Mellace Family Brands Partners with Growers First to Improve Cashew Farmers' Lives and Products Through Better Tracking

Online, February 1, 2010 (Newswire.com) - CARLSBAD, Calif. (February 1, 2010)- Mellace Family Brands, a snack food innovator known for a diverse product line that includes tree nuts, peanuts, snack mixes, and enrobed chocolate items, today announced that it has partnered with Growers First to implement a comprehensive traceability program that tracks cashews from seed to store. The on-line tracking system will provide transparency in the supply chain.

"We chose to work with Growers First because they have an excellent history of working with farmers," said Mike Mellace, chief executive officer, Mellace Family Brands. "This system will give us the ability to track the cashews back to the individual farmer and allow us to ensure the growers, especially the smaller ones, are treated fairly. For Mellace Family Brands, a successful farmer means a more reliable and consistent source of nuts. And all of this ultimately leads to a superior final product delivered to our customers."

"Over a billion people in developing countries live on less than $1 per day, mostly in agricultural communities," said Dave Day, founder, Growers First. "Most of these farmers struggle to provide even subsistence living for their families, and have little or no access to basic health care and education. Growers First, often in partnership with socially responsible companies like Mellace Family Brands, employ farm programs to build stronger communities. This traceability system is just one example. We believe that the inequity and injustices to small growers in developing countries can be minimized through the training, education and collaborative efforts that we provide."

About Growers First
Growers First is a 501(c)(3) organization that seeks to support the UN's Millennium Development Goals through programs aimed at economic sustainability, empowerment through social equity, and creating a place at the table for the world's poor. It serves as an advocate and partner for developing world small-plot growers and their families by providing the training, education and business guidance needed to build stronger communities, a more workable living from their land, and a better quality of life. Please visit www.growersfirst.org for more information.

About Mellace Family Brands
Mellace Family Brands is a snack food innovator that produces the highest quality and most desirable products using unique processes and recipes. The company's 42,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility located in Carlsbad, California, manufactures a diverse product line that includes kosher tree nuts, peanuts, snack mixes, and enrobed or panned chocolate items. These products have propelled the company's growth, placing it on the Inc. 5000 list and earning its founder Entrepreneur of the Year award recognitions from both the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and Ernst & Young (as finalist for San Diego) in 2007. Since its founding in 2001, Mellace Family Brands has made social responsibility a top priority. Through the Mama Cares Foundation, the company has provided assistance to many individuals, families and organizations in need. Please visit www.mellacefamilybrands.com and www.mamacares.org for more information.

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