Blimpie Subs & Salads(r) Introduces New Crunch-a-bowl Salad(tm)

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ATLANTA, GEORGIA (Tuesday, September 24, 2002) - BLIMPIE Subs & Salads announced the launch of the new gourmet Crunch-A-Bowl Salads(TM), now available at its nearly 2000 franchised stores located in the United States and 15 foreign countries. The hearty, wholesome salads, priced around $4.49, are served in an edible baked bowl and offered in three varieties: Roast Beef 'n Bleu(TM), Chili Ole'(TM) and Zesto Pesto Turkey(TM).
"We are introducing our new line of salads to enhance the variety in our current menu selection and to align our menu more accurately with our brand. We are BLIMPIE Subs & Salads -- it's in our name," said Spencer Gillette, executive vice president, Blimpie International. "BLIMPIE is well known for its variety of sandwiches but we have delicious salads as well. Our customers have told us they love our salads and want more of them. Our goal is to provide them with a fresh, healthy and hearty salad as a lunch choice."

The rollout of the Crunch-A-Bowl salads coincides with "National 5-A-Day Week," which salutes the National Cancer Institute's "Eat 5-A-Day for Better Health" Program. Celebrating its tenth year, this program encourages adults to eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day for optimum health.

"We know that people come to BLIMPIE for a fresh, healthy lunch alternative," said Gillette. "The Crunch-A-Bowl Salads go well with the fitness habits of today's health-conscious consumer."

Each of the three gourmet salads is prepared as a complete and wholesome entree, with fresh-sliced meats, real cheeses and healthy toppings such as nuts, beans, tomatoes and peppers, all on a "spring mix" bed of baby greens served in a baked, edible bowl.

"One Crunch-A-Bowl salad contains enough vegetables and mixed greens to account for two of the five recommended servings a day," said Gillette. "With National 5-A-Day Week being a celebration of nature's original fast foods -- fruits and vegetables -- we feel this is the perfect time to introduce our new salads nationally."

Salad Survey Says ...

President George W. Bush was selected as the person Americans would most like to share a salad with in a national survey of 1008 participants sponsored by BLIMPIE. Tiger Woods, who makes a healthy living himself on greens, placed a distant second. The survey showed that salads are increasingly important to the American diet, with nearly one-third of respondents (328 of 1008) estimating that they eat salads more often than they did five years ago. The survey demonstrates that salads are moving from a side dish or strictly a "diet meal" to a mainstream entree for Americans. More than a quarter of survey participants (261) said that they choose salad as an entree at least once or twice a week. Other findings showed that sixty percent (609) of survey participants said that eating salad puts them in a "healthier" mood and that elements such as freshness, "crunchiness" and vegetables were key factors for choosing salads as a meal.

For a complete listing of survey results, visit the corporate information section of www.blimpie.com .

BLIMPIE launched the new Crunch-A-Bowl salads in two test markets, Charleston, South Carolina and Chattanooga, Tennessee in early summer. BLIMPIE used data collected from customers in those markets to make final improvements in the product before the national rollout.

The following salads are now available throughout the United States:

Roast Beef 'n Bleu -- Something you can really sink your teeth into: roast beef, turkey, bleu cheese, banana peppers, tomato wedges, with a spring salad mix and baked shell bowl.
Chili Ole' -- It's a fiesta for your taste buds: chili, guacamole, black olives, jalapenos, cheddar cheese, tomato wedges, spring salad mix and baked shell bowl.
Zesto Pesto Turkey -- Packed with turkey, pesto, provolone, banana peppers, black olives, almond slivers, tomato wedges, with spring salad mix and baked shell bowl.
According to the Produce Marketing Association, Americans eat about 30 pounds of lettuce every year. Lettuce is regarded as one of the most popular fresh vegetables for American tastes. Popularity is not the only reason many Americans eat lettuce and fresh-cut salads. Salads have been found to be tremendously rich in antioxidants, minerals and beneficial nutrients important to maintaining healthy diets.

According to the Produce for Better Health Foundation, green leafy vegetables, oranges, and dried beans (pinto and navy) are important sources of folic acid. Analyses showed that tomato, lettuce and oranges were associated with the strongest decrease in the risk of laryngeal cancer.

Blimpie International is a global franchiser of several branded quick- service restaurant concepts. The company's core brand, BLIMPIE Subs & Salads, has grown to approximately 2,000 franchised outlets across the United States and 15 foreign countries.