Deep Ocean Drinking Water Sourced 3,000 Feet Off the Coast of Hawaii Delivers Same Great Taste, Purity & Performance

Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – (December 19, 2015) – Kona Deep^TM, the Hawaii-based bottled water company founded by area locals in 2006, will soon be back on retail shelves across the state. Due to increased consumer demand for premium bottled water with natural benefits, Kona Deep executives felt now was the time to fully embrace and share this special untapped natural resource of deep ocean water.

“In the early days, we were more focused on exporting to Asia where the benefits of deep ocean water are well known,” said Mark Mukai, board member and major investor in Kona Deep. “Now, we’ve enlisted a leadership team with proven brand building experience and a skilled local distribution team in Johnson Brothers of Hawaii, Inc., with the goal to create the leading North American brand of this new deep ocean water category. Our water has always been exceptional and naturally delivers functional benefits that other beverages don’t have – a deep hydration you can feel and a refreshing taste that can only come from Kona Deep. I’m incredibly excited to introduce this new campaign in our home state of Hawaii.”

Until now, consumers had to choose between spring water and highly processed, functional purified waters with artificially added electrolytes. With Kona Deep, bottled water drinkers no longer have to choose between purity and performance. The new brand offers both – the purity of a trusted, natural source with nothing artificial, nothing added and the hydration benefits of electrolytes. A new study that’s currently underway at the University of Arizona, which seeks to evaluate the impact of post-exercise hydration with deep ocean mineral water on exercise performance, rehydration and recovery, may further strengthen this connection.

Kona Deep comes from melted glacial water, which sunk to the ocean floor more than 1,000 years ago, creating a deep ocean current that still flows today. This infinitely renewable source absorbs naturally occurring electrolytes and minerals along its journey across the ocean floor and along volcanic fissures, which are crucial for hydration and body balance.

While deep ocean water is difficult to access, the coast of Kona, Hawaii, provides an ideal location to source and bottle the water because the ocean floor falls sharply to more than 3,000 feet below the surface. At this depth, near-freezing cold and prolonged darkness create a pure water that is protected from light and surface ocean water. Once brought to the surface, the water is desalinated and bottled at the source with a total dissolved solids (TDS) content of 250, the perfect balance of performance and taste. During the process, nothing is added.

Kona Deep Chief Executive Officer Patrick Turpin, the co-founder of Popchips^TM – the innovative and wildly popular all natural snack – looks forward to enlightening and educating people about the benefits of deep ocean drinking water.

“Kona Deep is a great option for those who want their water to work harder, naturally,” said Turpin. “We’re giving people who want more from their bottled water a reason to rethink their choice.”

All operations for the brand, including sourcing and bottling, will take place locally. As the brand grows in Hawaii and beyond, so too does the potential to add new jobs. And while Hawaii is a natural first place to launch, Turpin is setting his sights on growing this brand across the U.S., where premium bottle water sales have skyrocketed +315% over the past five years.[1]

“Deep ocean drinking water is a billion dollar category in Asia, but this is still very much a new category of bottled water in the U.S.,” Turpin added.

“We’ve had a strong acceptance rate among retailers for Kona Deep,” said Pat McGuirk, Director of Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Johnson Brothers of Hawaii. “They love the local connection, the smooth, pure taste and the natural benefits deep ocean drinking water provides. They’re excited to see the brand back on shelves in Hawaii.”

Kona Deep is now available at a variety of local Hawaiian retailers, including grocery stores such as Foodland and KTA, convenience stores like Minit Stop, natural stores, such as Down to Earth, and military exchanges like AAFES, in 500mL and 1L bottles. Consumers can also purchase 24-bottle cases of Kona Deep in store or online at www.amazon.com. The brand will begin to roll out into other mainland U.S. markets later this month.

For more information, and a full list of retail locations, please visit www.konadeep.com and follow the brand on Twitter and @KonaDeep

About Kona Deep^TM

Kona Deep is a deeply refreshing and restoring water with a unique balance of naturally occurring deep ocean electrolytes essential to life and health. Kona Deep comes from the ocean waters of Hawaii, over 3,000 feet below the surface where cold, pressure and darkness combine to create an exceptionally high quality water. We utilize a unique method to bring the water to the surface to offer you an extraordinary taste and hydration experience. In the process, we add nothing.

# # #

[1] Beverage Digest 2015 Fact Book

Bardstown, KY (December 14, 2015) – The Bardstown Bourbon Company is pleased to announce an innovative Collaborative Whiskey, Bourbon, and Rye Wholesale Distilling Program. Slated to open in Summer 2016, the new distillery will offer wholesale customers the opportunity to create custom, authentic, Kentucky whiskey products and will also provide comprehensive barrel financing. The Program promises to expand the explosive growth of the craft distilling industry by providing craft distillers and brand owners high quality whiskey to strengthen their supply.

Currently, many craft distillers and brand owners obtain their whiskey from large industrial distilleries, are limited in their ability to produce custom products, have no financing options, and are reluctant to promote the location and source of their whiskey. With a production team led by Bourbon Hall of Fame Master Distiller, Steve Nally – a 40-year veteran of the spirits industry and formerly the Master Distiller of Maker’s Mark – the Bardstown Bourbon Company will provide craft distillers and brand owners the opportunity to:

• Work with a team of whiskey experts to create their own authentic and innovative Kentucky whiskey products;
• Benefit from highly competitive wholesale prices;
• Ensure consistent, high quality production that can rapidly scale;
• Control the future source for their product;
• Finance new fill barrel production and aging, and
• Provide a production location and environment that they can celebrate and promote.

“We are very excited to offer a suite of much needed services that we believe will help foster continued innovation and growth in the whiskey industry,” said David Mandell, President & CEO of The Bardstown Bourbon Company.

The Company, in collaboration with Live Oak Bank, the second largest SBA lender in the country, is offering customers comprehensive financing of the purchase price of newly filled barrels with terms of up to 10 years. This is an enormous benefit in an industry that is capital intensive and often without many good banking options.

“This program is a game changer,” said Daniel Linde, Chief Financial Officer of the Company. “As the first company to offer a comprehensive barrel financing program for whiskey, we are helping our customers continue to develop and grow their brands, without tying up all of their capital in production.”

As the domestic and international whiskey and bourbon market continues to expand, The Bardstown Bourbon Company will help its customers meet growing demand. The distillery has an initial 1.5 million proof-gallon capacity with barrel storage on its property for up to 185K barrels. The distillery is also designed to easily expand as production grows.

In addition, The Bardstown Bourbon Company offers a unique environment to showcase customer products. Set on 100 acres of active farmland and adjacent to the Bluegrass Parkway, The Bardstown Bourbon Company and its 37,000 square foot distillery form the gateway to Bardstown, Kentucky, the “Bourbon Capital of the World.”

“This is such an exciting time for bourbon,” explained Steve Nally, Master Distiller of The Bardstown Bourbon Company. “I look forward to working with other distillers and brand owners to make great products. We also look forward to integrating some of these brands into the Bardstown Bourbon Company’s visitor experience, and we will use our facility to highlight and promote their brands.”

To learn more about and apply for the Collaborative Kentucky Whiskey, Bourbon & Rye Distilling Program, contact David Mandell, President & CEO, at [email protected]

About The Bardstown Bourbon Company
Under construction since October 2014, The Bardstown Bourbon Company is “the Modern Distiller of the American Spirit.” The company is developing a $25 million destination experience with a first-of-its-kind Napa Valley style campus featuring a unique and transparent educational experience, high-end tours and tastings, integrated visitors center, event space, and eventually a restaurant and boutique hotel. The distillery is set to begin production in Summer 2016.

To learn more about The Bardstown Bourbon Company visit:
www.bardstownbourbon.com
www.facebook.com/bardstownbourboncompany
www.twitter.com/btownbourbon

# # #

Boutique Spirits Brand Founded in New Zealand Set to Expand World’s First Smoked Rum to U.S. Market

Chicago, IL (November 17, 2015) – Chicago-based Liquid Asset Brands LLC (“LAB”) and Spirits Investment Partners LLC (“SIP”) announced today that they have made a US $14 million investment in Stolen Spirits (“STOLEN”), for a majority stake in the business.

STOLEN, an independent spirits company founded in Auckland, New Zealand, currently produces four internationally awarded innovative rums, including the world’s first smoked rum. The partnership with LAB/SIP provides expertise and significant growth capital for expansion of the Company’s portfolio, including a smoked whiskey, several unique rum releases and other new products under development.

LAB brings a wealth of alcohol industry knowledge and business expertise to STOLEN, particularly in the challenging and competitive United States market. LAB is led by Marc Bushala, a seasoned marketing and spirits entrepreneur and the Managing Partner of MAB Capital Management LLC. This investment comes on the heels of the recent 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 of Angel’s Envy.

“I am thrilled with our investment in STOLEN. We consider it to be one of the best emerging spirit brands to come to market in the last few years,” said Bushala. “We love STOLEN’s unique brand positioning and their innovation in the rum category. We are also excited to work with the STOLEN team to expand the brand portfolio.”

Started in 2010 out of a one-bedroom flat by Jamie Duff and Roger Holmes, STOLEN has seen exponential growth and cult status in its home market of New Zealand and in Australia. Beginning in early 2016 , STOLEN Smoked Rum will be launched in key U.S. states, including NY, FL, CA, MA and IL, with a sustained nationwide rollout.

For this rum, STOLEN works with a world-class distillery in Trinidad & Tobago from where they take column-distilled rum, aged in ex-whiskey barrels in the Caribbean, and add a combination of the best natural ingredients from around the world – including refractionated Arabica coffee beans from Columbia, vanilla from Madagascar and fenugreek from Morocco. This rum is then ‘smoked’ using American Hardwood – a re-invention to rum as we know it with a smokiness that is usually associated with whiskey.

“It was always my dream to take the STOLEN brand to the USA, the most dynamic spirits market in the world,” said Jamie Duff, STOLEN founder and Chief Creative Officer. “Marc and his team at LAB are real pro’s, all smart entrepreneurs at heart and who totally embody the STOLEN ethos. We’re very fortunate to work with LAB as our global partner, which will enable us to do everything we want to do with this brand. Not only expanding into US markets but also developing STOLEN product extensions.”

LAB continues seek out and review equity investment opportunities in early stage beverage businesses. For more information, please visit www.liquidassetbrands.com

Notes:

• Long seen as something of a poor relation in the spirits world, the rum category is identified as the “next big thing”¹
• Flavored and Spiced rums now account for around 53% of all rums sold²
• Spiced rum will continue to grow with new flavour innovations emerging³

Sources:

1. IWSR/Just-Drinks, March 2015
2. Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUS), February 2015
3. The Spirits Business – Rum Trends to Watch in 2015 (12/19/14)

Liquid Asset Brands LLC

Liquid Asset Brands actively make investments in early stage beverage businesses and takes an active role in helping accelerate the growth of the brands in its portfolio. For more information, please visit www.liquidassetbrands.com

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

Stolen Spirits

(STOLEN) is an independent spirits company started from a one-bedroom apartment in Auckland, New Zealand in 2010 by Jamie Duff and Roger Holmes and produces one of the fastest growing rum brands in the world, Stolen Rum. STOLEN was a dream of Jamie’s after being a proud rum drinker for many years but embarrassed of the uncool, undifferentiated rum brands on the market. STOLEN approaches its product development through re-invention and appropriation, with a punk ethos at it’s core.

# # #

Free Digital Recipe Guide Now Available at Equal.com

Chicago (November 1, 2015) – Chef Chris Smith, aka The Diabetic Chef^® in partnership with Equal^®0-calorie sweetener, is proud to share a new digital holiday recipe guide, which is now available free to consumers at Equal.com

Chef Chris, a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, has created a recipe book filled with a variety of holiday drink and dessert recipes that use great-tasting Equal^® 0-calorie sweetener as an alternative to sugar. The launch of the cookbook coincides with American Diabetes Month and was created specifically for the more than 30 million adults and children in the U.S. living with diabetes – and the 86 million Americans at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. All of the recipes are suitable for people living with diabetes or those who want to follow a healthy lifestyle. They include:

• Delicious drinks, such as Apple Pie Smoothie, Pomegranate Mint Tea, Hot Mulled Apple-Cranberry Cider, “Hot” Hot Cider, Hot Peppermint-Mocha Coffee
• Holiday desserts such as Sweet Ricotta with Fresh Berries, Tiramisu Delights, Pumpkin Pie Minis, Chocolate Mousse, Apple-Cranberry Strudel Bites

“Managing you diabetes during the holidays can seem overwhelming,” says Chef Chris, who has type 1 diabetes. “It’s about making small, yet smart decisions that add up to improve your health. Equal^® adds just the right amount of sweetness and flavor to my favorite recipes. As someone who is living with diabetes, I’m committed to educating others about how to prepare delicious and nutritious meals without sacrificing taste.”

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

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.

# # #

Louisville Distilling Company Will Only Release 7,500 Bottles

Louisville, Kentucky (November 1, 2015) – Louisville Distilling Company is proud to announce the limited-edition release of the critically acclaimed Angel’s Envy Cask Strength. The expression will be available this November in select markets including: AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, MA, NJ, NY, OH, OR, TN, TX, WA. Due to the scarcity of barrels necessary for the enhanced finishing process, Angel’s Envy will only release 7,500 bottles. Previous releases quickly sold out.

Named “best spirit in the world” by Paul Pacult in the June 2013 edition of Spirit Journal, Cask Strength shared top honors with a 25-year-old single malt whisky that sold for nearly twice the price. In his review, Pacult awarded the brand five stars – his highest recommendation – noting, “this masterpiece deserves a sixth rating star.”

As with Angel’s Envy, the super-premium bourbon of uncompromising character and quality, Cask Strength is aged to the perfect level of richness and maturity (up to seven years) in the few American white oak barrels that made the cut. The barrels are then blended into a single batch and finished in hand-selected port casks.

“Cask Strength is a rare and remarkably complex bourbon unlike any other you’ve ever tried,” said Wes Henderson, Chief Innovation Officer, Angel’s Envy. “Our fans look forward to it each year and we’re thrilled to make it more widely available.”

The suggested retail price for a 750ml bottle, which may vary by market, is $169.99. A remarkably complex bourbon at 127.9-proof and 63.95% alcohol by volume, Cask Strength is best enjoyed with just a bit of water to release the flavor nuances.

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Tasting Notes

Color: Rich Gold with an amber depth

Nose: Heavy caramel with vanilla up front, followed by roasted almonds, orange peel citrus, and faint blueberry

Palate: Pound cake, root beer, candy corn, honey. Then tart strawberries, blackberries, figs, and slight black pepper on the finish.

Finish/feel: Less port forward than previous years, but while the port finish is distinct, the bourbon itself shines through the finish

Bottle Signing Events

Angel’s Envy will host exclusive bottle signing events with members of the Henderson family from December 2015 through April 2016 for those that purchase Cask Strength. A promotional code on each bottle shares a URL with more information about the events.

Angel’s Envy Distillery

The Angel’s Envy distillery will be located in downtown Louisville, on the corner of Main Street and Jackson, bringing the great tradition of Kentucky bourbon-making back to the city. The new craft distillery and brand experience center will make a great starting point for the Bourbon Trail and be open to the public for guided tours. Louisville Distilling Company expects the new distillery to be up and running in 2016.

About Louisville Distilling Company LLC

Louisville Distilling Company LLC is the proud producer of the highly celebrated Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The small batch artisan port-finished bourbon, which is hand-blended in small batches of 8-12 barrels and allowed to develop naturally, is the culmination of the late Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson’s storied career. The award-winning flagship Expression, which is available across the U.S., earned 98/100 points from Wine Enthusiast magazine – the highest-ever rating for a bourbon. The Company also offers Angel’s Envy Rye, which is finished in Caribbean rum casks and Angel’s Envy Cask Strength, which Paul Pacult of Spirit Journal named the “Best Spirit in the World.” Each Expression exhibits a passion for experimenting outside of conventional norms and producing unique whiskey steeped in tradition, but finished with a twist.

The Angel’s Envy™ brand is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited.

For more information, please visit us at www.angelsenvy.com or on facebook

https://www.facebook.com/AngelsEnvyBourbon, twitter https://twitter.com/Angels_Envy (@angels_envy) and Instagram.

Angel’s Envy 2015. Heaven Can Wait. Please Drink Responsibly.

# # #

Award-Winning Neighborhood Cheese, Specialty Food & Wine Shop’s Largest Location Offers Two Integrated Concepts Within One Space

Chicago (October 29, 2015) – Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine will officially open its fourth and largest retail location today, beginning at 4:00pm, at 5212 N. Clark Street in Andersonville. The 3,800 square foot space, designed by Chicago-based Moss Design, is an exciting extension of the company’s European-inspired neighborhood concept. The new location is an inviting open format, which includes a hybrid retail space and 75-seat wine bar and restaurant, named Appellation.

Lined by the building’s existing reclaimed exposed brick, the new retail space will delight guests with all the things you’ve come to expect from Pastoral – multiple interactive stations including a specialty cheese bar, gourmet accompaniments, sandwich and salad stand, and an extensive wine offering that will showcase wine at approachable price points as well as coveted benchmark or premium-priced wines. As with other Pastoral locations, the store will feature high quality, handcrafted products, including cut-to-order domestic and international specialty cheeses, charcuterie, freshly baked breads, small production wines, craft beers and spirits, custom gift baskets, and artisan catering.

The integrated space will include a slicing counter with small production charcuterie from top producers. To accent and accompany its charcuterie station, Pastoral will feature a rotating French mustard on tap from Maille, which, in the United States, is available in just two locations outside of Chicago. The first variety offered for the autumn will be “White Wine,” which guests can pour, to order, into a ceramic Maille crock. Pastoral will also carry several varieties of Maille’s premium-line jarred mustards, including Blackcurrant, Cognac, Walnut, Lemon & Harissa, as well as a premium Hazelnut oil.

Pastoral’s sandwich and salad fans will be able to place takeaway orders throughout the day in a separate to-go area, making it the premier gourmet lunch destination in Andersonville. The company’s much-loved bread offerings, sourced from La Fournette Bakery & Café and Cook au Vin, will be sold in the retail space and will be used in Pastoral’s sandwich menu. Later in November, Pastoral will begin serving a daily counter service breakfast that will include quiche, Counter Culture coffee and espresso, pastries from an exclusive partnership with Evanston’s Hewn, and more.

In a nod to Andersonville’s Swedish heritage, the retail area will offer traditional Swedish delicacies that the neighborhood has come to appreciate from renowned, but now closed, retailers such as Erikson’s Delicatessen and Wikstrom’s Gourmet. Pastoral will carry delicacies from the latter founder’s daughter, Marie Wikstrom, such as beloved cheeses, summer sausages, pickled herring and homemade lingonberry-cherry jam, which has been an Andersonville staple for generations.

The intimate environment allows for Pastoral’s knowledgeable team to provide attentive and thoughtful service as patrons browse the European-inspired shop and order cheese and artisan foods and beverages to stay or take away. Guests are encouraged to enjoy the full space throughout the day, which offers multiple seating options, including a cheese bar and custom-crafted wine bar, which unites retail and restaurant, an ideal spot for people-watching over wine and bar bites in the evening.

Introducing Appellation Wine Bar & Restaurant

An extension of the Pastoral retail store, Appellation will offer guests a simple but amazing approach to food and wine with a sense of place, in a warm, inviting space. The restaurant’s name and menu inspires guests to appreciate the place of origin for each ingredient and wine pairing, as well as the farmers and producers with whom Pastoral has built great relationships over time.

Chef Jesse Williams, former head chef of Birchwood Kitchen and Lula Café veteran who trained under Jason Hammel and attended the Culinary Institute of America,

will preside over the full-service kitchen through a straightforward and simply delicious brunch and dinner program. Chef Jesse, a former Pastoral cheesemonger, debuts Appellation’s inaugural dinner menu featuring a range of rustic and creative cuisine using high-quality ingredients that often highlight the notable cheeses Pastoral has championed for more than 10 years. In addition to composed cheese plates and homemade charcuterie, the menu includes Black Dog Gelato for dessert, and many signature dishes, such as:

• Egg noodles with milk braised pork shoulder ragu, carrots, leeks, fennel, olives;
• Roasted chicken thigh, mustard vinegar sauce, cornichons, cippolini, raclette mashed potatoes;
• Dill ricotta gnudi with preserved lemon, beets, hazelnuts, butter, pantaleo;
• Patty melt with smoked onion confit, Swedish cheese, miche, frites

Guests dining at the chef’s table in front of the kitchen will get a glimpse of Chef Jesse and her team’s chemistry and artistry. Later in November, Appellation will also begin serving weekend brunch.

Andersonville’s Wine Destination

Paralleling Appellation’s creative, rustic menu is Pastoral’s exquisite wine program, developed by head Wine Buyer, Mark Wrobel (formerly of In Fine Spirits Lounge in Andersonville). The wine bar, which will offer 20 wines by the glass, will broaden

Pastoral’s approach to wine by featuring a rotating selection of rare and exclusive vintages by the glass and on tap, including Mawby’s Cuvée Pastoral. Like its other locations, the Andersonville location will focus on a distinct type of wine each month, such as American wines (October), Benchmark wines (November), and Sparkling wines (December), and will offer flights to explore and celebrate each category.

Many wines sold at retail will also be available for order at Appellation at approachable prices, from traditional regions with classic and up-and-coming producers. Pastoral’s complete wine collection – containing approximately 200 varieties – will focus on great-tasting, small production, family-owned vineyards that are either organic, and/or use sustainable production processes. Pastoral will also feature well-paired craft cocktails and beers.

Design Elements

The dining area was designed with reclaimed materials including French-inspired ceiling-beams, beautifully appointed installations, wine labels etched into the tabletops, and wall-lined banquettes. The front section of the restaurant features full-sized windows that open up to Clark Street and telescoping barnyard-door partitions, which allow the space to also serve as an intimate setting for private parties. A vintage wine press, reclaimed from the basement of Di Bruno Brothers gourmet retailers in Philadelphia, and crafted into a chandelier by renowned lighting artist Ted Harris, shines from above the chef’s table. An eye-catching antique milk and cream can chandelier also hangs in the store’s front window. The dining area also will feature unique and inspired works from local artists, which will rotate seasonally and are offered for sale. Adam Thomas, a highly celebrated local oil painter known for his vibrant abstracts and realistic renditions of landscapes and animals, will be the first artist to display his dramatic clouds exhibit. The current exhibit will be featured through the holidays.

“We couldn’t be more excited or proud to unveil this unique retail location, complete with a wine bar and restaurant, to the vibrant Andersonville community,” said Greg O’Neill, co-owner/co-founder of Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine. “With two exciting concepts under one roof, we look forward to welcoming guests to this new neighborhood European-style breakfast, gourmet lunch, dinner, and wine destination that will make shopping for and enjoying artisan food and wine enlightening, approachable, fun and delicious.”

Pastoral will be open Monday through Saturday from 11:00am – 9:00pm and Sunday from 11:00am – 6:00pm. Morning counter service of European style breakfast will commence in mid-November.

Appellation will offer Bar Bites beginning at 4:00pm each day and dinner seven days a week commencing at 5:00 p.m. each. On Sunday – Thursday, dinner will be served until 10:00 p.m., and until 11:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The wine bar will close at midnight Monday – Thursday, 1:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11:00 p.m. on Sunday. Saturday and Sunday brunch service will commence in mid November.

For more information, please visit pastoralartisan.com or call Pastoral at 800.721.4781. Reservations are not currently being accepted for Appellation. Walk-ins only. For more information, call 773.358.7181 or visit Appellation on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AppellationChicago

About Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine

Founded in 2004 by Ken Miller and Greg O’Neill, Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine is a group of national award-winning neighborhood cheese, specialty food and wine shops 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 four 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. In October 2015, Pastoral will open its newest restaurant and wine bar, named Appellation, and retail location, in Chicago’s vibrant Andersonville neighborhood.

About Appellation

Launched in October 2015, Appellation is a 75-seat bistro serving food and wine with a sense of place. Led by Chef Jesse Williams and featuring a menu of approachable and rustic dishes, Appellation encourages guests to sip and savor appetizers, entrees, and other shareable plates featuring the fine cheese and wine offered in Pastoral’s retail locations. Appellation serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the week, as well as dinner and brunch on weekends. For more information, follow Appellation on Twitter @AppellationChi, and like the wine bar and restaurant on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/AppellationChicago

# # #