy way to save money and
control your diet."

While consumers are looking to brown bagging to trim their savings, they
may see the added benefit of a slimmer waistline. In general, brown bag
lunches tend to be smaller in portion size and lower in calories. Nearly
40% of US women cited nutrition as a reason for packing a lunch. As for
what's going into those brown bags -- sandwiches are the number one choice
across the board.

"Grains are an ideal choice at lunch since they provide much-needed energy
and sustenance to make it through the day," explained Judi Adams, MS, RD
and president of the Grain Foods Foundation. "Plus grain foods such as
sandwiches, pretzels, crackers and granola bars are convenient, delicious
and portable, making them brown bag friendly."

To demonstrate just what kind of impact consumers might see on their
wallets and waistlines, the Grain Foods Foundation has created an online
savings tool for consumers to track the financial and caloric savings of
packing a lunch. By joining the Brown Bag Club, consumers can calculate
their savings, download coupons, get delicious sandwich recipes and
register to win a year's worth of free groceries. Consumers can register
at www.grainpower.org.

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of Grain
Foods Foundation among 1,536 US adult females (aged 18 and over) within
the United States between July 31-August 4, 2008. Data were weighted to
be representative of the total U.S. adult population on the basis of
region, age within gender, education, household income, race/ethnicity
and propensity to be online. No estimates of theoretical sampling error
can be calculated; a full methodology is available.

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is a global leader in custom market research. With a
long and rich history in multimodal research that is powered by our
science and technology, we assist clients in achieving business results.
Harris Interactive serves clients globally through our North American,
European and Asian offices and a network of independent market research
firms. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.

About the Grain Foods Foundation

The Grain Foods Foundation, a joint venture of members of the milling and
baking industries formed in 2004, is dedicated to advancing the public's
understanding of the beneficial role grain-based foods play in the human
diet. Directed by a board of trustees, funding for the Foundation is
provided through voluntary donations from private grain-based food
companies and is supplemented by industry associations. For more
information about the Grain Foods Foundation, visit www.grainpower.org.

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CONTACTS:
Angela Giovanello
Mullen PR
(978) 468-8921
angela.giovanello@mullen.com

Jennifer Geiger
Mullen PR
(978) 468-8958
jennifer.geiger@mullen.com

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