Chicago (April 18, 2015) – Equal^®, the great-tasting 0-calorie sweetener, today announced its partnership with Chef Chris Smith, aka The Diabetic Chef, during the American Diabetes Association (Association) Expo at McCormick Place in Chicago.

As a trusted brand and leader among Aspartame 0-calorie sweeteners, Equal^® joined forces with Chef Chris, a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, and a person with type 1 diabetes. Since being diagnosed, Chef Chris has a newly found passion to teach people living with diabetes how to cook and eat with their health in mind.

As part of the partnership, Equal^® worked with Chef Chris to develop a digital recipe guide, which is now available free to consumers at Equal.com. The guide includes tips that take the guesswork out of meal planning. Additionally, consumers will find a variety of sweet and savory recipes that use Equal^® 0-calorie sweetener as an alternative to sugar, and are suitable for people living with diabetes or those who want to follow a healthy lifestyle:

• Delicious drinks, such as a Green Smoothie, Vanilla Latte, and Cool Peach Iced Tea
• Savory and other side dishes, like Asian Beef Skewers, Chilled Watermelon Gazpacho, Curried Chicken Salad and Garden Fresh Coleslaw
• Desserts such as Lemon & Ginger Pops and Cinnamon Custard

During the Expo on Saturday, April 18, Chef Chris will be available to meet and greet with attendees from 10:00am – 4:00pm at the Equal^® booth (#618). Visitors will enjoy samples of his signature Cool Peach Iced Tea. Chef will also present a cooking demonstration on the main stage from 1:30-2:15pm titled A Balancing Act – Make Your Dishes Sweeter with Equal®. The demo will feature two favorite recipes and samples for tasting that are available in the new guide: Chilled Watermelon Gazpacho and Green Smoothie. The demonstration will be followed by a 15-minute Q&A.

“Equal^® adds just the right amount of sweetness and flavor to my favorite recipes,” said Chef Chris Smith. “As someone who is living with diabetes, I know the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and I’m committed to educating others about how to prepare delicious and nutritious meals without sacrificing taste.”

“We’re excited to partner with Chef Chris Smith to offer people living with diabetes practical knowledge and nutritious and delicious recipes made with Equal^® 0-calorie sweetener,” said Lori Schwartz, Senior Brand Manager at Equal^®.

Equal^® products are available at grocery, mass, club and drugstores. Consumers can also look for the brand in the sweetener caddy at coffee shops and restaurants. Equal^® is offered in 115 and 230-count boxes for a suggested retail price of $3.50 and $6.39 respectively. Equal Spoonful 4oz has a suggested retail price of $3.29. Retail prices may vary by market.

For more information and download the free digital recipe guide, visit www.equal.com or find the brand on facebook http://www.facebook.com/EqualSweetener

Consumers can learn more about Chef Chris Smith at http://thediabeticchef.com/

About Equal^®

For more than 30 years, Equal^® has offered its trusted “blue” packets using the ingredient of aspartame. Equal also offers yellow (sucralose) and pink (saccharin) packets that bear the brand name and deliver the quality and taste consumers expect. Equal^® is a registered trademark of Merisant Company.

About Merisant Company

Merisant Company, the manufacturer of Equal^® brand 0-calorie sweetener, is a privately held company headquartered in Chicago.  Merisant is a global leader in the sweetener industry and has a presence in more than 90 countries with 378 employees worldwide.

About the American Diabetes Association Expo

The American Diabetes Association EXPO is a FREE event for everyone! Get free health screenings. Participate in cooking demonstrations. Learn about new products and get the information you need to better manage and prevent diabetes and its complications. Come to the EXPO and be part of the Stop Diabetes® movement.

# # #

Chicago, IL (April 14, 2015) – MAB Capital Management, a closely held private equity group led by entrepreneur Marc Bushala, announced today the launch of Liquid Asset Brands Innovation Fund I. The $50 million fund will make equity investments of $3 million – $10 million in early stage beverage businesses and take an active role in helping accelerate the growth of the brands in its portfolio.

The announcement of the Liquid Asset Brands Innovation Fund I comes just days after the announced sale of Louisville-based Angel’s Share Brands LLC (Angel’s Envy™ Bourbon and Angel’s Envy™ Rye) to Bacardi Limited for an undisclosed amount. Bushala was a founding partner, President & CEO of Angel’s Share Brands and helped shepherd Angel’s Envy™ into one of the top ten fastest growing super-premium bourbons in the United States.

“There are great opportunities for investment in dynamic and innovative businesses in the beverage sector. Most early stage beverage businesses would greatly benefit by having value-added capital to help accelerate the growth of their brands,” said Bushala. “Liquid Asset Brands brings a wealth of expertise across all disciplines vital to the success of a young brand, including strategy, finance, marketing, sales, distribution and procurement. We have assembled an All-Star team of industry veterans to invest behind brands with great promise and help them achieve their full potential.”

“The entrepreneurial spirit in the beverage sector is thriving, but it takes more than just the will to succeed to break through,” said Tom Flocco, former CEO of Beam Global Spirits & Wine (now Beam Suntory). “Many great products don’t survive because they are either under-capitalized or under-served in one or more critical aspects of the business. You can have a great idea, but if you can’t get distribution, or you do not have the scale to support its growth, it’s an uphill battle.”

“There is a significant opportunity for a fund to create new brands, help expand interesting fledgling brands and support young leadership in the spirits business,” said Mark Montgomery, who’s company FLO.co worked closely with superstar Kenny Chesney in launching his Blue Chair Bay rum business, which set a new record as the fastest growing new company spirits launch in the history of the business. “Marc and his team have clearly established a track record for creating value, and this is the next logical step for him as a leader in the beverage sector.”

Liquid Asset Brands also intends to create and launch its own brands and is planning to open a craft distillery in downtown Chicago in 2015. The Company is in discussions with several strategic partners through the entire beverage value chain, from production and bottling to sale and distribution.

“We are seeing some really exciting businesses with great entrepreneurs at the helm,” said Bushala. “I look forward to announcing our first investments very soon.”

MAB Capital Management, LLC

MAB is a closely held capital management firm focused on making strategic investments in the real estate, communications, hospitality and entertainment sectors within the U.S. and abroad. For more information, please visit www.mabcap.com

Liquid Asset Brands LLC

For more information, please visit www.liquidassetbrands.com

Free Event, Co-presented by Chicago French Market and Sponsored by The Specialty Food Association, Will Feature Nearly 100 Artisan Food and Beverage Producers

Chicago, Ill. (March 26, 2015) – Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine, together with Chicago French Market and presenting sponsor Specialty Food Association, will host the 5^th Annual Pastoral’s Artisan Producer Festival, one of the largest free events of its kind in the Midwest on Saturday, April 25 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The event, featuring nearly 100 artisan producers dedicated to craft food and beverage production, will take place at Chicago French Market, 131 N. Clinton St.

The 5^th installment of the culinary event celebrates nearly 100 talented and award-winning local, national, and international artisan producers of high-quality food and beverages. Participating cheesemakers, charcuterie and confection producers, and other featured purveyors will meet and interact with guests and offer samples of small batch food, beer, spirits, and wine throughout the day. Featured producers at this year’s lineup include:

Food: Many Fold Farm (GA), Meadowood Farms (NY), Brooklyn Brine (NY), Indulgence Chocolatiers (WI)

Beer: Frietkoten Belgian Fries & Beer, a Chicago French Market vendor, will offer Lagunitas on tap

Wine/Spirits: Field Recordings (CA), Ricci Curbastro (Italy), Letherbee Distillery (IL)

Guests can also take part in several stage demonstrations during the day:

11:00am, Welcome from Pastoral co-owner/co-founder, Greg O’Neill

11:30am, Cochon 555 and Utah’s Creminelli Fine Meats, “The Husbandry Culture:

Artisan Cheese, Wine and Cured Meats

12:10pm, Black Dog Gelato & Lillie’s Q, “Backyard BBQ Sundaes”

12:30pm, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, “Farmstead Cheesemaking in Wisconsin”

1:00pm, Indulgence Chocolatiers and Candid Wines, “Pairing Wine with Chocolate”

1:30pm, Lagunitas Brewing Company, “The Art of Pairing Craft Beer”

1:55pm, Many Fold Farm, “Grassfarming and Cheesemaking in the South”

2:20pm, RAW., “A discussion and demonstration about RAW food”

For more information about the festival, including a complete list of participants, visit the official APF website #APF2015

Greg O’Neill and Ken Miller, co-founders/co-owners of Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine, created the APF five years ago to shine a light on the Chicago French Market and all the great products available all year long from high-quality producers.  Said O’Neill, “the festival is the perfect opportunity for our guests to meet the people who make these amazing foods and libations and to truly understand their stories and the hard work and passion that goes into making them.”

The APF will take donations at the door and online to benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Purple Asparagus, a Chicago non-profit that educates children, families, and the community about eating that’s good for the body and the planet.

Chicagoans and visitors are encouraged to make the weekend of April 25-26 a celebration of food with Pastoral’s Artisan Producer Festival happening on Saturday, April 25, 2015, at Chicago French Market and Cochon 555 on Sunday, April 26, 2015. Cochon 555 is a one-of-a-kind traveling culinary competition and tasting event to promote sustainable farming of heritage breed pigs.

For those unable to attend this year’s festival, Pastoral will make the following gift collections available for purchase online at pastoralartisan.com, in-store or by calling 800.721.4781. A full list of contents in each medley is available upon request.

• Artisan Producer Festival Pantry Medley ($59.99), a few of the most scrumptious dry goods from the 5^th Annual APF
• Specialty Food Association ‘sofi’ Medley ($49.99), features some of the winners of the prestigious sofi Award, which honors the best of the best in specialty foods and beverages
• Artisan Producer Festival Tour ($199.99), a grand collection of handcrafted treats from the APF…an indulgent, edible postcard
• Cheeses of APF ($69.99), a well-rounded selection of traditional, domestic and imported cheeses
• Wisconsin Cheese Medley ($49.99), a selection of amazing cheeses from America’s Dairyland

WHEN & WHERE

Pastoral’s Artisan Producer Festival, presented by The Specialty Food Association

Saturday, April 25, 2015, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Chicago French Market, 131 North Clinton Street, Chicago, IL 60661

PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION

Metra will offer an $8 weekend pass that includes unlimited rides for the weekend. Kids under 11 ride free. Parking lot is adjacent to Chicago French Market, with entrances at 164 N. Canal Street and 165 N. Clinton Street. Limited space available.

Pastoral is pleased to have the support of the following key sponsors:

• Presenting Sponsor: Specialty Food Association
• Partner Sponsors: Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Lagunitas Brewing Co.
• National Media Sponsors: Edible Chicago and Culture Magazine

Chicago French Market Vendors:

• Beavers Coffee + Donuts
• Black Dog Gelato
• City Fresh Market
• Da Lobsta
• Delightful Pastries + Café
• FliP Crepes
• Frietkoten Belgian Fries & Beer
• Fumare Meats
• Klay Oven Kitchen
• Lafayette
• Le Cafe du Marche
• Lillie’s Q
• Lolli And Pops
• Loop Juice
• Oh, Olive!
• The Original Meatball Vault
• RAW.
• Saigon Sisters
• Vanille Patisserie

MetraMarket:

• Ovie Bar & Grill

About Pastoral’s Artisan Producer Festival

Pastoral’s Artisan Producer Festival is an annual culinary event in Chicago that gives guests the chance to meet artisan producers from around the globe, taste their products, and celebrate small batch food, beer, spirits, and wine. Pastoral’s Artisan Producer Festival is distinctive from most national and international culinary events of its kind because it is entirely free and open to the public. Pastoral created Pastoral’s Artisan Producer Festival as part of the company’s mission to make shopping for and consuming high-quality artisan goods enlightening, approachable, fun, and delicious. Many of the products featured at Pastoral’s Artisan Producer Festival are sold in the Midwest exclusively at Pastoral. For more information on Pastoral’s Artisan Producer Festival, visit pastoralartisan.com.

About Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine

Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine is a trio of national award-winning neighborhood cheese, specialty foods and wine shop offering the highest quality, cut-to-order domestic and international specialty cheeses, freshly baked breads, perfectly chosen accompaniments and small production wines, along with hand-crafted, cheese-loving beers and spirits. Pastoral also offers custom gift collections, gourmet sandwiches and salads, picnics and catering. Pastoral is committed to

providing the highest level of service and education for customers, striving to make shopping for and consuming artisan goods enlightening, approachable, fun and delicious. Pastoral welcomes customers at three Chicago store locations, and ships nationwide at www.pastoralartisan.com. The company was named Outstanding Retailer of the Year in 2007 and 2012 by the Specialty Food Association. In 2012, the Company opened Bar Pastoral, an award-winning, Michelin Guide recommended cheese & wine bistro serving shareable fare, in a cozy, inviting neighborhood setting. Pastoral will open its newest location in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood in late summer 2015.

About Chicago French Market

Chicago French Market is a European-inspired market that offers an array of local produce, meats, seafood, breads, pastries, cheese, wine, chocolates, pastas, artisan-made goods, specialty drinks, flowers, prepared meals, and a seating area for customers. Chicago French Market is open year-round, six days a week, and is located in the MetraMarket at 131 N. Clinton St. (between Washington and Randolph Streets). Chicago French Market offers complimentary garage parking, with entrances at 164 N. Canal St. and 165 N. Clinton St., for one or hour less with a minimum purchase of $20 or more (receipt required). For more information about Chicago French Market, visit chicagofrenchmarket.com.

About Specialty Food Association

The Specialty Food Association is a thriving community of food artisans, importers and entrepreneurs who bring craft, care and joy to the distinctive foods they produce. Established in 1952 in New York, the not-for-profit trade association provides its 3,000 members in the U.S. and abroad the tools, knowledge and connections to champion and nurture their companies in an always-evolving marketplace. The Association owns and produces the Winter and Summer Fancy Food Shows, and presents the sofi™ Awards honoring excellence in specialty food. Learn more at specialtyfood.com.

# # #

Chicago, IL (February 18, 2015) – Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine is pleased to announce that it has signed a lease to open a new location at 5212 North Clark Street (the former Urban Orchard space) in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood. The new hybrid retail and restaurant/winebar from Chicago’s hometown cheese shop since 2004, will be the Company’s largest project to-date.

The new Andersonville location will offer an exciting extension of Pastoral’s European-inspired neighborhood concept, which celebrates the highest quality, cut-to-order domestic and international specialty cheeses, freshly baked breads, perfectly chosen accompaniments and small production wines. At nearly 3,800 square feet, the space will be arranged into sections or “stations” to allow for an intimate environment with attentive and thoughtful service for patrons to experience and purchase high quality, hand-crafted products, including cheese and wine, charcuterie, gourmet sandwiches, custom gift baskets and artisan catering.

Named by Redfin as one of the top 10 hottest neighborhoods in the country for homebuyers in 2015, Andersonville boasts an exciting food culture and has become a top shopping and dining destination for Chicagoans and other visitors.

“We’re fortunate to have found an incredible space for Pastoral in the heart of Andersonville, a vibrant neighborhood with a strong sense of community,” said Greg O’Neill, co-founder/owner of Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine. “We’re committed to providing the highest level of service, education and quality and to make shopping for artisan food and wine enlightening, approachable, fun and delicious. We look forward to serving both local Andersonville residents and visitors from neighboring communities alike.”

The new location is scheduled to open in late summer 2015. Pastoral’s current retail locations include: 2945 North Broadway; 53 East Lake Street; and Chicago French Market, 131 North Clinton Street. In 2012, the Company also opened Bar Pastoral, an award-winning, Michelin Guide recommended cheese & wine bistro located at 2947 North Broadway.

Additional details about the new Andersonville location will be announced in the coming months. For more information about Pastoral, visit pastoralartisan.com

“Like” Pastoral on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PastoralArtisan and follow the Company on Twitter and Instagram @pastoralchicago.

About Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine

Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine is a trio of national award-winning neighborhood cheese, specialty foods and wine shop offering the highest quality, cut-to-order domestic and international specialty cheeses, freshly baked breads, perfectly chosen accompaniments and small production wines, along with hand-crafted, cheese-loving beers and spirits. Pastoral also offers custom gift collections, gourmet sandwiches and salads, picnics and catering. Pastoral is committed to providing the highest level of service and education for customers, striving to make shopping for and consuming artisan goods enlightening, approachable, fun and delicious. Pastoral welcomes customers at three Chicago store locations, and ships nationwide at www.pastoralartisan.com. Pastoral was named Outstanding Retailer of the Year in 2007 and 2012 by the Specialty Food Association. In 2012, the Company opened Bar Pastoral, an award-winning, Michelin Guide recommended cheese & wine bistro serving shareable fare, in a cozy, inviting neighborhood setting.

# # #

Key West, Florida (January 26, 2015) – Papa’s Pilar^®, the premium sipping rum inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s spirit of adventure, today announced its sponsorship of the inaugural Florida Statewide Tournament and Anglers Rodeo (STAR). The event is produced by The Coastal Conservation Association of Florida (CCA FL), a statewide, non-profit marine organization working to protect the state’s marine resources and interests of saltwater anglers.

As the “official” rum of CCA FL and STAR, Papa’s Pilar will attend the Florida Sportsman Expo at the Lee County Civic Center in Ft. Myers on January 31. During the event, STAR will share details about the 108 day long tournament, which was designed to encourage anglers to get out and enjoy more time on the water and to educate the general public about the importance of conservation of Florida’s marine resources. STAR anglers will compete for a total of nearly $500,000 in prizes and college scholarships during the summer long tournament, which runs from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. The signature division will have Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and CCA FL officials releasing up to 80 STAR tagged redfish along the west coast of Florida throughout hundreds of miles of Florida’s gulf coast and bays, from Pensacola to the Everglades National Park.

Papa’s Pilar is meant to rekindle a sense of adventure in us all. “Papa” as Ernest Hemingway was known, was possibly the world’s greatest adventurer. Papa’s Pilar was crafted to be near that same adventure, accompanying rum enthusiasts as they sink their teeth into life. Named for his muse and one true constant, Pilar is the vessel that allowed America’s literary giant to reach beyond the shoreline, feast on life and remind us to never be a spectator. Ernest Hemingway was a famed angler and an active conservationist, serving as VP of the International Game Fish Association for 21 years. The brand set out to create a bold rum with real integrity and rich complex character, much like the man who inspires them.

“Papa’s Pilar is rooted in the adventures of Ernest Hemingway, including recreational fishing and boating,” said Lindsey Kops, brand director for Papa’s Pilar Rum. “We’re proud to sponsor the inaugural Florida Statewide Tournament and Anglers Rodeo, an event that embodies many of Hemingway’s core values, from sport and adventure to protection of natural resources.”

ABOUT PAPA’S PILAR RUM

The inaugural Dark & Blonde varieties are hand-selected from ports-of-call in the Caribbean, Central America and the U.S.A. for their age, character and maturity, and then solera aged and blended in a unique process using American Oak Bourbon barrels, Port Wine casks, and finishing in Spanish Sherry casks. This process provides an authentic and unique flavor profile that no one origin could accomplish.

Papa’s Pilar Dark, a bold and complex sipping rum, was named “Best Rum in America” by the Caribbean Journal in 2014. At 86-proof, it is both pot and column stilled and boasts hand-selected rums up to 24 years old, and a long, velvety finish. The Expression also won a “Double Gold” Medal at the 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Papa’s Pilar Blonde, the first categorized ‘blonde’ rum, is crisp and nuanced and includes column stilled aged rums 3-7 years old. At 84-proof, it’s a premium sipping rum with a layered and exceptionally smooth finish, making for an indulgent cocktail. Papa’s Pilar Blonde was awarded “Best in Class” White Rum at the 2013 Rum Renaissance Festival in Miami, Florida.

Papa’s Pilar was developed in conjunction with Ernest Hemingway’s estate. The Hemingway family will donate 100 percent of their royalty profits to organizations that embody the likes of adventure, literacy, and conservation, causes dear to Hemingway and his heirs.

Every aspect of Papa’s Pilar is thoughtful and purposeful. The distinct bottle evokes Papa’s exploits through a form factor reminiscent of an iconic WWII canteen. The etched compass closure reflects that same sense of adventure on either land or sea. The lion heads represent nobility while the Rooster on the Medallion pays homage to Key West, where Hemingway and his boat Pilar once resided and remain celebrated fixtures within the community.

Papa’s Pilar rums are available in 750ml bottles in both on- and off-premise accounts in California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas and Washington, DC. The suggested retail price of the Dark and Blonde are $39.99 and $29.99, respectively. Prices may vary by market.

Papa’s Pilar plans to break ground on a new distillery and experience center in 2015 in Key West, Florida. For more information, visit www.papaspilar.com, “like” us on Facebook and follow us on twitter and Instagram @papaspilar. Enthusiasts can also search for #papaspilar, #papawouldbeproud, #neveraspectator, #myhemingwayday, #pilarforpreservation

For more information about STAR, please visit http://ccaflstar.com/

About Hemingway Rum Company, LLC

Hemingway Rum Company, LLC is a distilled spirits company based in Florida that’s dedicated to producing super-premium multi-sourced solera blended artisanal rums. The Company’s inaugural offerings are Papa’s Pilar™ Dark and Blonde rums, incepted and crafted by a seasoned team of best-in-class partners. The Company encourages consumers of legal drinking age to Live Courageously and Drink Responsibly and proudly supports local organizations that serve Ernest Hemingway’s adventurous, literary and conservational legacy.

Papa’s Pilar® is a proud member of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS).

# # #