Haagen-Dazs(R) Ice Cream Pledges to Help Save Nature's Unsung Heroes

More than fifty percent of Americans are unaware of the honey bee crisis and
the role honey bees play in the food supply

OAKLAND, Calif., Feb. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The food producer
responsible for one of every three bites the average American eats is in
crisis. And more than half of Americans are not even aware there is a
problem.(1) Who is this mega food producer? Meet the humble honey bee.
Honey bees are responsible for pollinating more than 100 different crops,
$15 billion worth annually in the U.S., and are a key factor in the
agricultural industry's ability to provide food products to the rest of the
world. But honey bees are dying at an alarming rate. Over the last several
winters, more than 25 percent of the honey bee population in the United States
has vanished, many under mysterious circumstances. Early reports from
beekeepers show this phenomenon is continuing in 2008.
For Haagen-Dazs ice cream, the reality of this threat has spurred the
superpremium ice cream maker to launch a national campaign to protect these
tiny unsung heroes. Everything from poor nutrition to invasive mites to
Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) -- a phenomenon where bees from a colony
abruptly desert the hive and die -- is affecting the bees. This disappearance
has scientists stumped and has the potential to affect many of our favorite
nuts, fruits and berries -- key ingredients in some of the most popular
Haagen-Dazs flavors. In fact, nearly 40 percent of Haagen-Dazs all-natural ice
cream flavors include ingredients dependent on honey bees for pollination.
To discover and prevent what's killing our honey bees, the Haagen-Dazs
brand is launching the Haagen-Dazs loves Honey Bees(TM) campaign to fund
sustainable pollination and CCD research at Pennsylvania State University and
the University of California, Davis.
"Haagen-Dazs ice cream is made from the finest all-natural ingredients,
and the plight of the honey bee could mean many of the ingredients used in our
top flavors, like Vanilla Swiss Almond and Strawberry, would be difficult to
source," said Haagen-Dazs brand manager Josh Gellert.
Putting all its marketing might behind the issue, the Haagen-Dazs brand
will launch a website, print, television and online advertising dedicated to
educating Americans about the problem and seeking their help to spread the
word and join the campaign. The effort will also include information in
retail stores and Haagen-Dazs(R) Shops and a full public relations campaign.
To further spotlight the issue, the Haagen-Dazs brand is launching a new
honey bee-dedicated flavor in February 2008 -- Vanilla Honey Bee. The brand
is also tagging all of its honey bee-dependent flavors -- from Haagen-Dazs
Wild Berry frozen yogurt to Caramelized Pear and Toasted Pecan ice cream --
with a HD loves HB(TM) icon. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the
new flavor and all HD loves HB tagged flavors will be used to fund the
$250,000 donation to UC Davis and Penn State.
Haagen-Dazs has recruited prominent university researchers and beekeepers
to serve on a Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream Bee Board to provide insight and
consultation on the complex honey bee situation. Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream Bee
Board members include: -- Diana Cox-Foster, Ph.D., professor of entomology
and CCD researcher at
Penn State
-- Dennis van Engelsdorp, acting state apiarist with the Pennsylvania
Department of Agriculture and bee specialist at Penn State
-- Robert Berghage, Ph.D., associate professor of horticulture, bee garden
expert, Penn State University
-- Sue Cobey, bee breeder, geneticist and leader of the bee breeding
program at the UC Davis Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research
Facility
-- Eric Mussen, Ph.D., extension apiculturist at the UC Davis Harry H.
Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility
-- Michael Parrella, Ph.D., professor of entomology and associate dean,
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Division of
Agricultural Sciences, UC Davis
-- Randy Oliver, beekeeping expert and teacher
-- David Hackenberg, beekeeping expert and owner of Hackenberg Apiaries

"Honey bee health and sustainable pollination is a major issue facing
American agriculture that is threatening our food supply and endangering our
natural environment," said Diana Cox-Foster, Ph.D., leading CCD researcher at
Penn State and Haagen-Dazs Bee Board member. "Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream's
generous donation to Penn State's research program will provide immediate
funds for research, outreach and student training to help find a CCD solution
and preserve our natural food supply."
"The Haagen-Dazs brand and UC Davis have a shared goal of preserving our
local natural ingredients in a sustainable future and their donation to the UC
Davis Laidlaw facility will help us reach our goals through advances in
research and community awareness programs," said Michael Parrella, Haagen-Dazs
Ice Cream Bee Board member and associate dean, Division of Agricultural
Sciences, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, UC Davis.
There are several ways consumers can help save our favorite pollinators:
-- Create a bee-friendly garden with plants that attract honey bees.
-- Support the Haagen-Dazs loves Honey Bees program -- a portion of the
proceeds of the sale of all bee-dependent flavors will go toward
helping the honey bees.
-- Educate neighbors, schools and community groups about the severe
situation the honey bees and our food supply are facing.

For full details on how the Haagen-Dazs brand is helping honey bees and
how you can take part, please visit www.helpthehoneybees.com.
(1) According to a recent survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation
on behalf of Haagen-Dazs

About Haagen-Dazs
Crafted in 1961 by Reuben Mattus in his family's dairy, Haagen-Dazs is the
original superpremium ice cream. True to tradition, we are committed to using
only the purest ingredients in crafting the world's finest ice cream. Truly
made like no other, today Haagen-Dazs ice cream offers a full range of
products from ice cream to sorbet, frozen yogurt and frozen snacks in more
than 65 flavors. Haagen-Dazs products are available around the globe for ice
cream lovers to enjoy. For more information, please visit www.Haagen-
Dazs.com.
SOURCE Haagen-Dazs(R)

Diane McIntyre of Haagen-Dazs, +1-510-601-4338, dmmcinty@dreyers.com, or
Allyson Savage of Ketchum, +1-415-984-2243, allyson.savage@ketchum.com, for
Haagen-Dazs