Business Wire
August 12, 2004 Thursday
Larry's Markets to Launch Branded Milk Free of Added Growth Hormones; New
Products Will Provide Customers with Natural, Healthy Choices

KIRKLAND, Wash., Aug. 12, 2004 -- Larry's Markets, the name that long has been
synonymous with selection, quality and knowledgeable and friendly service, today
announced that it is introducing a variety of Larry's-branded hormone-free milk
products. The company's six greater Seattle area stores will carry the products
starting on August 18.

As part of Larry's commitment to provide customers with the freshest products, the
company now will carry only milk that is completely free of the added growth
hormone Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin (rbST) under its private label. Larry's
will launch four products: non-fat, one percent, two percent and whole milk in half
gallon and gallon sizes. The milk comes from a local farm that raises cows in a
natural and healthy environment. All cows are fed a natural 100 percent vegetarian
diet free of all artificial growth hormones.

Cows often are injected with rbST to increase milk production by 10 to 15 percent.
While it cannot be detected through testing, rbST is typically found in most dairy
milk. The use of rbST is approved by the Food and Drug Administration and is
reported to not have any affect on the nutritional value of milk.

"Our goal always has been to provide customers with the highest quality products
available," said Mark McKinney, CEO of Larry's Markets. "We recognize that many of
our customers, especially those who purchase organic and natural foods, are
concerned with the levels of growth hormones in their foods and we believe that milk
free of rbST is the best choice for our customers."

Consumers can take advantage of introductory pricing and try the products for 97
cents for a half gallon until the end of August.

About Larry's Markets

Founded in Seattle, Larry's Markets, Inc. is one of the Northwest's premier grocery
and retail operations. Larry's Markets provides a selection that fulfills its customers'
everyday grocery needs, and features the freshest produce from local growers and
meats, regional and international wine selections, and an excellent selection of
natural and environmentally-friendly foods and household products. Larry's Markets
believes in community involvement as a natural extension of the company's civic
responsibility and encourages volunteerism from its more than 800 employees at six
neighborhood locations. Locally- and family-owned since 1945, Larry's Markets'
standard of excellence for the entire store and particularly the fresh departments
continues to maintain its leadership position in the grocery industry.

EXAMPLES OF FALSE OR MISLEADING CLAIMS TYPICALLY FOUND*

The TRUTH about "No Antibiotics" Claims

Antibiotics are never added to milk. All milk is tested to ensure that antibiotics used to treat cows are not present in milk. Antibiotic-free and no-Antibiotic claims are not allowed in animal agriculture. Read the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Information Service guidelines at www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/larc/Claims/RaisingClaims.pdf

The TRUTH about "No Hormone" Claims

All milk produced by cows contains hormones as part of the normal biology of reproduction and lactation. There is no such thing as hormone-free milk.

Read the FDA “No Hormones” Claims Press Release at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/fprbst.html

The TRUTH about rbST Claims

Before the 1993 approval of rbST (recombinant bovine somatotropin, also called rbGH or bovine growth hormone), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined that the recombinant form of bST is virtually identical to a cow's natural somatotropin, a hormone produced in the pituitary gland that stimulates the production of milk. During that rbST approval process, FDA concluded that there is no difference between milk from treated and untreated cows. This finding has been reviewed and endorsed by such independent groups as the American Medical Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, and the World Health Organization. For this reason, FDA concluded it does not have the authority to require special labeling for milk and dairy products from rbST-treated cows, and that producers have no basis for claiming that milk from cows not treated with rbST is safer or any different than milk from rbST-treated cows. As such, FDA guidelines have been established regarding what truthful and non-misleading label and marketing-related claims can be used by processors wishing to market milk which has not come from cows receiving this supplement. Read more from the FDA and Cornell University statement at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~ear/CORBST.html

* If you know about a false or misleading label or related marketing claim contact us at contact@stoplabelinglies.com. Examples found here have been collected over the past several years dating back to 2001. They are from various stores and different regions of the country. Some examples may have changed or differ from region-to-region or in different stores. All examples found are presented here, including some which may no longer be available, to provide both the context and history of false or misleading marketing. Different labels and corresponding marketing materials may not contain all of the false or misleading claims noted; they are presented as sold and/or marketed at the time of purchase or discovery. If this page concerns your product and you’ve made changes to your marketing materials please contact us – we’ll add and promote any verifiable changes to labels, advertisements or marketing materials which are provided to us.