Dean Foods Picks 31 Flavors

Prepared Foods, March, 2001

In a recently announced strategic alliance, Dean Foods will manufacture and distribute ice cream to Baskin-Robbins' franchised retail outlets throughout most of the nation. The exclusive supply arrangement will reportedly give Dean $85 million in additional ice cream sales.

The arrangement may prove only the first for Dean, according to Howard Dean, chairman and chief executive officer of the company. "Our alliance (with Baskin-Robbins) provides the possibility to extend beyond ice cream production and distribution to a broader relationship that involves Allied Domecq's other retail food businesses." Baskin-Robbins is operated and marketed by Allied Domecq Quick Service Restaurants, a part of the U.K.'s Allied Domecq PLC, one of the world's largest restaurant companies.

The agreement also expands Dean's distribution reach coast to coast. "With this expansion of our business, we have truly become a national ice cream player," said Dean. "We intend to leverage this capability to support continued growth of our regional ice cream brands and to further execute our national ice cream business strategy."